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Meeting with Battambang and Pailin Governor
A Summary of the Minutes
The Battambang Department of Environment (DoE) called for an urgent meeting to discuss
and develop a feasible strategy to stop illegal activities in the Samlaut Multiple Use
Area (SMUA). This area is defined as map positions X= 51 - 52 and Y= 05 - 06, according
to the 1971 Map of Cambodia. The meeting took place on 25 January 2005 in the meeting
hall of the Battambang provincial governor.
The meeting was chaired by Mr. Srey Soben, the 2nd Vice-Governor of Battambang Province,
and attended by staff from the 1st Deputy Governor of Pailin Municipality, Deputy of the
5th Military Regional Commander and other related agencies in Battambang and Pailin. The
CVD director and CVD/MJP project manager were also invited to attend this meeting.
The chairman welcomed the attendees and opened the meeting by stating the agenda. He then
requested that the participants report their findings and opinions to the meeting.
Mr.Chhay Youb, Director of Battambang Environment Department, started with an introduction
to the general clause of the protected Samlaut Multiple Use Area. He then explained that a
solution needed to be found to deal with a new settlement, called Krachap village, in the
protected area. Mr. Soben wanted everyone to participate in a discussion to resolve this
issue.
The following points were raised and discussed by the participants:
- Mr. Ieng Vuthy, 1st Deputy Governor of Pailin, reported that there were about 1,000 people
from other provinces living in the Krachap village, at Sangkat Otavao in Pailin. He said that
he could not move or relocate these people, because he had assumed that the land was outside
the protected area.
- Mr. Chay Youb, Battambang Director of DoE, reported that the DoE , in cooperation with the
SEILA program, conducted sessions for people who live near the protected area on Environmental
issues and introduced them to the Forestry Law.
His study showed that the people living in and around the Krachap village were from 14
provinces in Cambodia.
They had a total of 420 temporary land ownership documents, which were illegally issued by
soldiers based in the area. He added that he had every single document related to this issue
and could provide a lot of information about the background of these people.
The DoE also assisted the CVD in demarcating the protected area by installing 20 boundary markers
around the sanctuary, and they used a map to review the area, designated by the King in 1993.
- Mr. Ly Sun Ieng agreed with the DoE reports and said that he had set up a sub-committee, including
all relevant departments in Pailin, to intervene at any time, pending government approval.
- Oung Pheak, from WildAid, reported that the people in Krachap village bought the land at a cost
of 100 to 300 baht, and were provided with documentation by soldiers.
He suggested that the attendees of the meeting should:
- Publicly announce to the occupants that settlement in the protected area is illegal.
- Cancel all documentation provided by the soldiers
- Somehow compensate these people.
- Mounh Sarath, CVD director, stated that CVD received financial support from the Maddox Jolie
Project and had signed an MoU with MoE to assist with the rehabilitation of this protected area,
but CVD does not have the power to stop such illigeal activities.
Currently, CVD reports these illegal actions to relevant institutions, but this seems to have no
effect at all. The focus of CVD in terms of the SMUA is on community development and environmental
education of the people who live near the protected area. Therefore, CVD will support any possible
relocation of the population in the Krachap village.
Mr. Sarath also voiced his concern that the spotlight is on land encroachment in the Krachap village,
but the bigger picture indicates that other illegal activities are also on the increase. For example,
illegal logging, mining for precious stones, hunting, land encroachment in both the Battambang and
Pailin administrative territories, and a huge international roadway across the protected site. All of
these activities must be addressed. How will these issues be dealt with?
Sarath indicated that he approved of the fact that the Government wants to improve road access for
economic purposes, but he felt that this could be done with less damage to the environment and that
other alternatives should be looked at. The government should consider the long term benefit to the
people of Samlaut, and Cambodia as a whole. "I am convinced that land encroachment will grow and move
deeper into the conservation site when traffic increases" said Sarath. When the area is developed,
more people will move in and ownership of land along both sides of the road will increase. What is the
government's plan regarding the ownership of land in this area? He pointed out that if compensation is
given to those families, a never-ending problem will develop, as people will abuse the situation and
illegally resettle in the protected area in the hope of receiving compensation.
Finally, he added, CVD-MJP will continue to help, and cooperate with DoE in the effort to protect the
SMUA as much as possible.
- Mr. Ngoun Rattanak, Land Management Department suggested:
- Increased efforts to raise awareness of the Forestry Law among the people who live near the
protected area.
- No land certificates should be provided to people who live inside the protected area.
- Valid land certificates should be issued to the people who live next to the protected site,
with conditions that apply.
- People should be encouraged to apply for the usage and management of land.
- Mr. Sophal, Samlaut District Governor, suggested:
- Increased land law education for the people near the protected area.
- A clear explanation of the SMUA boundary, to people living in the area.
- Mr. No Sok, Commander in the army, shared his experience in solving such a problem in the Bovel
district.
- Firstly, a grievance committee should be set up.
- Secondly, the committee should visit to the area in order to determine the real situation and
find and punish the leaders who bring people into the area to settle.
- Punish those persons who entice people into settling in the area illegally.
- Mr. Ieng Vuth agreed that:
- They should find and punish the leaders who bring people to settle in the area.
- Cooperation between DoE, WildAid and CVD is vital.
- A clear plan of action is needed to address methods and dates to solve this problem.
Conclusion of the meeting
The chairperson, Mr. Soben, concluded the meeting with thanks to the attendees for their contributions
and mostly agreed with the advice given. He suggested 4 main points:
- The DoE must provide documents to the provincial authority.
- Education of the families, who resettled near or inside the protected area, on the Forestry Law
and environmental issues should be encouraged.
- A public announcement should be made to those who settle in the protected site, to inform them
they are breaking law by living in the protected area.
- Find and punish the leaders who bring their people to settle in the area.
Find and punish the leaders who bring their people to settle in the area.
- Who will be the members of sub-committee?
- When will action take place?
- What will be done with people who have already settled?
- Who will remove them, or manage the relocation?
- Who should responsible for the Forestry Law education and when should it take place?
- No comments have been made on the bigger picture - the "Chrak 400" road access, illegal logging,
land encroachment in other places outside Krachap village, etc.
- What is the next step?
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