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INDIGENOUS LIVELIHOOD RIGHTS

MYANMAR/BURMA PROGRAM

INDIGENOUS LIVELIHOOD RIGHTS

Cambodia's indigenous peoples, also known as Khmer Leu and highlanders, have so far received little international attention. With an ethnic minority population of less than ten percent, Cambodia appears as a relative homo-ethnic country among its Southeast Asian neighbors. Yet Cambodia is a multi-ethnic society with more than 20 different indigenous groups mainly inhabiting the northeastern provinces of the country.

These indigenous communities are currently experiencing the devastating impact of rapid development based on unregulated exploitation of natural resources. Challenges to the legal status of their land make them vulnerable to land grabbing and illegal sales. For these reasons, Indigenous Peoples' Livelihood Rights is a key work area for the Cambodia office.

In response to the challenges currently faced by indigenous communities, the Cambodia office focuses on:

Securing the rights of indigenous communities over their land and natural resources through advocacy, capacity building and community empowerment;
Defending the livelihoods of indigenous communities by working towards greater representation in decision-making on the sustainable use and management of their natural resources.

To achieve these objectives, the Cambodia office works in partnership with local organizations, academic institutions and the government. Supporting increased indigenous self-representation, the HBF Cambodia program shares its office space with the Cambodia Indigenous Youth Association (CIYA).

PEPA

The PEPA initiative (Promoting Empowering Participatory Approaches) is one way through which the Cambodia office contributes to the empowerment of indigenous communities. PEPA is a methodology initiative concerned with building capacity in the use of participatory engagement processes when working with indigenous communities. Its objective is to add value to the activities currently being undertaken by organizations working with indigenous communities, and promoting a way of working which optimizes the value and benefit for the communities and organizations. This is achieved through the coordination of a community of practice network, resource sharing and advisory support.

Ethnicity and Local Governance in Cambodia

Ethnicity and Local Governance Cambodia (ELGC) is a research project aimed at analyzing state-minority relations in Cambodia, focusing on both the aspirations of various ethnic minorities (Cham, highland peoples, ethnic Vietnamese and Chinese) as well as state policies and practices towards them. Research focuses on the role of local governance reform and decentralization in bringing about a better match between minority aspirations and state policies. It involves consultations among a wide range of cultural communities and with communities of ethnic Khmer, government officials and civil society representatives in 6 provinces, 12 Communes and 24 villages; as well as interviews with a wide range of experts, both in the provinces and in the capital.
The field research team consists of two members, Chen Sochoeun and Stefan Ehrentraut. While Research Update #1 provides an overview of the areas of research, the research questions and methods, the Research Update #2 summarises preliminary findings gathered through field research in Pursat Province. Field research in Cambodia is in part funded by the Heinrich Böll Foundation (HBF) and a doctoral scholarship from the Friedrich-Naumann-Foundation. The views expressed are those of the authors.

Ou Saom Councilors with ELGC-members

For more information on the project, visit the Ethnicity and Local Governance Blog at http://www.elgc.org/.

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