Challenges of Community Development in the Changing World A Cambodian Perspective by Dr. Meas Nee

1954: Independent from the French colony 1970: King Sihanouk was overthrown : war between Lon Nol government and Khmer Rouge : Khmer Rouge Era : The invasion of the Vietnamese Troup, and a prolonged Civil war between warring factions 1992: Signing the Peace Accords : Organized the first general election, and UNTAC era (low level of fighting continued between KR and government till 1998), a new government was formed, with two co-priministers. 1997: A major Political Crisis: A Coup D’etat the presence, is time for the Cambodian leadership to learn to build up trust, confidence and especially to see how to navigate Cambodia into this fast changing world. Historical Context

Challenges of Contemporary Society

What we face today!!! - Western Concepts - Imposed Values - Modern management skills

Challenges of Cultural leadership - Authoritarian - Militaristic - Communist - Rule of man

Challenges of Traditional versus Modern Management System Traditional Modern - Top down - Bottom up - Centralization - Decentralization - Authoritarian - Democracy - Conformity- Initiative/Empowerment - Centered leader - Participation

15 Culture foreign development Figure Tension between following the culture or development values Culture foreign development Figure Tension between following the culture or development values. 2

Development & community Livelihood Is the ways in which community is empowered to take collective actions to control over and utilizing their own resources and assets, to sustain lives of individuals, family and people of the entire community, as well as to have the capacity to cope and adapt to changes.

The factors influencing livelihoods are: –structure: Level of government structure Level of government structure Private sector Private sector –Process: Laws, Laws, Policies, Policies, Incentive, Incentive, institution institution

Current Development Responses 1. In 1990s: Responded to the legacy of war and social conflicts 2. In 2000s: Respond to the emerging issues arising from development intervention (Development aggression) (Development aggression)

The Observed results of and Impacts on Development Strategies MARCRO LEVEL DEVELOPMENT PLANNING MICRO LEVEL DEVELOPMENT BIG GAP

Lack of Mutual Trust Confidence Government Business & private sector Civil Society (NGO & Grassroot organizations

1. Ability to cope and respond to development aggression 2. Reconsider the 3Fs strategies: to fight? or to fight? or to fly? or to fly? or to facilitate? to facilitate? What are the responses Made by the community?

Possible Solutions 1. Trust building between the government and civil society, through law reinforcement and establishing mutual relationship 2. Establishing effective communication and coordination between macro and micro level development initiatives 3. The importance of building up people’s networking across communities and beyond 4. Understanding the gaps between the concepts of development world views and the existing people’s cultural practices, and working with community people, to ensure that their identity and culture are not up rooted, while changes occur.

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