It is time to say your Vision for VCF!

Dear friends

On the basis of your discussion, I have put up a summary of all relevant issues in my earlier posting on this blog. We already have identified the major problems including some strategies and some doable actions. Yet I feel that we have a long way to go, and we need more discussion on VCFs issues from different perspectives – economic, political, legal, environment and cultural.

Photo: Ripan Chakma, Khagrachari

Today I am writing again to draw your kind attention to the two interrelated issues regarding VCF management in the CHT, Bangladesh. I look forward to your views on these issues:

a) A Vision for VCF: should we a vision for VCF? For how many years - for 5 years or10 years or any thought on it? Please share your vision for VCF in one sentence with us.

b) A Community protocol (CP): community people have been following the customary rules. However, to meet the need of time, should they have written rules (which I call community protocol)? Please note, these rules should be based on the existing customs and the best practices. A CP should look like a ‘constitution’ for the villagers to manage and protect their VCFs in a sustainable manner. If you agree with the idea of ‘community protocol’, please feel free to share your views about it, and what topics (e.g. management, control, access, prevention of encroachment and so on) should be included in the CP?

Let's have a collective dream, let's have a collective vision for VCF. Yours today’s participation will set in rays of hopes in people; your little idea can set in a big change in life, society and the world. Please share ideas for a social change.

Regards

Ashok

Tearsdrop of Karnafuli

A Summary of the discussions on VCFs

Dear friends
To facilitate a dialogue on VCF issues, I posted a write-up on 20 April 2010. Many have actively participated in this dialogue. I would like to extend my thanks to you all for your active participation in the discussion forum on this blog. Your feedback on the questions of Village Common Forests (VCFs) in the Chittagong Hill Tracts, Bangladesh, helps to understand the relevant issues. From your feedback, I have summarised the discussion points into the following areas.

1. THE MAJOR PROBLEMS FOR MANAGING VCFS IN THE CHT?
There are many problems, of which the major ones identified are:
a) No legal protection to VCFs (such as the Forest Act 1927 and 1994 forest law);
b) Lack of regulation
c) Disputes over VCFs between communities; and between the Bangladesh Forest Departments and VCF dwellers;
d) The duty bearers are not aware of VCFs
e) lack of awareness and/or lack of knowledge for conserving VCFs
f) Population pressures on VCFs
g) Lack of the government incentives for VCFs
h) Lack of participation
i) The unjust policies towards indigenous people of CHT

Message on Facebook, 22 May 2010

2. WHO AND HOW CAN HELP SOLVING THOSE PROBLEMS?
In general, the government has a major role to solve the problems related to VCFs. However, local communities, and institutions have to be involved in decision-making processes. In order to provide a legal protection and thereby strengthening local indigenous communities’ ownership over VCFs, the following are essential.
a) Recognition of indigenous land rights by the government. While recognition of indigenous land rights should be based on local customs and practices and international human rights laws. One participant expressed a view that UN (which body?) could create pressures on the government comply with international laws.
b) Recognition of community people’s knowledge in VCF management.
c) Recognition of women’s role in watershed management.

3. WHAT COULD BE DONE TO ADDRESS THOSE PROBLEMS?
From analysis of the participants’ views, the following actions have been identified.
a) Dialogues between policy-maker and community peoples on the issues of VCF and forest policy;
b) Raising awareness about the importance of VCFs through documentation and publications
c) Orientation with government officials on CHT cultures and practices.

4. THE BENEFITS/ POTENTIAL OF VCFS
Despite many problems on VCF management, a VCF has many benefits/potentials for the community as well as the country. These are
a) A VCF can a good model to combat the impacts of climate changes
b) A model of biodiversity conservation
c) Promotion of societal peace and harmony as VCFs encourages collectivism, not individualism
d) Given the land shortage problems, VCFs could provide maximum benefits in terms of supplying necessary forest resources.

I look forward to your feedback on this summary report.
Kind regards
Ashok