Khmer Krom Federation at the Third Session of the United Nations Permanent Forum on the Indigenous Issues, May 10-21, 2004 in New York City Item 4 (b): Environment Issues Date: May 18, 2004 Speaker: Tran Giap Mr. Chairman and Members of the Permanent Forum on Indigenous Issues: My name is Giap Tran. I am very thankful for this opportunity to speak to you about the environmental issues faced by the Khmer Krom, the indigenous people of Kampuchea Krom. They are facing many life threatening disadvantages in a rapidly deteriorating environment. This deterioration has in many ways affect the way of life of the Khmer Krom people and their cultural existence. The environment in the areas of Kampuchea Krom or the Mekong Delta, where the Khmer Krom live, is being polluted by the pesticides, herbicides, and fertilizers used by the agribusiness. The environment is being further polluted by industries built by the government authorized projects in the villages and rural areas where the Khmer Krom live. The rivers that serve as the water supply, laundry, and human waste disposal are being dammed in such a way as to further concentrate the pollution of the rivers. Obviously this is severely detrimental to the health of the Khmer Krom. All this is a concerted effort to damage the environment in such a way as to endanger the health and lives of the inhabitants to make them leave the area. In this historic moment I would like to present to the United Nations the environmental problems facing the Khmer Krom and would also like to suggest some solutions to help ease their suffering. Problems: 1. As we are entering the new millennium, the Khmer Krom are suffering from environmental conditions that negatively impact their economic development and impairs their health and endangers their lives. 2. The Vietnamese government does not provide any public water or sanitation systems in the villages and rural areas where the Khmer Krom live. 3. The rivers and streams are being polluted by pesticides, herbicides, fertilizers, and industrial waste. This pollutes the water supply for humans and kills the fish, shrimp, crabs, and lobsters and prevents the reproductions of these species. Khmer Krom foods supplies are cut. 4. The air is being polluted by toxic industrial pollutants. 5. The forests of Kampuchea Krom are being cut down to make space for the new illegal Vietnamese settlement, having a negative impact on the environment. Furthermore, the trees that mark the sites of Buddhist temples and are symbols of the Khmer Krom culture are also being cut down to eradicate their historic cultural aspect. 6. The rivers are being dammed and the water diverted in such a way as to concentrate pollution and to devastate the areas that were formerly naturally irrigated where the Khmer Krom live. Solutions: 1. All toxic pesticide (such as DDT), herbicides, and fertilizers should be banned. 2. Public water and sanitation systems should be established in the villages and rural areas of Kampuchea Krom. 3. A program to clean up the rivers and streams should be instituted and further pollution by agribusinesses and industries should be banned. 4. Industrial pollution of the air should be banned and a program to monitor the industrial emissions of toxic gases should be initiated. 5. The deforestation of Kampuchea Krom should cease. 6. The World Health Organization (WHO) should develop and implement a health care system to deal with the environmental related health problems and to train the Khmer Krom to resolve these problems themselves. Mr. Chairman , I have tried to explain the harsh environmental conditions under which the Khmer Krom live. I respectfully urge the United Nations and the global community to enlist the aid of the world’s environmental experts to come to the assistance of the Khmer Krom and to help institute the solutions that I have suggested. The very survival of the indigenous Khmer Krom depends upon you. May we count on your generous support? Thank you very much. Giap Tran