1. 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)

2. 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. 

3. 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.

4. Intervention by TRIP NET (2012-13)

5. 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.

6. Public Campaigns TRIP NET’s Activities:
Four key policies outlined by President Thein Sein at 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.

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

8. 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.

9. TRIP NET Collaborates with TBC (2014-16)

10. Village-level capacity building
A Socio-Economic Assessment Training workshop was held from August 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)

11. 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.

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

13. 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

14. 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

15. 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

16. 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.

17. Thank You

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

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

20. Bringing Youth movement into the program April 2016

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