Kon BambooSchoot

Mining operation poisons water, When Phnom Penh fell And Obama does Cambodia
Villagers say mining camps such as this one in Preah Vihear province have poisoned their water and are making them and their animals ill.
Villagers claim they’ve suffered from skin diseases since a small-scale gold mine opened
HE use of poisonous chemicals by gold miners in Preah Vihear province has polluted local streams and rivers, according to ethnic minority villagers, who say tainted water is causing skin disease and killing livestock.

Svay Phoeun, a community representative from Rovieng district, said that since the arrival of miners from Kampong Thom and Kampong Cham provinces late last year, more than 60 cows and buffaloes had been killed and villagers had been affected by unknown skin conditions.

"At the beginning the water was no problem but after they used chemicals, to clean the mines, we started getting sick and our animals died," Svay Phoeun said, adding that villagers then took matters into their own hands. "The miners stopped their work after their equipment was confiscated and destroyed by angry villagers in early August."

According to a recent report from the rights group Licadho, 205 villagers and three local police officers destroyed mining shelters and confiscated the mining equipment, holding it at the district police station. "Police and eight local villagers were accused of destroying the property," the report said. "But district authorities backed the local villagers and prevented their arrest."

According to Licadho, Rovieng Deputy District Governor Kiet Kimtol said that he will ask permission from provincial authorities to intervene on the villagers' behalf and prevent their arrest.

Khieu Chan, land livelihood officer at NGO Forum on Cambodia, said that even though the miners had stopped their activities, chemical elements were still present in local waterways.

"We will visit the area next week to see the situation of the people there and will appeal to the provincial authorities to intervene," Khieu Chan said. "We are trying to find a way of diluting the poison so that people can drink the water."
Preah Vihear Governor Preap Tann could not be reached for comment Sunday.


When Phnom Penh fell

AFP

Francoise Demulder, the first woman to be given the World Press Photo of the Year award in 1976 for a picture taken in Beirut, Lebanon, is shown in this photograph taken in Phnom Penh on April 16, 1975, the day before the capital fell to Khmer Rouge forces. Demulder, who covered many of the major conflicts of the late 20th century, died in Paris last Wednesday at the age of 61.

Obama does Cambodia

Tracey Shelton

Democrats Abroad Cambodia chair Wayne Weightman speaks to around 80 American expatriates beside Chruoy Changvar bridge in Phnom Penh on Sunday morning. The rally in support of US presidential candidate Barack Obama is part of a worldwide campaign known as the "Obama Bridge Project". So far supporters from 40 countries have gathered at 77 bridges. Cambodia recorded the biggest turnout in Asia so far.