The ‘fearless young activists’ thrown in jail for climate campaigns in Cambodi

[reader]

From CNN

They are young and passionate about protecting Cambodia’s rich and ecologically fragile environment.

Their peaceful green campaigns have been championed by climate activist Greta Thunberg and in 2015, they successfully fought against a plan for a hydroelectric dam they claim would have damaged a pristine rainforest valley.

But this week, the Southeast Asian nation sentenced 10 activists from the group Mother Nature Cambodia to up to six years in prison each on charges of conspiring against the state.

The government says the group encourages social unrest, but to their supporters, the ruling is just the latest in a pattern of attacks on climate activists in the wider region.

“We demand that our friends in Mother Nature Cambodia, and all political prisoners, be released immediately,” said Fridays for Future, the youth-led global climate strike movement founded by Thunberg, in a statement.

Exiled opposition leader Mu Sochua said the group had tried to highlight environmental issues that “threaten Cambodia’s fragile environment” and claimed, “they would be heroes in any free country.”

“Their convictions only show how Cambodian courts are simply being used as weapons (by the state) to halt any kind of public discussion,” Mu Sochua told CNN. “The sentences are a disaster for environmentalism in Cambodia and for people everywhere, who care about the future of our planet.”

Continues with photos at

https://edition.cnn.com/2024/07/06/asia/mother-nature-cambodia-climate-youth-activists-intl-hnk/index.html

 

 

[Keithambrose]

On 7/7/2024 at 3:44 AM, reader said:

From CNN

 

They are young and passionate about protecting Cambodia’s rich and ecologically fragile environment.

Their peaceful green campaigns have been championed by climate activist Greta Thunberg and in 2015, they successfully fought against a plan for a hydroelectric dam they claim would have damaged a pristine rainforest valley.

But this week, the Southeast Asian nation sentenced 10 activists from the group Mother Nature Cambodia to up to six years in prison each on charges of conspiring against the state.

 

The government says the group encourages social unrest, but to their supporters, the ruling is just the latest in a pattern of attacks on climate activists in the wider region.

“We demand that our friends in Mother Nature Cambodia, and all political prisoners, be released immediately,” said Fridays for Future, the youth-led global climate strike movement founded by Thunberg, in a statement.

Exiled opposition leader Mu Sochua said the group had tried to highlight environmental issues that “threaten Cambodia’s fragile environment” and claimed, “they would be heroes in any free country.”

“Their convictions only show how Cambodian courts are simply being used as weapons (by the state) to halt any kind of public discussion,” Mu Sochua told CNN. “The sentences are a disaster for environmentalism in Cambodia and for people everywhere, who care about the future of our planet.”

Continues with photos at

https://edition.cnn.com/2024/07/06/asia/mother-nature-cambodia-climate-youth-activists-intl-hnk/index.html

 

 

The dams on the Mekong are already  destroying Tonle Sap lake. And ruining the livelihoods of up to 2 million people. The Government is not in the least concerned. 

[Moses]

On 7/7/2024 at 5:44 AM, reader said:

Their peaceful green campaigns have been championed by climate activist Greta Thunberg

On 7/7/2024 at 5:44 AM, reader said:

“they would be heroes in any free country.”

Are we talking about "peaceful" Greta Thunberg, who been arrested and detained for public disorders and disobeying a police order 6 times in past 12 months in UK, Netherland, Sweden (twice) and Norway (twice)?

Well, then we have list of 4 not free countries by version of Cambodian ‘fearless young activists’...

[Moses]

Personally, I see the following: Western countries are trying to prevent the growth of Chinese influence in Cambodia and prevent a large project to build a power plant on the Mekong - a river in the basin of which there are already 26 power plants in China, 56 (!!!) power plants in Laos, 1 power plant in Myanmar, 5 power plants in Thailand, 18 power plants in Vietnam, and only one (1) power plant in Cambodia.

Currently, more than 50% of Cambodia's electricity is generated by burning coal or oil. And these “activists” are protesting against the construction of a hydroelectric power station on the river, where there are already 97 other power stations. https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Hydropower_in_the_Mekong_River_Basin

They are protesting in one of the poorest countries, which is forced to constantly import electricity, which critically slows down the country's development. They are protesting against a hydroelectric dam in the country that, due to electricity shortages, has increased the burning of coal and oil to generate it by 40% over the past 10 years.

Why am I not surprised that Mother Nature Cambodia is a foreign NGO, supported by foreign funds, and the leader of this organization is a 35-year-old foreigner (Spanish) who fled Cambodia before trial?

And one more thing: I wonder why CNN didn’t mention that among the accusations was insulting the king?

Therefore, my opinion is that these children are victims of global geopolitics, in which it is beneficial for politicians to keep Cambodia weak and dependent on Western loans and grants and away from Chinese influence.

[Keithambrose]

22 minutes ago, Moses said:

Personally, I see the following: Western countries are trying to prevent the growth of Chinese influence in Cambodia and prevent a large project to build a power plant on the Mekong - a river in the basin of which there are already 26 power plants in China, 56 (!!!) power plants in Laos, 1 power plant in Myanmar, 5 power plants in Thailand, 18 power plants in Vietnam, and only one (1) power plant in Cambodia.

Currently, more than 50% of Cambodia's electricity is generated by burning coal or oil. And these “activists” are protesting against the construction of a hydroelectric power station on the river, where there are already 97 other power stations. https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Hydropower_in_the_Mekong_River_Basin

They are protesting in one of the poorest countries, which is forced to constantly import electricity, which critically slows down the country's development. They are protesting against a hydroelectric dam in the country that, due to electricity shortages, has increased the burning of coal and oil to generate it by 40% over the past 10 years.

Why am I not surprised that Mother Nature Cambodia is a foreign NGO, supported by foreign funds, and the leader of this organization is a 35-year-old foreigner (Spanish) who fled Cambodia before trial?

And one more thing: I wonder why CNN didn’t mention that among the accusations was insulting the king?

Therefore, my opinion is that these children are victims of global geopolitics, in which it is beneficial for politicians to keep Cambodia weak and dependent on Western loans and grants and away from Chinese influence.

Cambodia was described  by  my taxi driver, as 'part of China'. He said they control everything,  including the government.

 

[Moses]

7 minutes ago, Keithambrose said:

Cambodia was described  by  my taxi driver, as 'part of China'. He said they control everything,  including the government.

Well, it depends... Currently Cambodia imports electricity, oil, coal and gas from Vietnam and Thailand. If dam will be constructed, TH and VN will lose money. 

And if speak from ecological point of view, Cambodia will burn less coal, oil and gas and produce less CO2 emission.

If speak from geopolitical point of view - China is world economical leader (at least - #2) and neighborhood of small and weak Cambodia, do we have reason to wonder about Chinese influence? 

[vinapu]

5 hours ago, Moses said:

Are we talking about "peaceful" Greta Thunberg, who been arrested and detained for public disorders and disobeying a police order 6 times in past 12 months in UK, Netherland, Sweden (twice) and Norway (twice)?

Well, then we have list of 4 not free countries by version of Cambodian ‘fearless young activists’...

there's big difference between being detained and freed shortly after and jailed for 6 years.

[vinapu]

4 hours ago, Keithambrose said:

Cambodia was described  by  my taxi driver, as 'part of China'. He said they control everything,  including the government.

 

exactly, word for word,  what I heard from mine on the way from new Siem Reap airport

[vinapu]

4 hours ago, Moses said:

 

If speak from geopolitical point of view - China is world economical leader (at least - #2) and neighborhood of small and weak Cambodia, do we have reason to wonder about Chinese influence? 

wonder no, worry yes. It's always worrying if unpredictable and autocratic country tries to expand it's sphere of influence.  

[Moses]

2 hours ago, vinapu said:

wonder no, worry yes. It's always worrying if unpredictable and autocratic country tries to expand it's sphere of influence. 

Well, if anyone will look at the list of military conflicts in Xxi century, this person will easy find, that China started or participated in zero military conflicts in XXI century (if not count permanent conflict with India, which UK cooked few decades ago at time of leaving India, in a pair with permanent conflict India-Pakistan), while  "most democratic country in world" - US - spend no one day in current century without participating in military conflict or war... so looks like Cambodia should afraid not China...

[10tazione]

31 minutes ago, Moses said:

so looks like Cambodia should afraid not China...

Ask the people in Sihanoukville! Military conflict is not the only way to exercise influence.

[Moses]

54 minutes ago, 10tazione said:

Ask the people in Sihanoukville! Military conflict is not the only way to exercise influence.

Sure. Sihanoukville still has a lot of signs of formerly French "influence".

 

Now it is time for China. That why I wrote:

7 hours ago, Moses said:

If speak from geopolitical point of view - China is world economical leader (at least - #2) and neighborhood of small and weak Cambodia, do we have reason to wonder about Chinese influence? 

 

[vinapu]

56 minutes ago, 10tazione said:

 Military conflict is not the only way to exercise influence.

That's not  a point which  average product of Russian schooling with their cult of war and military will take well.

Picture this : Perestroyka times under Gorbatchev, Trans Siberian train stops in Novosibirsk, heavily pregnant lady and her husband are boarding, elderly couple, presumably parents or in-laws are sending them off and elder lady says " bring back son, we need a lot of border guards " . Who heard that ? among others myself looking through the window

[vinapu]

2 hours ago, Moses said:

Well, if anyone will look at the list of military conflicts in Xxi century, this person will easy find, that China started or participated in zero military conflicts in XXI century......

while  "most democratic country in world" - US - 

not being involved in military conflict in first decade of XXI century did not prevent certain country located between Belarus and USA  from attacking her neighbour and being first country post World War II to change borders in Europe by force.

I , with many other hope an pray that we will be able to say the same highlighted part   about certain country between Latvia and North Korea before w we close our eyes forever.

But since you mentioned US and Cambodia , I'm 100% sure that we agree that USA committed many gravely since against Cambodia in 70 and 80 ties, starting with Lon Nol coup, through secret bombings (Mr. Kissinger, hope you are  not cold in hell ? ) to  supporting UN seat for Democratic Kampuchea fully knowing about Khmer Rouge atrocities. 

 

[Keithambrose]

18 hours ago, vinapu said:

there's big difference between being detained and freed shortly after and jailed for 6 years.

Or never released at all!

[reader]

On 7/24/2024 at 5:10 AM, Moses said:

Well, it depends... Currently Cambodia imports electricity, oil, coal and gas from Vietnam and Thailand. If dam will be constructed, TH and VN will lose money.

If a damn is constructed, Vietnam will lose much of its Mekong ecosystem.

[Moses]

1 hour ago, reader said:

If a damn is constructed, Vietnam will lose much of its Mekong ecosystem.

Vietnam has 18 existing hydropower plants in Mekong basin.

 

[reader]

...and they'll be next to useless when China builds yet another one upstream.

[Moses]

1 hour ago, reader said:

...and they'll be next to useless when China builds yet another one upstream.

Because of fish migration, most dangerous for ecology are downstream dams: than more close to delta, then is more dangerous. And there Vietnam has 18 dams.

And when you talking about "yet another" Chinese dams, you should not forget about 56 existing dams in Mekong basin on the territory of Laos.

[reader]

36 minutes ago, Moses said:

you should not forget about 56 existing dams in Mekong basin on the territory of Laos.

And China paid for them and put Laos in deep debt as it has Cambodia.

I think maybe Russia built some, too, with same objective.  Can't trust either country. 🙂

[vinapu]

On 7/24/2024 at 4:41 AM, Moses said:

a power plant on the Mekong - a river in the basin of which there are already 26 power plants in China, 56 (!!!) power plants in Laos, 1 power plant in Myanmar, 5 power plants in Thailand, 18 power plants in Vietnam, and only one (1) power plant in Cambodia.

 

power plant is one thing and dam across the river is another one

[Moses]

49 minutes ago, vinapu said:

power plant is one thing and dam across the river is another one

do you know any hydropower plant without dam? (I'm not talking now about micro hydropower plant below 30Mw)

[Moses]

One of 56 hydroPP in Laos:

 

one of 18 hydroPP in Vietnam:

[vinapu]

3 hours ago, Moses said:

do you know any hydropower plant without dam? (I'm not talking now about micro hydropower plant below 30Mw)

 

yes, I don't know  technical term in English , " peak and pump" perhaps. 

at night when power is cheap and abundant they pump water to reservoir, in peak times water  it's released  powering turbines while tumbling down.

I wouldn't be surprised it it was actually developed / invented in Russia .

a lot of hydropower plant don't require daming whole river across  , canal and artificial lake  will do

[Moses]

1 hour ago, vinapu said:

at night when power is cheap and abundant they pump water to reservoir, in peak times water  it's released  powering turbines while tumbling down.

They called hydroaccumulating power plants and for them you need that reservoir to be very high located - at night pumps move water up and and day water flow down and powering turbines, but a) they are not possible in flat Cambodia, b) they are below 30MW of power