Cambodians warmly support citizenships granted to foreigners

With overwhelming support from Cambodian people and environmental groups, King Norodom Sihamoni has issued a Royal Decree granting Khmer citizenship to American environmentalist Benjamin Joseph Davis.

The royal decree, which was signed last week, also granted citizenship to his wife Lwin Sharyn Patricia and two daughters Davis Amelie Charis and Davis Jarrah Camille.

Environment Ministry spokesman Neth Pheaktra has said that this is in recognition of the dedicated efforts Davis and his family have put in toward protecting and conserving forest and wildlife resources in Preah Vihear province.

Davis has been working with the government to protect and conserve wildlife and forest resources for more than 20 years and his Be Treed project has resulted in the conservation of a portion of the sanctuary to be turned into nature tourism destinations.

Eang Nam, chief of Fishing Communities in Kampong Cham province’s Kang Meas district, echoes Pheatra’s recognition of the endeavor of Davis and his family in preserving the environment in Cambodia.

“He has helped a lot during the past more than 20 years,” he says. “He has a great conscience in coming to help preserve the Cambodian environment.”

Nam says Cambodian people should see him as a role model and try to join the effort in preserving the environment in the country.

“I think the granting of Khmer citizenship to the environmentalists’ family has also strengthened the government’s environmental policy,” he says. “I hope there will be more focus on the environment.”

Tum Chita, an environmental journalist for Kampuchea Thmey newspaper, says she is happy that a Western environmentalist and his family have become Khmer citizens.

“He and his family deserve to be Cambodians,” she says. “I think he will put more effort in environmental conservation.”

Chita says she hopes Cambodian journalists will also write more stories about the environment to educate the public about the issue.

“We need more articles about the environment,” she says. “When people understand more about the environment, they will help protect the environment.”

Out Putheara, a 32-year-old senior credit officer at a macro-finance institution in Kandal province, says he supports the King’s granting citizenship to Davis’s family.

“I think our country has peace, so many foreigners want to become Khmer citizens,” he says. “One Frenchman has posted on his Facebook and has expressed his interest in becoming Khmer citizen after he has lived in Cambodia for many years.”

Putheara says he believes many other foreigners from a wealthy country like the United States wish to become Khmer citizens honestly.

“Only people who love a country want to become its citizens,” he says. “It also raises the image of Cambodia.”

Putheara says he wants to see more educated and wealthy investors being naturalised as Khmer citizens in the future.

“Any honest wealthy and educated foreigners should be allowed to become Khmer citizens,” he says. “They will do businesses in Cambodia and create jobs for Cambodians.”

Meanwhile, Cambodian scholars have also lent their support for foreigners who wish to be naturalised as Khmer citizens.

Kin Phea, director general of the International Relations Institute at the Royal Academy of Cambodia, says Cambodia has so far given citizenship to one foreigner after another based on the country’s naturalisation law.

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