Cambodia: Chinese-backed wind projects allegedly destroy sacred site and clear Indigenous land
"Cambodia’s First Wind Projects Stir Tensions in Indigenous Communities". 6 Apr 2026, Camboja News
[...] an Indigenous Bunong resident of Laoka village, said excavators destroyed the shrine before villagers received a notice or compensation. She and others say they were later paid more than $3,500 by an unnamed company [...]
[...] another Bunong resident, said her rotational banana farm has also been incorporated into a planned 150-megawatt (MW) wind farm, [...]
[...] environmental and social impact assessments have been conducted for at least three foreign firms now clearing access roads and laying turbine foundations. Construction is expected to be completed by next year.
[...] excavators bearing the name of Chinese state-owned engineering giant PowerChina were clearing an access road nearby.
Signs posted in Chinese at worker quarters [...] indicate a partnership with [...] China Huadian Corporation.
Affected communities have said they were pressured to accept inadequate compensation.
[...] include Indochina Wind Power, Beijing Fengguang, Leader Wind Energy, HK Oasis Power Energy, SchneiTec Co. and Kouprey Windfarm. The PowerChina-China Huadian project also involves Indochina Wind Power as a partner.
One firm has since had its license revoked, according to Mondulkiri provincial administrator [...] who did not disclose which company or provide further details.
[...] a 23-year-old Bunong woman [...] said Beijing Fengguang installed a wind-measuring mast on her one-hectare cassava farm in June 2025 without prior consultation [...].
“If I plant cassava, one hectare can earn nearly $1,000 per year [...]. But when the land is used for the mast like this, I receive only $500,”
[...] construction of about 30 turbines in Dak Dam commune is expected to begin in early 2027 and finish in 2029 [...].
[...] nearly 24 hectares of the project area overlap with the Laoka community-protected forest, which was reportedly registered in 2014.
[...] PowerChina’s 24 turbines will span nearly 64 kilometers (38.5 miles) and are scheduled for completion by June 30, 2027.
[...] only eight of the province’s 27 Indigenous communities have completed collective land registration.
A representative from PowerChina, who did not provide his name, said compensation would only be provided where residents can present official documents proving land ownership.
CamboJA News attempted to contact China Huadian and all six companies with project licenses using contact details listed in business registry records and company websites. Most did not respond. Responses from PowerChina came from speaking with employees at an excavation site.
[...] it remains unclear whether affected communities will secure legal recognition of generational land before development [...].