3rd Mekong Forum on Water, Food & Energy 2013. Presentation from Session 1: Strengthening the participation of local communities in resettlemment, compensation, livelihood, and greivance

1. The National University of Laos
Ministry of Natural Resources and Environment of Lao PDR
Electricité du Laos PDR Dept. of Environmental Management
Vietnam National University of Science and Technology
Knowledge and Institutional Systems in the Management and
Coordination of Hydropower Social Safeguards:
Hydropower Development in Attapeu Province, Laos PDR.
A research and workshop program conducted for
The CGIAR Challenge Program on Water and Food

2. Contents
Background of the project
The objective of the research
Research Locations
Methods
Finding

3. Background of the project
-Development combined between workshop and
research which aims at two outcomes:
1. Strengthening the knowledge and capacities of
stakeholder agencies
2. Understanding the existing livelihoods system of
affected ethnic minorities

4. The objective of the research
• To examine :
- The existing livelihoods system of the communities affected by the
hydropower development in Attapeu and Sexong including the
transmission line from Attapeu to Kuantoum in Vietnam
- The system of knowledge of the hydropower social safeguard
divisions and specialists of developers and development agencies
- The communication systems and consultation with the local
people
- The Knowledge of the affected people of the hydropower project
and of resettlement
- The experiences, the need, concern and participation of affected
people

5. Research Locations
•
Cases
1. Sekong Dam 4 villages
Lamam District
- Navaseneua
- Navasenetay
- Navajatsan
- Navakang
2. Xekhaman Dam
Xanxay District:
- Donkaen Village
- Hindam Village
Villages
Transmission line
Villages
Phouvong District:
- Somboun village
- Namsouan village
- Phoukeua village
- Phouyang village
Xaysettha District:
-Hatsan village

6. Methods
• Household survey
• Group discussion
• Individual indepth-interview key persons (
local people and safeguard agencies)
• Participatory Mapping Agro-ecology Profile
• Making the cultural agricultural calendar
• Forum for sharing the idea with local people
• Case studies of selected communities

7. Finding
• Livelihoods system
 Economic Domain
Nearly 100% depend on natural resources :
- Fishing
- Searching gold from river
- Hunting
- Logging
- Wage labor
- Gathering NTFP
Swidden cultivation is continued as the staple food source
Rice paddy only in communities with flat arable land
 Cultural Domain
- Agricultural production activities, NTFP and live cycle attached tightly with
traditional culture, ritual and beliefs

8. Finding (cont)
Government and Development Agency have good statutes and guidelines at National
level but needs strengthen and bridge the gap at the provincial and local scale.
• Better knowledge of impacted peoples’ livelihoods systems
- Different and stronger knowledge and needs
+ Between gender
+ Between communities with differing agro-ecological profiles and resources
+ Between sender and receiver
+ Strengthen and more appropriate system of communication and consultation
- Gap in communication :
+ language barrier
+ The provisioning of the information from developers does not filter down to
the villagers or discontinues after reaching the village authorities
+ Women who , mostly could not understand Lao language and have less
opportunities to travel , are not in the channel of the provision of information and
their voice is not heard on vital issues of health, housing, child care and nutrition
- Method of communicate with , and consultation with local people are not
appropriate and require stronger and better trained involvement of local specialists

9. Finding (cont)
•
Resettlement pattern does not sufficiently use or involve the technical and
management experience and skills of the affected ethnic minority
communities
-
Ethnic communities have a tradition and skill in relocation to cope with
natural disaster and natural resource depletion
-
The affected ethnic minority communities welcome modernisation and
access to health, educational and agricultural services. They do not need to
be forced into accepting them or to abandon existing livelihoods and cultural
systems
-
Relocation which is managed by the villagers themselves is more successful
than that imposed and decided by developers and government.

10. THANK YOU
FOR YOUR ATTENTION
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