Leng Ouch
{{Infobox person
| name = Leng Ouch
| image = Leng_Ouch_in_2016_(cropped).jpg
| birth_date = 1975
| birth_place = Takéo Province, Cambodia
| occupation = Climate Activist
| organization = Cambodia Human Rights Task Forces
| awards = 2016 Goldman Prize Recipient
Asia
}}
Leng Ouch is a Cambodian climate activist. He spent his early childhood in the forests in Cambodia and became an activist against illegal logging in Cambodia's forests.{{Cite web|title=Leng Ouch|url=https://www.goldmanprize.org/recipient/leng-ouch/|access-date=2021-04-20|website=Goldman Environmental Foundation|language=en-US}}{{Cite news|last=Ives|first=Mike|date=2016-04-22|title=Fighting to Save Forests in Cambodia, an Activist Puts Himself at Risk|language=en-US|work=The New York Times|url=https://www.nytimes.com/2016/04/23/world/asia/cambodia-illegal-logging-ouch-leng.html|access-date=2021-04-20|issn=0362-4331}} He is best known for going undercover to record illegal logging activities in his home country.{{Cite web|title=Leng Ouch - 2017 Asia Game Changers|url=https://asiasociety.org/asia-game-changers/leng-ouch|access-date=2021-04-20|website=Asia Society|language=en}}
Early life
Leng Ouch was born in Takéo Province to a family of poor farmers, and he spent most of his childhood during the Khmer Rouge regime as his family migrated between forests and survived by foraging. He spent the early part of his life hiding in the jungles of Cambodia, only beginning his education after his family moved to Phnom Penh in 1980. He worked for his education and earned a scholarship to attend law school; this allowed him to join many human rights organizations and start his career as an activist.
Career
Leng Ouch founded the Cambodia Human Rights Task Forces (CHRTF), an organization for combating deforestation in Cambodia.{{Cite web|title=Leng Ouch|url=https://pulitzercenter.org/people/leng-ouch|access-date=2021-04-20|website=Pulitzer Center|language=en}} During the 2000s and 2010s, Leng has gone undercover in often dangerous situations taking photos and recording evidence of illegal logging,{{Cite web|date=2016-04-18|title='Even though I know my life is at risk, I still try to save the forest'|url=http://www.theguardian.com/environment/2016/apr/18/cambodia-environmental-activist-wins-goldman-prize-ouch-leng|access-date=2021-04-20|website=the Guardian|language=en}} which has led to 23 land concessions{{Which|date=May 2021}} being cancelled and a major logging company being exposed.{{Cite web|title=Conservation Hero: Leng Ouch|url=https://www.oneearth.org/conservation-hero-leng-ouch/|access-date=2021-04-20|website=One Earth}} Often adopting disguises in his work, Leng has helped uncover thousands of crimes and confiscate timber and logging equipment. Leng has faced danger{{Weasel inline|date=May 2021}} in his line of work, with him being arrested with other activists multiple times.{{Cite web|date=2020-03-24|title=Goldman Prize-winning Cambodian activist arrested, released in Cambodia|url=https://news.mongabay.com/2020/03/goldman-prize-winning-cambodian-activist-arrested-released-in-cambodia/|access-date=2021-04-20|website=Mongabay Environmental News|language=en-US}}{{Cite web|date=2021-02-05|title=Cambodian environmental activists reportedly arrested|url=https://news.mongabay.com/2021/02/cambodian-environmental-activists-reportedly-arrested/|access-date=2021-04-20|website=Mongabay Environmental News|language=en-US}}{{Quantify|date=May 2021}}
Awards
Leng was awarded the Goldman Environmental Prize in 2016 for his work exposing corruption and illegal logging in Cambodia.{{Cite web|last=Cole|first=Laura|title=Leng Ouch: investigative reporter and activist - Geographical Magazine|url=https://geographical.co.uk/people/i-m-a-geographer/item/1795-leng-ouch-investigative-reporter-and-activist|access-date=2021-04-20|website=geographical.co.uk|language=en-gb|archive-date=2020-11-25|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20201125055725/http://geographical.co.uk/people/i-m-a-geographer/item/1795-leng-ouch-investigative-reporter-and-activist|url-status=dead}}
References
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Category:Cambodian environmentalists
Category:Goldman Environmental Prize awardees
Category:People from Takéo province
Category:Cambodian genocide survivors
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