Forest conflict in Asia & collective action

Forest conflict in Asia & collective action Yurdi Yasmi, Thomas Enters, Lisa Kelley, James Bampton

Content
Background & focus
Causes of conflict
Conflict management and collective action
Conclusion & recommendations

How serious is the issue? Asia : 3/4 forests affected by violent Cambodia : 236 cases (2009); 60% violent Indonesia : Between 12 – 20 million people affected Thailand : 1.3 million ha (settlement) overlap with protected area

Focus: communities vs. outsiders

Methods
Case study approach
292 in-depth interviews by national partners
Over a dozen of FGDs
2 international workshops

Underlying causes
Contested tenure/overlapping claims
A lack of coordination among state agencies
Conservation and economic development policies that prioritize global and national interest over local interest, needs and aspiration

- an elderly villager in Lao PDR
"I fought for my country for more than 30 years. I’ve served as the village chief. Yet when the authorities come here… they walk in through my gate, point and mark it with paint… then they say my land must be used for conservation.”
Underlying causes, cont.

Direct causes

Conflict fosters collective action
Outsider intervention perceived as a threat to local socio-economic and cultural assets.
Consolidated efforts to response to such threat, e.g. Kbal Damrei, East Kalimantan:
How to voice concerns in negotiation
Who will represent communities
What are the collective demand, e.g. compensation

Conflict weakens collective action
Division among community members:
leaders vs. members
bribery
Division among neighboring villages (West Kalimantan case)
Harmonious relationship changes into tension

It all depends on institutions!

Conclusions
Forest conflict is widespread and a serious issue
Causes of conflict varies but common ones are observed
Conflict can both foster or weaken collective action
Institution is a key factor that determines how conflict affects collective action

Recommendations
Clarify tenure arrangements
Improve coordination among government agencies
Strengthen local institutions to foster collective action
Ensure benefit for local communities
Improve negotiation and mediation skills

Thank you Yurdi Yasmi, Phd [email_address]

Forest conflict in Asia & collective action

by CAPRi on Aug 04, 2010

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Forest conflict in Asia & collective action — Presentation Transcript