Deal #279

33 villages in Bachieng

State claims to own the communal forests and pastures

Concession was approved prior to on-ground verification. Villagers have not been given free and prior informed consent, or the option to retain their communal lands. Assessment of the Environmental and Social Impacts and Environmental and Social Plans were created by the Vietnam - Laos Rubber Joint Stock Company (VLRC) Industrial Rubber Plantation in 2007. It was prepared by Earth Systems Lao Source: EIA report

Villagers have lost land to the company. There was a report that The provincial government requested financial assistance from VLRC to resettle Thongchanh village (29 households). However, people in this village preferred to stay in their original village. Some land has been prepared for the new village, but no resettlement plan was available at the end of 2006. Source: EIA report

Environmental degradation: forest loss, heavy biodiversity losses, important aquatic habitats decimated and polluted by herbicides and pesticides, serious soil erosion Socio-economic: loss of forest access has indirectly affected livelihoods; loss of land for grazing directly affected free-range livestock, reduced village fish catch, loss of agricultural lands Loss of agricultural land, forest lost. During the EIA conducting process, most of the villages have expressed concerns for their health and the one of their livestock about a potential alteration of water quality due to the use of pesticides in the plantations. Source: EIA report

Cash compensation

None were paid in the first couple of years, and cash compensation for losses only began being dispensed in 2006, and in some cases it did not commence until February 2007. But even after compensation was forthcoming, many farmers have been unhappy with the amount provided. Villagers have not received any compensation for the loss of communal forests and pastures, which the State claims to own.

jobs

jobs Wastewater treatment system, training to plant and tend rubber trees, building schools, pagodas and power grids.