Community-Driven Natural Resource Management for a Sustainable Future CCSDPT Meeting, British Club, Bangkok, Thailand 27 May, 2016 Presentation by Frankie Abreu Tenasserim River & Indigenous People Networks (TRIP NET)

Background 1.4 million people reside in Tenasserim (Tanintharyi) Region, Southern Myanmar. Over half of the Region’s territory has seen armed conflict over the past several decades; which has severally affected the lives of the people living there. Tenasserim Region is 43,344 square km, with a large area covered by intact forests. Across Myanmar, much of the remaining forest land is unprotected and is vulnerable to logging and clearance for agriculture. 

Challenges Changes No prior consultation No compensation and/or unfair compensation No consent No environmental responsibility Natural resource extraction Mega-projects Mono-crop plantations Children look-on as ITD Company machinery arrives in their village. MSPP’s oil palm plantation has taken 6000 acres of villager’s farmland. East Star company, the sub-contractor of May Flower, violates MIC laws. Several gold searching operations have been initiated along the Tenasserim river since 2012.

Intervention by TRIP NET (2012-13)

Public awareness & information dissemination Rule of Law Business agreement first - SEZ law later. Constitution first - environment and social impact assessments later. Grabbing farmlands and plantations first - compensation later. Land Acquisition & Involuntary Resettlement Involuntary resettlement is the biggest challenge. Complex land acquisition through buying lands with different prices, causing price disputes, and land speculation. Design of relocation housing plan: Town setting vs. Village setting. No arable land for the relocated villagers, causing livelihood insecurity. No more rice fields, causing to food insecurity.

Public Campaigns TRIP NET’s Activities: Four key policies outlined by President Thein Sein at 2012 US-ASEAN Economic Forum in Cambodia: To protect the interest of Myanmar citizens; To protect the dignity of the State; To protect national sovereignty; and To allow environmental friendly investment. TRIP NET’s Activities: The first activity of people’s movement happened in January 2012. People gathered at an organized prayer service in order to provide moral and spiritual support to each other and to raise awareness about the impact that road construction will have on their life and livelihood.

Local Knowledge-based Research To enhance local knowledge and wisdom To conserve and control local resources by local people To promote collaboration among communities

Fish Conservation Zone Community Initiated Fish Conservation Zone In order to maintain and recover the remaining aquatic species and river ecosystem, villagers proposed the establishment of a Fish Conservation Zone on the Kamoethway River.

TRIP NET Collaborates with TBC (2014-16)

Village-level capacity building A Socio-Economic Assessment Training workshop was held from 28-29 August 2014. The objective of the workshop was to empower local people to understand their community, recognize the scope of their resources, and to discuss ways to effectively balance utilization and conservation. Villagers develop socio-economic assessment questionnaires Participants conduct a socio-economic assessment (12-13 September 2014)

Monitoring river and forest ecosystems Kamoethway indigenous people documented the condition of the river and its ecosystem, including: measuring the depth and width of the river; and an initial test of the water for contamination of heavy metals discharged by the mining company. While conducting the scientific monitoring, indigenous knowledge was used for ecosystem analysis.

Posting signs raising awareness about forest fires Forest Protection Working on a fire break Posting signs raising awareness about forest fires

Demarcation of conservation areas 12 villages are surrounded by these conservation areas. In order to manage the forest properly, nine categories of conservation areas were demarcated: Wildlife sanctuary Watershed forest Agroforestry land Utilization forest Umbilical cord forest Culture forest Herbal forest Fish sanctuaries Cemetery land

Multi-Stakeholder meeting (28 October 2014) # Listen the presentation made by villagers and give comment by the multi stakeholders on how to support the Community driven natural resources management

International Institution RECOFTC KNU Government Agencies Tanintharyi Nature Reservation Project Forest Department Health Department Dawei University International Institution RECOFTC School headmasters Academics Dawei Research Association TRIP NET Southern Youth INGOs Takabaw CAT FFI WCS CSOs Candle Light Tanintharyi Friends CSLD Communities TWU DDA Karen Culture & Literature Religious leaders

People Centered Approach We aim to effectively develop community-driven natural resource management (biodiversity, forest landscape and ecosystem) in order to rehabilitate and improve the quality of life in communities affected by long-term armed conflict.

Thank You

Contributing Community managed Conservation approach to the CF meeting organized by MONREC 16 May, 2016, Dawei

Karen Indigenous People Assembly was formed in April 2016 at Sarawa, Tanintharyi River bank

Bringing Youth movement into the program April 2016

Arrange meeting for villagers with KNU vice chairperson to disclose the problems they are facing