'Doom for forests': fears over new Cambodia land grants

Villager Eam Orn splitting firewood at his home in Praeus K'ak village in Preah Vihear province. Hundreds of thousands of Cambodians are affected by economic land concessions (ELCs) -- land grants to businesses that experts say have driven deforestation and dispossession. (Photo by TANG CHHIN Sothy/ AFP)/ To go with 'CAMBODIA-FORESTS-ENVIRONMENT-RIGHTS,FOCUS' by Suy Se with Sara Hussein

PREAH VIHEAR: Eam Orn kneels in a forest in northwest Cambodia, pressing his hands together before an offering of bananas studded with smoking incense, and prays for the return of his land.

He is one of hundreds of thousands affected by economic land concessions (ELCs) -- land grants to businesses that experts say have driven deforestation and dispossession.