Case Study 3: ICLT in IP Poar Phnum Rai is overcome with some sensitive issues

The decision on the ICLT in Phnum Rai village, Ta Taok commune, Samlout District, Battambang province is sensitive and difficult to deal. Based on the land identification criteria as the following situation changed: 1) This area is given to Military zone, due to it is the ex-Khmer Rouge strong hold 1979-1997, 2) The ex-battle field was defined by CMAC as mine-zone, every development, road construction or public building have to check mine first to get permission. 3) The target area is in the Phnum Samkus CPA, any project must get approval from the owner Ministries in advance.

Left:  Slash and burn farmers with IP-committee are hang on the sigh-board to aware CPA rangers not to drive motorbikes across their farming.  Right: CMAC sign-board of the areas where mine is cleared in the community forestry.

This ICLT project is affected by Mine and UXO, while the UNDP’s safeguarding policy is not allowed to implement at any high risk. NECO and UNDP-IP Small Grant had been sitting down at the earlier of second quarterly and did the revise activities numbers of activities in May and June 2014. NECO kept the authorities and target groups informed of any changing, including the Mine issues are given to CCs to work with MAPU. The CCs helped in consulting with MAPU and Military Official to allow ICLT able to restart as stated in the land law 2001and the ILCT-sub-decree 2009. NECO kept consultation with Wildlife Alliance and Wildlife Work to have ICLT in this area, including NECO worked with MoI and MRD a while in May and June, so the ICLT is currently approved to be able to continue and it is supporting by relevant stakeholders.
During this report period, numbers of NGOs working in this area is supporting this project and willing to join some activities. The PDRD, MoI and MRD are strongly supported and encourage the project to move faster to reach the Poar Indigenous people communal land titling.