Cambodia in Asia

Cambodia’s recent history of genocide, war, massive migration, and forced resettlement has led to a situation where reliable demographic and ethnographic information is not available. The 1998 Cambodian Population Census identified 17 different indigenous groups. Based on spoken language, the census estimated the indigenous population at about 101,000 people or 0.9 percent of the then total population of 11.4 million. Empirical research, however, suggests that the figure is most likely underestimated and could be as high as 160,000 people or 1.5 percent of Cambodia’s population.

Indigenous peoples in Cambodia are part of a larger indigenous cultural area that extends beyond Cambodian borders. Belonging to two distinct linguistic families, the main groups are the Austronesian speaking Jarai and the Mon-Khmer speaking Brao, Kreung, Tampuan, Bunong and Kui. Two thirds of the indigenous population are found in the north-eastern provinces of Ratanakiri and Mondulkiri, forming the majority of the population in both provinces. Information obtained from indigenous peoples’ representatives and key informants show that indigenous peoples moreover reside in 13 other provinces (see map 2)”. Source: Indigenous People in Cambodia, NGO Forum of Cambodia 2006.

Indigenous people in Cambodia traditionally live by cultivating forest covered areas, a technique best know as swidden agriculture, practiced all over the world by indigenous people living in tropical areas.

Their main social unit is the village community. A council of elders, chosen among the wisest and more experienced men and women of the village, helps the community to make decisions, solve disputes and conflicts, maintain peace and solidarity among members, and help developing strategies for community well being. Indigenous customary lawsrepresent a traditional legal system that is not yet recognized or acknowledged by the mainstream law.

Through a long history, Indigenous people living in Cambodia have undergone period of crisis and extreme harshness, in many cases as the results of events affecting the whole Cambodian nation, while in some other case they were targeted in particular.

Recently, indigenous territories have been targeted by a large scale process of land expropriation and natural resources exploitation. Logging, mining, and plantation are threatening the livelihood and survival of Ratanakiri province indigenous communities.

However “… The Cambodian Land Law of 2001 grants collective land ownership rights to indigenous communities. This offers a unique chance for indigenous peoples in Cambodia to exercise their right to self-determined development. Alienation of land and forest from indigenous communities has become the major threat to local livelihoods and traditional knowledge. It is destroying the local community landscape. Continued support and the involvement of the international community are needed to safeguard the rights of Cambodia’s indigenous peoples, including recognition of their traditional livelihoods and the registration of their communal lands” Indigenous People in Cambodia, NGO Forum of Cambodia 2006.

O Chum district

O’Chum district is located just to the north of the provincial capital, Ban Lung. The territory is still quite preserved, even if in the last few years land grabbing and illegal land sales have increased.

O’Chum is predominantly inhabited by Kreung and Tampuan people. The district has a long tradition of involvement in Natural Resources Protection projects, and in the central area of the district are located the most cohesive and strongly committed communities of the region.

O Chum district programs:

Natural Resource Management (NRM)

76 people including 33 women, from provincial and district networks, Community Organizing Training (COT)-TOT trainers, Village Organizing (VO) committee members, IWE networks and local authority representatives were invited to join the district land forum. The land conflict, land selling and land encroachment in IP communities were reduced and networks are more active in mobilizing their respective communities for advocating on natural resources protection.

The initial idea from 14 elders and IP networks on natural resource management have resulted to a consensus of strengthening the roles and responsibilities of the elders, youths and communities to circulate land law, environment law, IP rights and raising up consequences of land loss which linked to IP culture and solidarity in the 9 villages. Elders and IP networks have disseminated information on related laws to 319 people (196 women) in the 9 villages. Land converted to rubber plantations have eased and some of companies ceased their activities in the 9 villages.

Research on land loss and land conflict was conducted by 10 network members in 5 villages, of the 3 communes. As the result, 23 hectares of community land were protected from being cleared of the company. Moreover, with the support from natural resource management staff and provincial networks the training on Land Law was delivered to 30 networks (6 women) which held in Ochum sub office. However, the enhancing knowledge on land law and on how to take action on land disputes in indigenous communities, the natural resource reflection workshop was held in Ochum district with 27 NRM networks from 5 communes in sharing experiences, and lesson learnt in finding new approaches to protect natural resources for their next generation.

Community Organizing Training (COT):

25 COT trainees (7 women) who has been selected by elders, commune council members and networks as COT trainees in their respective communities were trained and coached by COT-trainers on modules 1-8 which focused on roles and responsibilities, facilitation skills, leadership, Socio-Economic and community based organization.  These modules are aimed to develop the facilitation of planning, monitoring, leading and organizing their daily activities. The COT trainees gained more confidence to transfer their knowledge and skills to 290 people (175 women) in 12 villages in 3 communes, and Numbers of community people were able to facilitate their respective meetings without COT trainees’ assistance.

Community Media Training Project (CMT):

24 advisory and volunteer groups have joined media workshop on roles of media in preserving the culture of indigenous people, community solidarity, and indigenous community voice. The workshop also facilitated in drawing up of initiatives of community media production in collaboration with local authorities to produce information materials which will link to sustainable natural resources management and promote community solidarity. 368 people of whom 158 were women from the 6 villages of the 6 communes have been actively involved with CMT film production and dissemination.

Moreover, 11 Community Media Volunteers Group (CMVG) and Community Media Advisory Group members from 9 villages have been actively involved on film production every month.

6 advisory group members have actively collaborated with 5 community media volunteer group members in producing a film highlighting indigenous arts and culture, and natural resources management.

6 AGs and 6 CMVGs were able to produce a film called “Forest Protection and Community Development” in Yak Poy, Kro La, Kres and Kralong villages in cooperation and collaboration with local authorities, elders and youths. Those films were distributed to 250 people (68 women) in 5 villages of the 3 communes. Local authorities and communities gained more understanding and have improved their involvement with the media production.

Indigenous Women Empowerment Project (IWE):

25 IWE network members have been trained and coached on basic facilitation skills, land law, CEDAW concept and gender perspective, and they have disseminated their skills and knowledge to 301 people (160 women). The roles and responsibilities of networks were refreshed to 99 people (63 women) from two communes.

With support from networks, elders and youths along with the communities as well as local authority officials have worked closely to disseminate gender, CEDAW concept, domestic violence, land law to 192 people (74 women) in the five villages, and community people start to realize the concept of gender for applying into their communities.

Likewise, network members from 15 villages of the 5 communes have conducted exposure visit to Laok village to gain insights on experiences of community development and land protection.

Numbers of women in the communities are active in discussing women’s’ rights and their involvement in natural resources protection and community development. The cooperation and collaboration with local authorities and NGOs within the communities have produced mutual understanding and care for IP culture and traditions.

Bor Keo district

Borkeo district is located between the provincial capital, Ban Lung, and O Yadav district. It is home of mainly Tampuan people. Its productive soils and its accessibility from the main roads, has meant that Borkeo has been a target for gross exploitation with many negative impacts natural resources. The district is targeted by land grabbing, concession, illegal sales and has seen a significant reduction of forestland and shifting cultivation in favor of cashew nuts plantations. Conflicts have erupted between communities resisting land grabbing and exploiters from outside.

Bor Keo district programs:

Natural Resource Management (NRM):

98 people including 15 women were selected as natural resource management networks and were given trainings on natural resource management, land law, and IP rights. These are intended to enhance their skills and knowledge on advocacy and natural resources protection. On the other hand, the natural resource management, human rights and IP rights training were facilitated to 235 NRM networks. Consequently, these networks were able to disseminate information to 499, including 204 women, in five communes (3 in Borkeo, 2 in Andoung Meas). On the other hand, 43 people including 6 women from 15 villages in 6 communes, as well as 6 commune councilors, have been invited to join an NRM reflection workshop which is facilitated and supported by NRM networks and staff. The discussion mainly focused on the preservation of IP culture and tradition and sharing of experiences on land issues as well as the roles and responsibilities of networks. In relation to land issues, 121 people including 41 women were invited to join a district land forum to discuss land issues and boundary conflicts which occurred in their communities.

With the support of provincial networks, 3 studies and a complaint on land loss cases were conducted in 5 villages. To learn from other communities, 6 district network members attended an exposure trip to Kress village, Poy commune, Ochum district to learn from to learn its experiences on natural resources conservation and protection.

Additionally, 25 people from 19 villages in 6 communes were invited to join the Participatory Indigenous Community Appraisal (PICA) training. As result, community people in Andong Meas district are now actively participating in various non-violent activities to prevent land clearing and sale. 180 hectares of community land were spared from land clearing. Two villages likewise have resolved their boundary conflict peacefully.

Community Organizing Training Project (COT):

24 COT trainees including 5 women who have been selected by elders, commune council members and networks as COT trainees were trained and coached by COT trainers.  18 out of the 24 COT trainees including 3 women have conducted awareness-raising activities on land law, IP rights and natural resource management to 54 people included 13 women in the 3 villages of Teag Chak communes in finding the strategy to tackle the problem which have happened or is going to happen in the future. The COT trainees gained more self-confidence. They were able to raise the awareness on land law, IP rights, and sustainable resource management of 7 villages.

Indigenous Women Empowerment (IWE):

23 IWE network members have been trained and coached on basic facilitation skills, land law, conflict solution, advocacy, natural resource management, CEDAW concept and gender perspective. They actively disseminated information to 243 people, which includes 60 women, in 11 villages of Kok, Seung and Long Khung communes, Borkeo district.

With the support from elders, youths, and local authority officials, they were able to disseminate information on gender and land law to 291 people (86 men) in the 7 villages of Borkeo district.

Numbers of women in the communities are active in discussing their rights. They were also actively involved in the protection of their natural resources.  The cooperation and collaboration with local authorities and NGOs within the communities have produced mutual understanding and care for IP culture and traditions.

Lumphat district

Lumphat district is located to the south of the provincial capital, Ban Lung and extends down toward the Srepok River. Lumphat has a mix of ethnics groups, including Tampuan, Brao and Lao. One part of the district became a national protected area, less subject to land grabbing, but the process has been not negotiated with Indigenous People. This happened in other protected areas too, where conservation projects have been decided without consultation with Indigenous People normally living or relying on the zones. The rest of the district, more accessible by road, has undergone severe land alienation during the last years. As with other districts, the vary majority of this land alienation can be said to be illegal and contrary to Cambodian law.

Lumphat district programs:

Natural Resource Management (NRM):

24 natural resource management and commune networks from 5 villages of the two communes were invited to join the land law and IP rights training at Lumphat office in order to strengthen their skills and knowledge to protect the natural resources in their respective community.

In relation to land issues, 42 people including 8 women were invited to join a district land forum in order to find appropriate approaches to land issues and village boundary. The two NRM network members in Lumphat and Oyadav districts are active in facilitating the resolution of boundary conflict between Samot Krom and Takuk villages in Seda commune and Borkham commune, respectively. On the other hand, 257 villagers including 105 women from 27 villages have joined meetings with elders, youths and local authorities (15 communes, 2 village chiefs, and 2 commune councils) on community solidarity, community land protection, and village boundary conflict.

With support from provincial networks, a research study and complaints on land loss cases were conducted in 3 villages of Luphat district. Additionally, 16 people from 13 villages in 5 communes were invited to join the Participatory Indigenous Community Appraisal (PICA) training to enhance their capacity in gathering information and analysis for their communities.

The Provincial networks have conducted regular quarterly meeting with elders, youth and local authorities in 17 villages to discuss community solidarity and community land protection. With support from the provincial staff, the extension campaign on land law, IP rights, IP land, IP culture were conducted in 25 villages.

In collaboration with ADHOC and CLEC, a complaint regarding a 400-hectare land case in Sayos Leu village, Kalang Commune was lodged to the court and other relevant provincial departments. With this case, ICSO and partners are closely monitoring the court action. IP provincial networks and IP communities with the support of local authorities and elders in Paktang village, Paktang commune have furnished copies of their complaint to lawyers and to Amnesty International-Cambodia. The complaint cited a 250-hectare land clearing perpetrated by a private company. Numbers of network members are active and used their experiences in mobilizing the communities for the advocacy to protect their land and solve boundary conflict.

Community Organizing Training (COT):

24 COT trainees including 7 women from 22 villages were been selected by 399 village residents (elders, commune council members and networks) as COT trainees in their respective communities. They were trained and coached by COT trainers on modules 1-8 which mostly focused on roles and responsibilities, facilitation skills, leadership and community based organization.  These modules are aimed to improve their skills on facilitation, monitoring, leading and organizing their daily activities. Moreover, 20 ex-COT trainees received refresher training on COT modules 1-8.

Likewise, 14 ex-COT trainees in 2008 (2 women) from 5 communes were invited to join a Participatory Indigenous Community Appraisal (PICA) which allowed them to analyze the problem, develop action plan and find out ways to solve problems by themselves.

An extension campaign on land law, environment law, and IP rights were held. 242 people including 96 women have participated in several consultations with elders, youths and local authorities to find out ways to protect the rights of indigenous people and to promote sustainable natural resource management. The COT trainees gained more confidence to transfer their knowledge and skills to the indigenous communities.

Indigenous Women Empowerment Project (IWE):

32 IWE network members have been trained and coached on basic facilitation skills, land law, conflict solution, advocacy, natural resource management, CEDAW concept and gender perspective. They actively disseminated information to 823 people (321 women) in Lumphat district. With the support from elders, youths, and local authority officials, these network members were able to promote on gender and disseminated information on the Land Law in the 12 villages of Luphat.

A workshop for new IWE networks’ selection was conducted in 4 villages of Labang commune. A total of 73 participants (38 women) were involved. 2 women were selected as district IWE network members. With the support from IWE staff, they have conducted meetings with elders to strengthen the roles and responsibilities of networks in the 4 indigenous communities. 238 people (115 women) have participated in these activities.

Numbers of women, elders, youths in the communities are active in discussing their rights. They were also actively involved in the protection of their natural resources. The cooperation and collaboration with local authorities and NGOs within the communities have produced mutual understanding and care for IP culture and traditions.

Livelihood enhancement/Income Generation:

In collaboration with Paz y Desarrollo (PYD), ICSO started to conduct meetings with elders, youths and local authorities for the selection of self-help groups in Chey Odom (new target area with indigenous Lao) and Labang communes. Finally, 6 people from each commune were selected for the ToT on economic development persective of the IP context.

O Yadav district

O Yadav district borders Vietnam and is predominantly inhabited by Jarai people.. The border between Cambodia and Vietnam, as many other colonial borders, didn’t take into consideration the Jarai people distribution and has divided their community into separated nationalities. Despite that, and not without difficulties, Jarai maintain family, clan and cultural links across the border. The rehabilitation of the main road linking O Yadav district to Vietnam has triggered the inflow of goods, like vegetable stocks, in direct competition with Indigenous people production. Many forest areas have already been cut in the district, which is facing severe land alienation. The district borders the upper part of the Sesan river, where riverside villages are affected by the impact of the upstream hydro electricity dams, are often severely impacted.

O Yadav district programs:

Natural Resource Management (NRM):

25 people including 6 women were selected as natural resource management networks and consequently trained on natural resource management, human rights and IP rights.  Afterwards, they were able to deliver trainings to 235 NRM networks, which in turn were mobilized to disseminate information to 394 people, of which 33 were women, in the two communes. The extension campaign on land law and natural resource protection were disseminated to 11 villages in 7.

In relation to land issues, 108 people including 26 women, 7 village leaders, 4 commune members, and 1 district representative were invited to join a district land forum to discussed and find solution on the land issues in their communities.

Additionally, 209 people including 93 women in the 21 villages have joined several meetings with elders, youths and local authorities (15 communities, 2 village chiefs, and 2 commune councils) on community solidarity, community land protection, and resolving boundary conflicts among indigenous communities.

With support from provincial networks, a research study and land loss cases were conducted in 5 communes by the district network members. They found out that 850 hectares of land were lost in 3 villages (Pok Touch, Pok Thom and Lom Villages). The network members were working closely with local authorities to find ways of resolving these problems.

A reflection workshop was held with 64 participants including 9 women and4 commune council members have participated. The main objective of this activity is exploring other approach in protecting the natural resources in their communities.

Kong Yuk and Andoung Meas complaints have been supported and lodged successfully through combined efforts by IP provincial and district network members and indigenous community representatives. The issue was also raised to human rights-affiliated NGOs, the Amnesty International, and especially to the Royal Government of Cambodia during donor meetings and government dialogues.

Community Organizing Training (COT):

25 COT trainees (7 women) have been selected by elders, commune council members and networks as COT trainees in their respective communities. They were subsequently trained and coached by COT trainers on all of the 8 modules which mostly focused on roles and responsibilities, facilitation skills, leadership, Participatory Indigenous Community Appraisal (PICA) and community based organization.  These modules are aimed to develop facilitation of planning, monitoring and leading, analyzing and organizing their daily activities.

COT refresher training was also provided to 49 COT trainees from 5 communes to strengthen further their confidence, especially on establishing Indigenous People Organization (IPO) in the coming years. The COT trainees gained more confidence in working with 441 people (179 women) in 8 villages in the 4 communes. Numbers of indigenous community key persons were able to facilitate their meetings without assistance.

Community Media Training (CMT):

Through the consultation with advisory groups, village chiefs, and commune councils, 8 Community Media Volunteer Group (CMVG) members and elders have produced films and edited stories on protection natural resources. Likewise, 4 other films related to indigenous culture were produced.

These films were edited and copied into 144 compact discs and distributed to 130 communities and 12 international entities including the US ambassador, when the latter visited Rattanakiri. Advisory Group (AG) and CMVG assisted the elders and local authorities to disseminate the produced stories to the 237 villagers in 34 communities in 5 Communes. 150 video compact discs were subsequently distributed to the communities.

Moreover, 23 CMVG (11 women) were trained on video production by community media staff and did field research on stories to produce films on the protection of natural resources and land loss. These activities were held in Teun and Padol villages in Yatung and Sesan communes respectively.

To improve their knowledge and skills, a reflection workshop was held with 43 people including 9 women. The objective of this activity is to explore new strategies for community media production in year 2010. Community key persons are able to advocate to their respective constituents and neighboring villages not sell their land to moneylenders.

Indigenous Women Empowerment Project (IWE):

24 IWE network members have been trained and coached on basic facilitation skills, land law, conflict solution, advocacy, natural resource management, CEDAW concept and gender perspective. They actively disseminated information to 867 people (552 women) in 24 villages, in 7 communes.

With the support from elders, youths, and local authority officials, these network members were able to promote on gender and disseminated information on the Land Law to 213 people (66 men) in 8 villages of the 4 communes.

6 out of the 24 IWE networks have conducted campaign on land law, advocacy, natural resource management, and gender to 308 people including 163 men. As a result, those people are able to commit in protecting their natural resources and the preservation of their culture.

To enhance the capacity building of the IWE networks, a reflection workshop was held and participated by 43 villagers of whom 16 were men, to share experiences and derive lessons. Numbers of women in the communities are active in discussing their rights. They were also actively involved in the protection of their natural resources. The cooperation and collaboration with local authorities and NGOs within the communities have produced mutual understanding and care for IP culture and traditions.

Mondulkiri Map

Mundulkiri program implementation was officially launched in May 2009 with the support from PYD, a new partner of ICSO. The purpose of this program extension is to initiate the provincial office operation to connect and link the IP and NGO networks within the existing provinces as well as the national level for supporting IP community work on economic, social and cultural rights.

In focusing on Natural Resource Management and land rights that. Community empowerment, initiative and ownership are aptly promoted. ICSO is still continuing to support, strengthen, and improve the capacity of indigenous community organizations and groups to improve the protection of their rights and the management of their natural, cultural and traditional resources.

Mondulkiri Program Coordinator has been appointed by National Management Team from Ratanakiri Program to work on building relations with NGO coalition, IP networking and government departments in Mondulkiri province. The provincial office has been set up and equipped for operations. Five staff were recruited (Finance/Admin officer, Community Organizing Officer, Natural Resource Management Officer, two security guards).

In addition, a field research and data collection was conducted in 4 communes of Pichreada district, with the collaboration of other NGOs and networks. Data was translated into English and Khmer versions.

175 people (101 women), 30 local authorities (19 women), from 7 villages of the 4 communes of the Pichreada district were invited to join the ICSO program orientation. The activity focuses on the natural resource management, community organizing training, community media training, village organizing, indigenous women empowerment and networking with regional, national and international level on IP issues.

ICSO has regularly join the NGO networks meeting at provincial level in sharing the concerns of working with indigenous people in Mondulkiri province and find out the appropriate approach for taking action. These NGOs are: WWF, Oxfam Australia, Caritas, ATSA, MVI, NGO-Network, ICC, New Human, PSDD, FAO, Normad, Vigilance, ADHOC, CLEC, Health Unlimited, VFI, ICC, and CRC.

With support from PAZ Y DESARROLLO (PYD), the provincial staff were invited to join Gender and CEDAW concept and Self-help Group and Micro-Credit management workshop which co-facilitated by AMK and ILO at Mondulkiri and Phnom Penh offices. To facilitate more understanding on program implementation and the action plan of 2009, financial and personnel policies were oriented to the 5 staff.

Workshops, exposure trips, training, meeting, forum so that the current ad-hoc national indigenous peoples‟ network (known as IRAM -Indigenous Rights Active Members) develops into a working group that is well-trained in providing rights training skills and networking knowledge/skills to indigenous communities. Support to the working group so that working group members become proficient trainers of trainers related to the rights of indigenous peoples in Cambodia. Indigenous community organizer training developed in Ratanakiri is extended to other indigenous communities in Cambodia, through this working group developing as trainers.

Training materials and approaches is provided to indigenous leaders in 15 provinces in Cambodia. This will include materials and approaches on political and civil rights, economic, social and cultural rights, the International Declaration on the rights of Indigenous People, the Cambodian constitution, plus Cambodian laws affecting to indigenous peoples. Conduct the workshops throughout Cambodia so that indigenous people are consulted annually on the state of their Economic Social and Cultural Rights. This information then flows to shadow reporting to treaty bodies. Also, the results of UN reviews are disseminated to all communities. All these activities are one creating opportunities for networking and linking.

Facilitation and training to allow a national community-elected network of indigenous peoples has been established at least in interim form and has met at regional and national level at least annually. IP working groups are trained in rights education techniques and in laws and rights relevant to indigenous peoples. Community rights trainers have been developed in all provinces with indigenous peoples and these trainers are equipped with participatory training tools. Rights education has been provided to representatives of at least of indigenous communities. A national network of indigenous communities has developed. Documentation, research results, joint IP statements are developed. By being involved in ESCR reporting, indigenous people have devised national statements on the state of their economic social and cultural rights.

As the results of project, 77 Indigenous Peoples Working Group or Indigenous Rights Active Member (IPWG/IRAM), 18 females, they have cooperated and collaborated with local authority in recruiting 454 community leaders, 154 females by voting publicly. In early 2011, among 77 IPWGs/IRAMs who voted to assign three IRAMs to be regional coordinator and other 26 IRAMs as provincial coordinator and still continue public dissemination and consultation in aimed of indigenous community to be strong and active toward ownership and sustainable by using empowerment approach.

]]> http://www.icso.org.kh/what-we-do/cmp/national-community-media-unit/feed/ 0 http://www.icso.org.kh/what-we-do/vop/village-organizing-program/ http://www.icso.org.kh/what-we-do/vop/village-organizing-program/#comments Thu, 18 Mar 2010 02:53:55 +0000 admin http://www.icso.org.kh/?p=74 The village organizing project aims at improving land tenure security of indigenous communities in Cambodia through the promotion of community identity, legal entity and collective land registration, which is now being implemented in 4 districts of Ratanakiri province (Ochum, Lumphat, Oyadav and Bokeo) with total 17 communes and 33 villages and totally 21,001 indigenous people are the final beneficiaries (3,891 households).

In accordance with the land law 2001, the process of indigenous community land titling involves 3 different continuation stages such as legal Identification of indigenous people and communities by Ministry of Rural Development, registration for community as a legal entity recognized by Ministry of Interior and collective land titling recognized by Ministry of Land Management, Urban Planning and Construction.

The project has currently achieved its own result as set in the plan (project results are categorized into 3 levels: recognition of community identity, recognition as Legal entity and collective land titling as considerably) as below:

Firstly, recognition of indigenous people identity has achieved 9 villages of 10 villages. They have their own sketch maps made as the primary data of the community on how the community natural resources (Land and forest) are used. Therefore, they are ready to be self-identity declarations which all are facilitated by government counterpart from DoRD.  In addition, 5 villages of 10 have already been conducted the IP criteria identification and self-declaration. And one among them has already been appraised IP identification.

Secondly, 14 out of 17 villages have their own community statutes in which are already consulted and checked by government counterpart, staffs from PLAU, at the same result, 7 out of 17 villages have successfully been evaluated the level of understanding of the community people on their statute meaning by Ministry of Interior and just one of 17 villages is already conducted the general assembly meeting on the community statute activated by Ministry of interior.

Thirdly, we have so far conducted the project orientation workshop at district level for all 4 districts with the aim of seeking and transferring some roles and responsibilities to the communities, and local authority to initiate the collective land titling process. Furthermore, 3 village out of those 6 legal communities are strengthened their roles and responsibilities stated in their statutes, and they have also made their plans for identifying the village boundary, solving the conflict, and data collection for producing the village map. They are currently ready to start the process of their collective land titling facilitated by village organizing project of ICSO.

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