After they were tortured the people had to be killed. I took my bicycle to next spot: the Killing Fields. From far, the large glass stupa filled with human skulls, dragged my attention. Skulls of victims of Pol Pot’s regime which killed more than 3 million people; a staggering number. Piled up in mass graves it was not strange that I found a piece of a mandible. Washed away because of rain. I find myself also photographing the nice butterflies, while I hear kids playing basketball on a field next door… and then I realize I’m on the spot of one of the worst crimes against humanity.
For me it was a relief to leave the capital for what it was now. From the bus it was time for a next confrontation with Cambodia. 1) Deforestation of huge areas which are replaced by palm oil and rubber plantations Get the facts. 2) Mass dredging of sand from the rivers and poaching. All clearly visible illegal activities. And why? Cambodia serves. It serves to big countries like China and Vietnam. No control, corruption, poverty and ignorance are major causes.
When I arrived in the dedicated ecotourism zone, Koh Kong NP, I was surprised by the dredging works. Even when I arrived at the Rainbow Lodge in Koh Kong NP the dredging continued at the ‘front door’. From the owners I got more information. It seems that all sand is already dredged and the ecosystem is altering which poses threats for the fish stocks in the rivers. I try to understand, I try to realize, I imagine a country that wants to go forward, but this is full scale destruction of a country’s resources. As fish stocks collapse, fishery won’t be possible in the near future, ecotourism is under threat since these areas are being destroyed. Cambodia clearly made a decission from long term income – to – short term massive income and afterwards nothing.
I am not condeming the country nor I’m telling what they should do. I want to express my concerns for disapearance of wildife, local people and their culture.
In Cambodia I feel the urgency of chosing ecotourism. I’m happy to do that. Only by this I can make my statement. It is not too late and hopefully not more of beautiful Cambodia will be turned into bleak areas.
Travel route
As you can realize my travel route will be a bit different from now on. When I’m back from Amsterdam in Bangkok I catch my flight to Myanmar first. When I get back from Myanmar the next country won’t be Malaysia as I planned. I’ll visit Cambodia again and still the Mekong Delta in Vietnam. From Vietnam back to Bangkok and straight down south to Malaysia.
Stage 1: Amsterdam – Bangkok (6-11 Sept)
Stage 2: Bangkok (12 Sept) – Yangon (MM) – Kyaiktiay – Bago – Kalaw – Inle Lake – Bagan – Mandalay – Mingun – Amarapura – Inwa – Mingun/Sagaing – Yangon – Bangkok (9 Oct)
Stage 3: Bangkok (10 Oct) – Battambang (KH) – Phnom Penh – Kampot – Kep – Rach Ria (VN) – Phu Coc – Can Tho – My Tho – Saigon – Phnom Penh – Siem Reap – Bangkok (31 Oct)
Stage 4: Bangkok – Malaysia (1 Nov)
Note: Click here to read the Ecopod news letter about ecotourism in Cambodia.