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
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
Dear Friend,
ReplyDeleteThe problem on VCFs you've try to embrace is similar to what had happen to my place in West Papua. When people struggle within protect their forest or using it for economic reasons. I do agree that the lack of participation among stakeholders, inadequate policy and regulation related to this issue, and communication between local community with government as well as other initiatives will lead this situation to get worst and worst. i like the way you list some things that we can do first, I think its crucial and the most important step to deal with. Nice one friend.
Regard,
Rio
Irrespective of gender identity, communities should be made aware on holistic Watershed Apporach. So recognition on watershed management should go beyond sll issues. So far my understanding, practice of VCF started due to course of social need to mitigate available natural resources and to help the poorest families and it was recognized when respective authority found its usefullness. But present need is different as was mentioned in your findings. Now it is important to make the people aware especially the Holistic Watershed Mangement Approach. Community Planning is fully dependable on what sort of knowledge they possess. So you can think about that.
ReplyDeleteFurther, it is now fact that only preservation is not enough rather creation of the forests. Because the VCFs are under threat due to grabbing by the people both powerless and powerful. So govt and donor communities should be made involved for creating new VCFs. So far my knowledge, some agencies are funding for preservation, not creation. Creation of forests are not in line with VCF concept, either it is in the name of community forestry with percentage sharing or govt afforestation fully owned by govt. So it needs to redirect with VCFs strategy where sharing, caring and earning will lie to the commuties.
Ok, best of luck. Sumitra
@Rio
ReplyDeleteThank you very much for sharing your experience in your place West Papua. Yes, inadequate policy measures create many problems; whereas to bring about changes in those policies is not that easy. It takes times, it needs more social struggles. Cheers mate.
@Sumitra da
Thanks for your valuable feedback on VCF approach. You have rightly pointed out the importance of a holistic watershed management approach to protect forests, and that approach should be drawn on indigenous knowledge. However, it seems that there is a big challenge for getting recognition of indigenous knowledge in the mainstream national policies, and even in the local laws of CHT.
Yes, I agree with you that the management strategies should be based on 'sharing, caring and earning' principles to meet the needs of community people.
Thanks again for your participation in this dialogue.
With best
Ashok
Dear Ashok
ReplyDeleteIt is amazing you created the space for discussion and many people participated it!!
I also think the engagement of different stakeholders is critical. From the summary, it seems that a lot of things are related to government,its policies and legal issues. It is challenging... If the government will continue not to see or understand the benefits/potential of VCFs and will not make changes, international pressure could be effective, as one of your participants suggested. This often applies to my home country, Japan. Do you think that could work in Bangladesh context?
Hisayo
Hi Hisayo
ReplyDeleteThanks for your nice comments. Yes, a lot of issues - whether they are laws or policy guidelines are in the hands of the government. The government has absolute control over forest management in Bangladesh. Most of the powers are in the hand of the central government. So, the government is far away from people, it cannot listen to people. It is not an exception in Bangladesh. Rural people usually term it "a dog's barking at an elephant". It means, people like a dog can bark, but the government like an elephant does not respond. Unfortunately, this is a reality for the government of Bangladesh as well.
Cheers
Ashok