Young Heroes: The Brave Activists Of Mother Nature Cambodia

Young, passionate, and fiercely dedicated to protecting Cambodia's rich but ecologically fragile environment, the activists of Mother Nature Cambodia have drawn global attention. Their peaceful green campaigns, championed by climate activist Greta Thunberg, successfully halted a 2015 hydroelectric dam project that threatened a pristine rainforest valley.

However, this week, Cambodia sentenced ten activists from the group to up to six years in prison on charges of conspiring against the state. While the government claims the group encourages social unrest, supporters see this as yet another attack on climate activists in the region.

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

Exiled opposition leader Mu Sochua remarked that the group highlighted environmental issues threatening Cambodia's fragile ecosystem. "They would be heroes in any free country," she asserted. "Their convictions only show how Cambodian courts are used as weapons by the state to halt public discussion. The sentences are a disaster for environmentalism in Cambodia and for everyone who cares about our planet's future."

Cambodia, a kingdom of nearly 17 million people rich in natural resources, faces pressing environmental threats. Deforestation from illegal logging and agricultural expansion, water pollution, and a surge in plastic waste pose significant challenges. Despite maintaining about 46% forest cover and hosting 2,300 plant species and 14 endangered animals, deforestation and wildlife crimes continue to threaten Cambodia's biodiversity, according to the United States Agency for International Development (USAID).

Critics and environmental groups argue that these threats have escalated under the nearly four-decade-long rule of strongman Hun Sen, who has suppressed dissent and jailed opponents, forcing many to flee. Although his eldest son, Hun Manet, succeeded him as prime minister last year, Hun Sen remains the ruling party's center of power.

"Cambodia is becoming more repressed," said Alejandro Gonzalez-Davidson, a Spaniard who co-founded Mother Nature Cambodia over a decade ago. Climate activism in the country is at a grassroots level, focusing on the exploitation of the environment by powerful tycoons and corrupt officials. "Our group has been doing as much as we can to stop these unethical projects and protect the environment – and that is why we are a threat in the regime’s eyes."

CNN reached out to the Cambodian government for comment on the court ruling and the allegations. Outside the court before Tuesday's ruling, a government spokesperson denied that the charges against the activists were politically motivated. "The government has never taken action against those who criticize. We only take action against those who commit crimes," spokesperson Pen Bona told Reuters.

Founded in 2012, Mother Nature Cambodia has campaigned against environmental destruction and exposed alleged corruption in state management of precious mineral resources. Their savvy use of social media has resonated with young Cambodians. In 2023, the group was awarded the Right Livelihood Award, often called the "alternative Nobel Prize."

"Mother Nature Cambodia is a group of fearless young activists fighting for environmental rights and democracy in the face of repression by the Cambodian regime," the jury said, describing them as "a powerful voice for environmental preservation and democracy in Cambodia."

Several activists were unable to receive the award in person as Cambodian courts denied their requests to travel to Sweden to collect the prize. "They have successfully helped local communities stop environmental violations," said Right Livelihood’s executive director Ole von Uexkuell. "Through innovative and often humorous protests, their activism defends nature and livelihoods while upholding communities’ voices against corrupt and damaging projects."

The group has strongly leveraged social media, amassing over 450,000 followers on Facebook. Their TikTok videos, like the one investigating the illegal export of rare silica sand, have made a significant impact on young Cambodian users like Run Bunry, a high-school student from Phnom Penh. "They are positive and lighthearted and also teach us a lot about the environment," he said.

Members of the group have faced increasing threats, harassment, and criminal charges for years. Under scorching heat on Tuesday, they dressed in white and accompanied by supporters, staged a mock funeral procession leading to the Phnom Penh Municipal Court. But peaceful scenes turned chaotic after the sentencing was announced. Activists Ly Chandaravuth, Long Kunthea, Thun Ratha, Phuon Keoraksmey, and Yim Leanghy were surrounded by armed police officers, dragged into waiting cars, and sent to prisons across the country. Rights activist Pilorge Naly of the Cambodian League for the Promotion and Defense of Human Rights told CNN that the arrests were immediate and violent, with journalists and supporters also being pushed and shoved by security officers.

Arrest warrants have been issued for five other members of the group, including Gonzalez-Davidson, who was sentenced to eight years in prison on the conspiracy charge and insulting Cambodia’s king. "The increasing use by Cambodian authorities of lèse majesté and other articles of Cambodia’s criminal code to penalize the exercise of human rights is deeply worrying," said United Nations Human Rights spokesperson Thameen Al-Kheetan in a statement.

Gonzalez-Davidson, however, believes the ruling will inspire a new generation of environmental campaigners. "This week, a new generation of Cambodian activists was born – one that did not exist back in 2012," he said. "Many young Cambodians are very engaged in the next steps and public campaigning must continue. They won’t break our spirits. We are not going to be shut down."