My facebook feed showed an article from NASA on Cambodia and its deforestation issues. It showed satellite images over past 10 years on how much deforestation has occurred. I’m not going to get down to facts and figures. But just know its bad. Its been bad, it is bad, and will continue to be bad. Its not a hidden issue how corrupt the system is in the country due to the massive amounts of money they can be made by various parties participating in illegal logging. Its very difficult to refuse such an offer to be a part 1% of Cambodia most wealthy just for some trees. I don’t agree with it obviously but you have to understand their world and their mindset. Tell me a convincing reason for why not? How can you get the deforestation to stop when the people in power to protect it are the people profiting from it.
What caught my attention is not just how drastic the situation is but reading and listening to all the comments from the citizens of Cambodia themselves. In America, we take our freedoms and speech for granted. We may not make a difference easily but we have the great ability to and the chances to make a different. And in the sense, we have a big privilege that others in many other countries do not. I felt a multitude of feelings of helplessness, anger, despair, all mixed together and then some from the people. The know what is happening, they know it is not right yet the people in the driver seat to govern aren’t doing anything about it nor will they care. They can’t do anything about it. They are just the victims along with everybody else. There are unforeseen consequences short and long term of such actions. People’s lives will be affected greatly whether it be the land they use to live or the variety of environmental problems thousands will face for years to come.
I keep thinking what do they do? What can they do? Start a revolt? Get other people aware? So what.. I ask myself. What will it do. Its just a thousand of issues surrounding this problem with no power to do a thing about it. They got bigger things to worry about. And if this issue is something you make a BIG issue, then well, you better watch out. Thats right, you can die over a tree. And yet, what will happen when the trees are gone. The poor are too suffer while the riches are all done and spent by the wealthy.
I don’t offer a solution. I dont know where to begin. The people will have to decide this for themselves. Whether their future and the land they live on is worth dying for.
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