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Green counter- boundaries defending the Tai community forestland rights

  • In 2012 and 2013 with the support of Livelihoods Sovereignty Alliance (LISO), the Tai in Chieng, Pa Kim, Pa Co, Pom Om and Khom in Hanh Dich commune, Que Phong district, Nghe An province have obtained their community rights over 613.66 ha of the traditional forestland according to the Joint Circular 07/TTLT/MARD&MONRE. However, after that the Que Phong Rubber Plantation Farm has encroached to excavate and plant rubber trees in such areas. Although the above communities, Hanh Dich CPC and Que Phong DPC have strongly demanded an end to the acts of encroachment and compensation for the damage caused by the Que Phong Rubber Plantation Farm, this violation continues. In the effort of the community to defend their community forestland rights, on 17 April 2014 the entire villagers in above communites compaigned in planting native trees (i.e. 3,000 'Trau' (Vernicia montana) and 'Xoan' (Melia azedarach) species as well as additionally made more 23 boundary marks in the positions adjacent to Tien Phong commune (Que Phong district) where the Que Phong Rubber Plantation Farm is conducting excavation and planting rubber trees. At the locations which were bulldozed on the community forestland, villages at first plan to conduct seasonal crops such as rice, corn and later will plant native trees. Here are some illustrations for the above efforts.

    Figure 1: The land area of rubber plantations of the Que Phong Rubber Plantation Farm encroached onto the allocated forestland of the Tai communities in Hanh Dich (LISO, 2014).

     
    Figure 2 & 3: Villagers are planting 'Trau' and 'Xoan' and additionally made more boundary marks in adjacent area where the Que Phong Rubber Plantation Farm planted rubber trees (LISO, 2014)
     
    Figure 4 & 5:  Tai women in Hanh Dich are seeking 'Trau' and 'Xoan' to be planted in areas bordering with the area planted with rubber trees of the Que Phong Rubber Plantation Farm (LISO, 2014)