Mok Mareth added that Land ownership is a significant issue in habitat destruction because for many years a nuance in Cambodian property law encouraged habitat destruction through incentives to farm public lands even if it meant destroying forests or open space in the process. Farmers who used land for farming were able to claim the formerly “unused” land as their own. The law was meant to allow farmers to utilize publicly held farmland, but it did not make a distinction between farmland and open space that was necessary to the ecosystem. A temporary elimination of the law means that no new deeds are being issued while the Ministry evaluates more sustainable policies.
Questions
Questions from the audience addressed media education and the UNDP’s environmental education program, as well as the level of community participation expected in environmental impact assessment processes.
Mok Mareth observed that all measures of the Mekong River Agreement welcome the participation of the public and hope to use the participatory process not only to seek input, but also as at vehicle for improved environmental awareness.
Another audience member raised the issue of dispute resolution within the Mekong River Commission on up vs. down river disputes and asked for an explanation of the adjudication process (which affects the three countries represented as well as Burma, Thailand and China). The four principles of adjudication were outlined as follows:
1. Ensure that there is sufficient clean water for the entire Mekong River population
2. Cooperation to prevent flooding
3. Recognition that pollution affects those down river and should never interfere with livelihoods of those living down river
4. Mekong Commission countries should cooperate to encourage sustainable development in the region.
Other discussion addressed the impacts of logging, and cooperation to address down river impacts of dams and pollution.
The final questioner observed that Las is constructing a massive hydro plant primarily for export when there is a chance that there will not be a market in Thailand for that power because Thailand is in negotiation with other countries who are also interested in supplying power to Thailand. To this Mr. Vichit responded that it was indeed an open and valid question that Laos was continuing to negotiate with Thailand.
Tapes available of the 9th annual conference of the Forum on Cambodia, Laos and Vietnam
Videotapes of the conference proceedings are available. The tapes are 6 hours each and cost $20 (including US shipping). Tapes of only one of the plenary or panel discussions (2 hours each) listed below are also available for $10 each.
Tape One: Cambodia, Laos and Vietnam Country Plenaries
Tape Two: Non Country Plenaries
Opening Plenary, Lessons for transitional economies from the Asian economic crisis,
Plenary: Cooperation between international nonprofit organizations and host government.
Closing plenary: Headlines from sectoral groups and closing comments by the H.E. Lu Lay Sreng Minister of Information - Cambodia and H.E. Sok An Minister Council of Ministers- Cambodia, Executive Vice President Vu Xuan Hong - Vietnam and Vice Minister Khempheng Pholsena - Laos.
Tape Three: Day One Panel Discussions
a) Integrating multilateral and bilateral development agencies, foundations, nonprofit organizations and grass roots organizations into national plans.
b) International private business as a motor for development, source of philanthropic funds, and setter or subverter of labor standards
c) Grassroots organizations and their role in meeting development needs.
Tape Four: Day Two Panel Discussions
a) Addressing social evils at the grassroots: prostitution, trafficking of women and children, and drug addiction
b) Water resources development: economic, environmental and resettlement issues
c) The challenge of maintaining a system of primary and preventative health care in the provinces
Tape Five: Day Three Panel Discussions
a) Developing curriculum to meet new national needs
b) Food security and growth, modernizing agriculture and overcoming poverty
c) Grass roots efforts to address legacies of the war: landmines, UXO, birth defects and weapons proliferation.
cont'd p.29