My father was born in Phnom Penh, the capital of Cambodia in the late thirties. He left Cambodia around 1959 to go back there only in 1997. When I was a kid, my father would tell me stories about his childhood: for example, he used to go fishing in the Mekong only using a stick, some thread and a hook. “There were so many fishes that you didn’t even need a lure, you could just throw the hook into the water to catch a beautiful fish!”
How times have changed…
“In a story published in The Cambodian Scene Magazine (July/August 2005), the water levels of the Tonle Sap and its nearby tributary the Dang Tong Lake, were so low in May 2005 that residents in the area discovered an ancient tree, claimed to date back to the 11th century.”
This was extracted from Downstream Countries, an article on eRenlai about the draining and the pollution of the Mekong River. A little bit of geography: “The Tonle Sap is a combined lake and river system of huge importance to Cambodia. It is the largest freshwater lake in South East Asia and is an ecological hotspot that was designated as a UNESCO biosphere in 1997.” (Borrowed from Wikipedia’s article about Tonle Sap).
The Tonle Sap is also known because it reverses its flow once a year: the water is pushed up from the Mekong into the lake, flooding a large area and creating a huge pond ideal for breeding fishes! That’s why the reversal is also important for Cambodian people who celebrate the event every year. If the water keeps going down, it will not only affect the ecological system around but also all the people living and depending on fishing.
Today’s favourites
Downstream Countries by Moeun Nhean.
Conservation awareness by Prabha Gautam.
Prabha exposes the needs for Nepal to take the path of sustainable development.
