"Ministry prohibits group’s events in Prey Lang protected forests", 24 February 2020

Prey Lang Community Network members in four provinces have been banned from organising blessing ceremonies scheduled to have been performed in protected forests ...

Chheang Ly, a Prey Lang Community Network representative in Stung Treng province, said ... about 600 people, ... had gathered to perform the ceremonies ... but were barred by park rangers and local authorities who asked them to prove they had permission.

“They [the rangers and authorities] accused us of trying to conduct the ceremony in the Prey Lang Wildlife Santuary without a permit,” she said. “We had submitted a letter to inform the Environment Ministry ... but there was no response. And when it was time for us to hold [the ceremonies], we were obstructed.”

Ek Sovanna, a representative of the Prey Lang Network in Kratie province, considered the disruption from the rangers and authorities as restricting people’s right to hold religious ceremonies.

“Every year, we submit a letter to the ministry requesting to hold the same celebration and it has never objected,” he said. “However, this year our ceremonies have been disrupted.”...

Ministry of Environment spokesman Neth Pheaktra said ... the Prey Lang Wildlife Sanctuary and its wildlife and ecosystem need to be protected and preserved from any activities, including such ceremonies by the network and other groups.

“The Ministry of Environment’s rangers have been doing their duty to protect the forests and wild animals in the Prey Lang area day and night, patrolling, preventing and suppressing crimes occurring in the protected area,” he said...