3-1- Introduction
Prochea Thom is the new one village that organized by NPA, NPA spend a lot of budget on that process. Base on the requested from the authorities that appeal to all NGO and or IO that working in that area to help all the people that living in the slum area such as Kbal Spean village and Palilay village. Because in that two village they lack of hygiene and living in bad environment. On the other hand they face with Cholera that kill around 30 people.
NPA is the humanitarian de-mining and community development try to support and help them from that situation. In Kbal spean village are 2224 household, in that amount of household NPA and ZOA interviewed 2767 families and Palilay village there are 1173 house hold we did interviewed with 1332 families. The total of the families that we did interview is 4099 families.
In the beginning NPA try to help to move all the people that we did the interview but when we divide the people with the land that the authority give to NPA is not enough to resettle for that amount of the people, after that NPA need to setup the criteria for selecting the people are more vulnerable. After setup the criteria NPA and ZOA also by cooperated with DWG we selected 1998 families out of 4099 families.
3-2- Living Condition
When NPA moved the people from those two villages 1998 families, total population is 13011, female 7902 and male 5109. In 1998 there are 344 widow families (Female head of household) and 90 are disable families. The living condition of the people over there are very difficult and either they also their have many diseases that can be kill, like cholera, and or other.
Most of living conditions of the people at the resettlement site are now is better than before, how ever they have small plot and small house, but it's better than before that they live at the slump area, bad environment, and also cholera epidemic too. Some of them now they can grow some of fruit tree, vegetable, banana tree and other. When they live at the old place they can grow nothing, because they are build a small house connect to each other and very muddy in the wet season.
In the new village (Prochea Thom) now they have the own land, they can do everything up to them, but they need to follow the rules and regulations to gain the land title deed. Most of them they build a house with the materials that provided by NPA, up to now all that materials are very old (Since 2000), some of them are replace with the new one. Now some house they have quite in good condition, some they have concrete house and some they have wooden house in good condition, but more house are small and in poor condition.
Up to now most of the housing condition are too old, some families that they have better job in Thailand they can make their new house, but the other that they have any job they can't build the new house. In the village new a few of concrete are building, some of that are new owner that they have the money to build the land and build the new house. The new owner most of them are the moneylender, and they live at Poi Pet. Some of them they got the land are very cheap, because they lend the money to the land owner with higher interest and when the land owner can't pay them back they may take the land.
3-3- Personal Information
Base on the report from Mr. Thiem Rithy, land and resettlement assistant that he done his research study at Prochea Thom village about why people are leaves from the resettlement and why most of the people that they can stay the resettlement site. In his reports he mention that there are 33% of the people that living in the site are returnees and 67% are the local people that come from the other province within Cambodia.
The local people 67% are also include IDPs. Most of the local people that we mention here are come from the poor province in Cambodia such as Prey Veng, Svay Rieng (South-east of Cambodia) and some come from Takeo (South-west of Cambodia), and also some come from Siem Riep (North of Cambodia) and some are the local people in Battambang and also Banteay Meanchey Province.
The returnees when they arrive in Cambodia they also received some of money from organization they provided, like adult is $50 in each and children are $25 in each. But this amount of the money can't help them much, because the land is every expensive at their homeland. Some people when the return from the camp they go back to the old village, but they don't have nay land because their land are already distributed to the other people by the authorities. They need to buy some land for house construction and or farmland. But after they live over there for a few months or a year and they found that they can't stay over there because they can't do any farming because drought and or flooding. Sometime they raise animal and animal dead and make they lose all the money.
The difficulty of the people that they have experience to live in the camp, because when they arrived in Cambodia they don't have any land, and sometime when they go back to their old village they have no any relative or their land are already distribute to the other people. On the other hand when they stay at the camp they do nothing because they getting support from UNHCR or other refugees support organization at the Cambodia/Thai border. So that when they arrived in Country they don't know how to make the money or how to get income for their livelihoods. During we did the research in that village some people they also complain about that too. They say that when they were in the camp they getting support everything from organization, but here they got nothing. Because when they are in the camp they got rice, food etc for cooking, they are not worry about eating, and they not worry about health.
I used to live in the camp, site II. I left for the camp in 1981 when I was 15 years old. I left the camp to live in Moung Russey district in 1993. I was provided with some money. They gave $50 per adult and less for children. I came to live in Poi Pet because I don't have land in Moung Ressey and had no job to do too, so I had to come to Poi Pet.
Mrs. Phin Pheng, cluster 5, plot 192.
The local people that they are very poor in they can't make their business, or sometime in their old village faced with disaster like flood or drought, so that they need to find a better place to feed their familiar's life. When they decided like that they need to find some information and seek a better place to live. Some people they heard that Poi Pet is the best place to make the money through their relative or their friend, after some people they sold all their land to come to Poi Pet.
I left for Poi Pet in 1996. I left my birthplace because I was so poor and I could not earn any money and I did not have any farmland too. I could not grow rice because there was a drought and so I had to leave.
Mr. Keo Sitha, cluster 6, plot 42.
I left Takeo province when my eldest daughter was 5 years old. I left Kirivong district because my standard of living was difficult. I had farmland in Takeo but the rice was destroyed because of the floods. I have sold that land now. I left Sdau village to live in Poi Pet in 1994.
Mr. Tong Kdop, cluster 7, plot 188.
3-4- Background on the Resettlement process
NPA and the same as with ZOA, they cooperated each other to established this resettlement site. ZOA they are base work in Poi Pet and now they are also expand to Ordomeanchey province. NPA and ZOA did interview with 4099 families in 2 villages, Kbal Spean and Palilay village. In the beginning NPA want to move all the people that did the interview but after finished the inter and divide into plot we found that there are not enough land for that people, because the authorities only provide the land 114 ha to NPA for develop this resettlement site.
Base on the land is limited NPA and the same as DWG set up the criteria to select the beneficiaries who is more vulnerable, because the land that we had is not enough for 4099 families, the land are enough only 2000 families. After we design and divided into plot we did the interview again to find the people who is more vulnerable to provide the land plot. For selecting the vulnerable families we also review our criteria three time to meet our objective.
The people at the resettlement site most of them they say the same that organization went to their house and did interview with them. The origination that they mention is ZOA and NPA. They said that organization did interview with them and tell them they will distribute some of land but they don't know the size of land yet on that time. After interview they also took the photos too.
The first time the organization came to research every family, and then they interviewed the people who were very poor and had nowhere to settle. They asked people many questions and took photographs of the people. When they interviewed me they told me that they would provided me with the land, but they did not tell me what size of the land would be.
Mr. Prim Doeung, cluster 1, plot 71.
All of the people at the resettlement site they are very happy when they received the plot of land even the land is small, but it is bigger and better the old place that they live in the slum area. They volunteer to be there, no one push him or her to be there. When they are arrived in the new land they need to clear their own land, starting to build the house and latrine by using all the materials that provided by NPA.
I had a good feeling and was happy when I cam to live here first of all. I thought that I had land and so I did not want to move to another place. I volunteered to live here by myself. No one forced me to live here. I did not know the village before I came to live here.
Mrs. Cheng Mom, VDC member and Community Health Representative, cluster 1, plot 107.
The area that we set up the resettlement site is the former forestry but during that we organized the resettlement is no forest, because people already cutting the big trees, but there are some more small tree and thatch in that area. After distribution the villagers they need to clear the land and build the house. NPA and the same as DWG are not allowed the resident to swap their land; if they not follow that they may not receive the temporary land title.
I spent about 3 months to dig and clear everything because I had to do another job and to be able to buy food to eat. So I had to dig and clear in the evening, because in the morning and afternoon I went to earn money in Poi Pet. I dug and cleared the land at 4 or 5 PM. We did not employ anyone to help us, we did it ourselves. I think our plot has a good location and I am happy with it. I never thought about swapping the plot with another. No one here changed plots because NPA did not allow anyone to change plots.
Mrs. Cheng Mom, VDC member and Community Health Representative, cluster 1, plot 107.
Most of them that come to live in the new area, they don't know the situation of this land before, they just knew that the area is former forestry and full of forest and no mines in the area.
I did not see the area before we came to live here, only when I came with the organization. It was full of forest and it did not have the roads.
Mrs. Sril Ang, cluster 1, plot 166.
We have step by step to resettle the people in the new village, in the new village we ten clusters and in each cluster we divide into 200 hundred families. In each cluster we settle the people in four time, it's mean that in each time we settle 50 families. When we settle in each 50 families we explained to them about the rules and regulations and provided training to them about health and hygiene. After that NPA provided them all of the housing kits such as Nials, Bamboo, thatch, wire, and some tools like axe, knife, hoe etc.
We invited the people to joint the meetings three times before we allowed them to resettle in this village. We invited the people to join one meeting in the center to select the people for the 10 clusters. It took one week to settle 50 families, and one month to organize the 200 families in one cluster. So it took 10 months to organize the resettlement for all the families in the 10 clusters. Then we provided the plot locations by drawing the lots.
Mr. Touch Lay, former NPA staff, Poi Pet field coordinator.
Before NPA want to provide them a housing but we can get approval from the government to transport some wood from difference area, because during that time they close a lot of companies that cutting wood and transport the wood illegally. After that NPA decide provided them only housing kits and tools only, and some money that NPA prepare to buy housing kit NPA use for the other thing such as build the road and put the laterite.
We provided the families with some materials like a spade, a knife, an axe, and then house materials like bamboo, nails, wire, thatch grass and then 4 toilet rings, a toilet seal and cover. NPA had the plan to distribute the house to the people, but unfortunately the government did not allow us to buy any wood, and so we returned and gave them materials.
Mr. Touch Lay, former NPA staff, Poi Pet field Coordinator.
By setting up the new village, it's same as organize a new family. NPA provided a lot of materials to the people at the resettlement site. The villagers they are very happy and thanks full to NPA, because they think that NPA like their parents, and sometimes NPA are better than their parents, because their parents sometime have no provided such thing to them because they are poor. NPA provided them land, housing kits and tools.
NPA provided some materials like a knife, a spade, and axe, a water jar, thatch, bamboo and some small pieces of wood. The equipment was provided free and I was very happy when I got it. I think that it was enough for a small house. I didn't lack anything. But this house, I just built it myself.
Mrs. Srey Phalla, cluster 2, plot 20.
The new villagers at the new village (Prochea Thom) they are very happy with the new land that they got, most of them they have now land somewhere else, they expected that they will stay there forever, they don't want to move to the other place. Some they say that they don't want to move because they don't know where they need to move.
I think I will stay here for along time because I don't want to go to live anywhere else. I don't know other families that have moved from this village. I only know that they went to make business somewhere and then they will come back again.
Mrs. Mau Peoun, cluster 4, plot 4.
How ever they got the new land and they stay in the land, but base on the research finding from Mr. Thiem Rithy and also from the result of evaluation of the DWG and NPA they found that some of the plot are abandons and some are already sold.
3-5- Economic Characteristic and Survival Strategies
Most of the people that they live at the slump area and after that they move to Prochea Thom village, they all complain when they are stay at the old village they are very difficult, they have no land for cultivation. Some they have the land but small land or sometime because of the weather that they can't grove rice or vegetable.
Some people they say that because of poor they always seek for any information regarding to the job opportunity or the work place, and when they heard that in Poi Pet is more easy to get a job or they can work in Thailand more easily. After that most of them are sell everything that they have to come to Poi Pet. When they arrived in Poi Pet they don't have any land or house so that they need to rent a house or build a small house at the slump area. When the new people coming in the slump area are more grow up the populations.
Most of the work that they can find at the border is laborers, hand cart worker or selling small thing at the border, some children they can work as hand cart workers or carry some good to cross the border in illegal. To do this thing they need to cross the small stream between Cambodia and Thai border, sometime they catch by Thai border guard, and sometime by Cambodian border guard. If lucky they can cross the border with some good they will earn some money like 20 baht or 50 baht up to amount of material that they carry. All that materials they have the owner at Thai market that not far from the border, it's around 300 meters from the border.
Most of the people living here work as the laborers in Poi Pet. Some of them sew hats to sell at the Thai market because they buy the second hand cloth with which to make the hats. Some make business by being a motor taxi or motor kong bei driver. Some sell groceries at home, and some make other business. There are about 30 video parlors. About 15% of people make a living through selling the hats in Longker market (in Thailand).
Mr. Keo Sambath, VDC leader, cluster 5, plot 158.
If we compare the old place with the place that they live now is a bite far from the border, because it's 4km from the Poi Pet market, and they need to spend 5 baht for transport cost from the village to the border. So that they need to spend 10 for their round trip. Some people they complain that, because in their old village they don't spend the money for their transportation, but now they need to spend for. On the other hand they said that now they lose some of work, because they live far a way from the work place.
I think that it's more difficult to earn money here than in Poi Pet. In Poi Pet there was a lot of work to do, but here I don't have a job except as a moto-taxi driver. Although I was in Poi Pet on the roadside or on the riverbank, I could find the job to do easily. Now I am here in a legal resettlement area supported by NPA, but it's difficult to find a job to do, and so I think this is most important problem in my life. If we travel to the roundabout next to the border gate we have to spend 10 baht for transport and 10 for border pass. If we get a job to do then it is no problem, but if we don't get a job to do then we will meet the problems because we spend the money unsuccessfully.
Mr. Prim Doeung, cluster 1, plot 71.
Before when they stay at the slump area is very close to the work place and they have a lot of network with their friends, and when they have something arrive and they need the labors they are already there, but now they lose of that. Some people they work as the labor at the Thai market, like second cloth washers, waitress or sometime they working as construction worker in Bangkok.
Most people have been laborers since coming here. They have been laborers both in Poi Pet and now here, but some of them change their occupations. Now some of them are handcart porters, some are construction workers, and some are sack carriers, and some are laborers in Bangkok.
Mr. Sril In, village chief, cluster 5, plot 41.
Normally in Poi Pet, especially the people at Prochea Thom village they have experience indebt and they need to pay higher interest to the money lender, sometime when they can't pay the interest the may lose their land or they need to sell their land on the lover price.
I borrowed 2,000 baht and I have to pay 600 baht interest per month. I don't know when I will clear my debt, but I have to try to work. I do hope I will clear my debt some day. If I work everyday I hope I will be able to pay back.
Mr. Thon Sambath, cluster 6, plot 93.
The income generation in the village sometimes is very difficult to live for some of the people that living in the village. Sometimes they can earn only 15 or 20 baht a day (around $0,5) and they need to feed the whole family that has many members. The average income in a normal family is around 50 baht per day and they spend as much the same that they can earn. If some day that they can't earn the money they need to borrow from someone else that can afford or they need to borrow from the moneylender with the higher interest.
My family can earn maybe 50 baht, sometime 100 or 200 baht. It is not regular. But we don't save anything. The amount we spend depends on the income. If we earn a lot we spend it, and if we earn a little we have to spend a little, but we can't save.
Mr. Tong Kdop, cluster 7, plot 188.
NPA think about the entire infrastructure around the resettlement site, because NPA may think that this infrastructure maybe can help to the people that living in the village. Such as when we build the well it help much to the people because they have clean water to use, and when we build the road they get some food from food for work.
We developed the infrastructure in Prochea Thom village like roads, wells, health center, school, vocational training center, drainage culverts and a temporary market. I think that we improved the resettlement site by making this infrastructure. This infrastructure has help to improve the standard of living through better water supplies, road and transport.
Mr. Touch Lay, former NPA staff, Poi Pet field coordinator.
3-6- Design and Rules and Regulations
Most of the villager they say that in the new village is very nice, everything in the village is in good design. When they stay in the old village they have nothing like road, water point, and or environment, but when they came in to the new village they have new road, culvert, latrine and especially they have a plot of land. In the old village they don't have their own land they stay at the public land or private land, or sometime they rent a small hut to stay with a few families in one hut.
I think that this village is better than Psa Ra in Poi Pet center because here we have a good environment and fresh air and fair rules and regulations. If we had farmland to cultivate something it would be better.
Mrs. Cheng Mom, VDC member, and Community Health Representative.
Normally in one village they need to follow the rules and or regulations, anyway in Prochea Thom village is the new village that set up by NPA and DWG need to set up the rules and regulations too. NPA and DWG are setup 12 articles of rules and regulations to use within NPA resettlement site (Prochea Thom village). If we compare the rule and regulation that set up by NPA and DWG with the new land law is look similar too.
How ever in Prochea Thom we have building up the health center but most of the villagers they don't like to go to the health center, they like to buy the medicine at the market for their children or their own. When we did the interview with them they said that they don't like to go there because they need to wait for along time, and before they work only in the morning, because in the morning they need to go to work, and if they don't go to work they don't have money to buy rice. After complain from the villagers now health center they expand their work until in the afternoon and their service are better than before.
In the beginning NPA and the same as DWG want to distribute more big land to the people in that village to but the land over there is very expensive and the authority not provided us more land for house construction or for agriculture too. They only provided us 114 ha that enough only for house construction and we only divided into 2000 plot, some public are such as school, pagoda, health center, community training center, market, football place etc. If we have more land on that time maybe we can provide more to more people that we already interviewed.
I think that when NPA withdraws from the resettlement site some problems will happen because the VDC and the authorities have not gone along with each other and they don't work well together in the village. But the structure, the rules and regulations set up by NPa will continue into the future as these rules are recognized by the provincial governor, the provincial rural development director and the local authorities as well. I do hope that the authorities will really continue to monitor the site once NPA withdraws, and I hope that one day the VDC and the authorities will get along with each other.
Mr. Touch Lay, former NPA staff, Poi Pet field coordinator.
Most of the villager they think that the rules and regulations that set up by NPA and DWG are very important, because it can keep the people in the other and if they follow the rules and regulations may be the village is find and they are respect the right each other and in the village living in good environment.
I think that we should all keep the rules and regulations because it helps us to respect each other, help each other and to do good deeds in society. We are required to contribute money to the community for three years, so that the money is used by the community for repairing the school, the roads, the drainage pipes and culverts, the pump wells, the health centers and for supporting the volunteer teachers. So I am happy to contribute the community fund, although we have never received any donation as no one has died in our family.
Mrs. Cheng Mom, VDC member, and Community Health Representative, cluster 1, plot 107.
Regarding to the community funds that they collecting for every months by following the rules and regulations and that is agreement between NPA and resettles. Most of the villagers they happy to contribute the money, because they think that the money will for developed their village in the future, and also for the right purpose. But sometimes they also worry about the way that the cluster chief keeps the money, because they knew that the cluster chief is sometime cheat the community money.
I am happy to contribute because I agreed with NPA's rules to do so. But I am always concern about the way the finances are controlled in the village, and I am afraid that the community leaders will not use the money for village development. I am afraid that the community leaders cheat with the community money. I think that if there is an organization to monitor the process the village development might improve.
Mrs. Ku Chantheoun, lcuster 3, plot 21.
3-7- Sense of Community
When NPA set up this new village NPA also set up some community development committee in the village too, some community that set up by the villager in that village such as VDC by supported from Department of rural development and WPA, VLA, VHR, cluster leader, village leader and etc. The villager elects most of this people, because they work as volunteer and sometime they get support from the community fund and or other NGO that working in the same as area.
There is a health committee and well committee. I know that there were 5 members in a well committee, but now some of them have given up. I don't know why. I used to pay 5 baht every month before, but they have not collected the money for along time, not since NPA withdrew from the village.
Mr. Tong Kdop, cluster 7, plot 188.
On the other hand NPA and community help to set up all the committee, because NPA think that the community they will responsible all the activities in the village, because they are living in the village they may responsible all their community assets. If the community work their village may be better and all the materials maybe longer use.
The reason that NPA and the community organized the WPC because; the committee can help on cleaning the well, look after the well, maintenance and repair the well. The organization selected the volunteer to look after the well, and responsible for hygiene.
Water Point Committee, cluster 3.
Most of the villagers they say that they are always jointed the meeting when they are happened in the village, this they mean include the training that organized by some NGO that implementing in their village. The training that mostly conducted within that resettlement is conducted by NPA. During that time NPA have one office base in Poi Pet and we have Community Development worker base in that area too.
I always attended the meetings and they talked about village development, community organizing and environment or hygiene. I used to joint the AIDS training and health training held by ZOA before, but I never participated in human rights or domestic violence training since coming here.
Mr. Tong Kdop, cluster 7, plot 188.
When they jointed the meeting it's the same as training, because they always say that is meeting. Because when the cluster chief or group leader invite they always invited all the people in their cluster or group to attend the meeting.
I always go to attend the meetings. I am rarely absent from the meetings. The meetings talk about health, the living conditions of the people in this village, hygiene, AIDS, cholera, security. I don't know which organization it was. I also attended training on human rights and domestic violence. They talk about education and urged us to respect each other's rights.
Mr. Chan Savuth, cluster 8, plot 161.
In the beginning all the committee are works very well, but after that they are lazy and because they are lose of commitment lose of confidential because they saw the cluster chiefs they cheat the people, they took the community budget and they done any thing that support the community, such all that kind of activities make the people are not happy with and not believe on the authorities.
There are health committees, a well committee, VDC. The well committee members had a role to clean the well and repair it and my family was required to contribute some money to the well committee. The money was use for repairing the well. The money was use for the right purpose, I think, but now I don't know. They gave up working as the well committee a long time ago. I don't know why. Now I never see them. Perhaps they are too lazy to do it and they have their own business to do.
Mr. Chan Savuth, cluster 8, plot 161.
In Prochea Thom if we thing about relationship are not leally good because they only know somebody that living close together, and the other hand some of them are not coming from the same place, because they are coming the other province and most of them are not trust each other yet. Most of them they have a great experience during the Pol Pot regime that they need to close their mouth and quite. But we can see they can help all together when they have any funeral or ceremony in the village. During that time we can see they help each other by distribute some money to the dead family or they distribute some money to the new couple when they are getting married.
We don't communicate well with our neighbors because we come from difference provinces. They come from Moung, Svay Rieng, and Kompong Thom. So we have different ideas and different hearts. But we always joint the ceremonies.
Mrs. Srey Lap, cluster 10, plot 46.
There are much kind of the problems within the village and the same as some areas that close to the village too. As we know that the border area is the crossing area, and many kind of the people that they can work in those area. The poor people are more vulnerable, and they are at risk by using such kind of drug and glue, and also with trafficking and also violence.
I rarely see thieves here. Before the authorities arrested two thieves because they stole the bike and tape recorder of the cluster chief. I lost cooking pots and chickens before. There are a lot thieves in Poi Pet and there are some here. The Yama smokers there are a lot of Yama smokers in Poi Pet.
Mrs. Nam Ny, cluster 10, plot 185.
The villagers they believed that some thieves they most steal the materials or clothes and or chickens because they are using Yama or other drug. After they have no money to buy they need to steal everything for buying the drug.
I heard some people talking about Yama smokers in this village and that they steal some things in the village. I lost some of the materials that the organization provided me before. There are a lot of thieves here. They steal the chickens and the ducks. There are more thieves in Poi Pet than here.
Mr. Khov Sarouen, cluster 10, plot 10.
Most of the people that we did interview they don't know about the human traffic king to be a sex workers, but they knew some about some man or women being sold to Thailand before.
I don't know about human trafficking but I heard about women and man being sold to Thailand before, but now is quiet.
Mrs. Hem Ran, cluster 9, plot 8.
3-8- Land Management
In August 2001 and March 2002 NPA provided temporary land title to 1837 families in that village. In August 2002 NPA cooperated with department of land and construction to register the entire land plot at Prochea Thom village.
In May - July 2003 NPA and DWG are evaluated to the people that living in the plot, the purpose of this evaluation is to provide the land title deed to the families who is follow the rules and regulations of community. During that NPA and DWG are found only 831 families out of 1998 are follow the rules and regulations. It’s the first step of NPA that try to do evaluated to the beneficiaries in that resettlement site. So far NPA try to negotiate with Department of land and construction, and also with Ministry of Land and construction to reduce the fee of land title deed.
During that evaluation period they have some criteria to evaluate the entire plot, especially if they found that plot have no temporary land title they may not receive the land title deed in the future. They have the other criteria like participated in community fund, that plot look wealthy and they are able to live in the plot. On the other hand they are not pawn or sell the land.
The roles and regulations of people living at the Prochea Thom Village
Article 01: All residents of Prochea Thom village will obey the constitution and all national and local laws of Cambodia.
Article 02: Residents will not engage in private quarrels with their neighbors that escalate to a level that threatens their safety and property, the safety and property of their neighbors, or disturbs the general peace of the village. Residents becoming involved in such a dispute with their neighbor(s) will submit the dispute to the appropriate government authorities for resolution and will agree to follow these resolutions.
Article 03: Residents will not sell, rent out, or otherwise allow use of any kind of their plot to any individual or group unless given permission in writing by the Poi Pet resettlement-working group.
Article 04: Residents will not construct any building to be used for any commercial business within the village unless given permission in writing by the Resettlement Working Group.
Article 05: Residents are not allowing operating any loudspeaker system at such a volume that it disturbs the peace of the village. A loudspeaker system may be used for specific announcements if residents receive written permission from village government authorities.
Article 06: Residents will not raise any livestock, i.e., chicken, duck, pig, cow, buffalo, etc. without written permission from village government authorities. Permission will only be given if residents agree to raise the livestock according to hygienic standards set by the department of agriculture and NPA. Residents also agree to keep all livestock secured in an enclosure so that they cannot roam freely in the village.
Article 07: Heads of household will be responsible for ensuring that wastewater drainage channel is dug from their compound to the roadside canal.
Article 08: Heads of household are responsible for maintaining the road and drainage in front of their plot. They will ensure that the road remains in a condition that allows vehicles and people to pass without difficulty. They will also ensure that the drainage canal does not become blocked.
Article 09: All residents seven years old and older will be required to attend a standard set of health and hygiene classes conducted by NPA.
Article 10: Heads of household are responsible for ensuring that a latrine pit is dug on their plot and that the above ground latrine structure is built within the time period specified by NPA. Residents are responsible for keeping their latrine clean according to NPA guidelines.
Article 11: Residents will not litter on their plot or public areas in the village. All residents will follow procedures for disposing of their refuse as instructed by village government authorities and NPA.
Article 12: Residents understand that failure to obey the regulations of the village can result in termination of their tenancy agreement and eviction of their family from the village. Decisions on violations and eviction in regard to articles 1 through 1.e. will be the responsibility of local authorities. Decisions on violations and eviction regard to articles 2 though 11 will be the responsibilities of the Poipet resettlement-working group and NPA. For regulations 2 through 11 a total of 5 violation of nay one regulation or combination of regulations can result in termination of the tenancy agreement and eviction of the entire family from the village. Residents understand that local government authorities will enforce terminations of tenancy agreements and evictions.
How ever this rules and regulations are set up but are we know that the poor people can't follow the rules and or regulations because they have no choice. When in the families have some one getting ills and they don't have money to pay for the medicine, they can't keep that patient died, so that they need to pawn or sell the land to pay for doctor. They know its break down the rules and regulations but they have no choice.
I have a problem that I want to tell you about. Before my husband used to go work in Thailand for long periods of time and my children stayed at home, and so one day I did not have any money and I took my temporary deed to pawn it for 1,000 baht.
Mrs. Hem Ran, Cluster 9, plot 8.
Nowadays NPA try to lobby with the government to gain the land title deeds to the people at Prochea Thom village. NPA and the same as the people at the resettlement site think that the land title deeds are very important for them, because when they have the land title deed in the hand it's mean that the land are belong to them, they are the owner, no one can claim their land. On the other hand when they want to pawn or sell the land they will get higher price than before.
I'll be very happy to get the land title because its means that the land is belong to me. When I need money I will be able to sell it. I'll it for maybe 50,000 baht or over that price.
Mr. Khov Sarouen, Cluster 10, plot 10.
Some people at the resettlement site they expected that their land maybe cost higher price in the future when they get the land title deed, and some people they say that they may not stay over there for longtime because the land is very small for them. It's maybe they can sell that land and they buy the other new land.
If I sell the land I would like enough money to buy land and to set up the business. 100,000 baht, I could sell the land and spend 60,000 baht on some new land and would have 40,000 baht left to set up a grocery business.
Mrs. Chin Veoun, Cluster 9, plot 83.
But the other people they think that they may stay there forever, because they don't where to stay, and they think that now is difficult to find the land to stay in.
I have to follow the regulations that the organization made so I can be provided with a land title deed. If I get the land title deed I won't sell my land because I want to live here. I can't live anywhere else because it is very difficult for us to find the land, and I also have many children. When I get a land title I will be very happy. I don't think that my family will ever leave the village.
Mrs. Hem Ran, Cluster 9, plot 8.
Some people in the resettlement site they say that the land isn't enough for their family, but the other people they say that the land is enough for their family. The family that they say enough because in their families they have small members not as much as the other families. Mostly in the village they have many big families. But some of hem they still complain about rice field because they don't have any rice field, but the plot of land for house construction is no problem for them.
My plot of land is enough for my family to live in but it's very difficult because I don't have any rice land outside of the village. I have the right to grow vegetables, to build a house and raise some animals.
Mr. Chan Savuth, cluster 8, plot 161.
During the evaluation NPA and the same as with DWG found that there are 560 families that they pawn the land for difference purpose, some they pawn for their living condition and some for treatment. 132 families already sold the land, some of them. they are leave the plot but some they still stay at that plot to look after for the land and wait for the land title deed that they expected to get soon. Only 691 families that they distribute cash for community fund that NPA and DWG agreed for them distributed only 32 months. The other plots that also meet with the difficulty too, such as their parents died, the other new owner on the land, not regular living, abandon, and or no temporally land title, etc.
3-9- Political Dimension
In the new village up to now they only met with two elections happened, one is Commune and Sangkat election and the other one is national election on 27 July 2003. There are many parties in that area, but in Prochea Thom village we saw that there are only four parties are active in the village. There are CPP, FUNCINFEC, SAM REANSY, Chakro Pong Proleang Khmer party. But out of that four party is only CPP is more dominant and more power full in the village.
VDC member in each cluster, that they call cluster chief most of them are involve in the CPP party because during the election campaign they are the key person of CPP party in the village. The village chief that he is the one soldier of Heng Samrin, up to now he stills a soldier and he is involved in CPP party. The rules and regulations of the VDC are not involved or they are not the part of political issues that they are very active and the key person for one political party.
I am aware of the three main political parties in the resettlement site. I think that these political parties have affected the running and organization of the size too, but I don't know exactly. The political activities have disturbed the site, and I guess that the commune councils have not undertaken any development in the resettlement site yet. Mr. Touch Lay, former NPA field coordinator, base in Poi Pet.
The structure of the government that setup so far like the commune council that elected by the people. So far they are not really active to develop in their own village, because they are only focused on their own party rather than development work. On the other hand commune council are come from the other party, and if which party are in current government they are very strong and powerful.
I have never seen the commune council work to develop the village, or to tell the people not to sell the land. The authorities and the police sometimes help the people, and sometimes they don't. I don't know why. If we want the police to help us we have to pay money to them or to the authorities. If we don't have money and we have problems we can't depend on them because they will not help us unless we have money to give them.
Mrs. Srey Phalla, Cluster 2, plot 20
During July 2003 election the people around 10,000 people that they are registered but there are around 3,000 people that they voting. The people that they missed a chance to voted they complain that the election committee not allow them to vote and the other hand the voting place are far from the village, the people from the village need to spend the money for the transport from the village to the voting place.
Some respondents they said that the authority they not allow voters that they think are not CPP for voting. But it's the gossips because they don't have any witness or any documents to show us.
The people that they living along the border area they have many experience with the border closed. Sometime happened like political issues or robber crossing the border they closed border, like in 29 January the demonstrators they burn down Thai Embassy, after that Thai they decided to close the border unilateral around 2 weeks, during that time the people that living around the borders especially the people that living at Prochea Thom resettlement site they faced with the serious problem, because they earn from hand to mouth.
If the border is close the villagers will meet serious problems because they earn the money each day to support them. If the border is closed what can people do to make a living. There are many problems for the people living here and in Poi Pet.
Mr. Op Hoeun, Cluster 2, plot 125.
Some people that they not rely on the border they said that it's no problem for them however the border close or open, because they work at the field. But it's the problem for most of the people that living in Prochea Thom village, because they have the small of land plot, they don't have the farmland, how can they do their cultivation.
If some day the border is closed, all the people here will face problems. Before when the border was closed many families found it difficult. We did not have anything to eat for several days. So I used to go and find young bamboo to eat near the border.
Mr. Thon Sambath, Cluster 6, plot 93.
Most of the people that they live at Prochea Thom village they have experience to work in the rice field, and when the coming to the border most of them are working as laborers at the border area and when the border closed they faced with the problem. Most of them are complain that if they have the farmland they don't care about even the border close or open, because they can do their cultivation on their land.
If the border is close again we will meet the problems because my work is there. I don't know what to do. If we have farmland it would be ok for us even if the border were closed a long time.
Mr. Chan Savuth, cluster 8, plot 161.
Many people at the border the same as people that coming from the camp they know how to find assistant when they have the problem with the authority in the village. Sometime they go to the development organizations, or sometimes they go to Human Right organizations asking for help.
If I have a problem with the authorities, I will depend on the organizations that I know. But I have never had a problem with them. If we depend on the security guards we have to pay them money.
Mrs. Lors Luch. Cluster 7, plot 160.
Prochea Thom is the new one village that organized by NPA, NPA spend a lot of budget on that process. Base on the requested from the authorities that appeal to all NGO and or IO that working in that area to help all the people that living in the slum area such as Kbal Spean village and Palilay village. Because in that two village they lack of hygiene and living in bad environment. On the other hand they face with Cholera that kill around 30 people.
NPA is the humanitarian de-mining and community development try to support and help them from that situation. In Kbal spean village are 2224 household, in that amount of household NPA and ZOA interviewed 2767 families and Palilay village there are 1173 house hold we did interviewed with 1332 families. The total of the families that we did interview is 4099 families.
In the beginning NPA try to help to move all the people that we did the interview but when we divide the people with the land that the authority give to NPA is not enough to resettle for that amount of the people, after that NPA need to setup the criteria for selecting the people are more vulnerable. After setup the criteria NPA and ZOA also by cooperated with DWG we selected 1998 families out of 4099 families.
3-2- Living Condition
When NPA moved the people from those two villages 1998 families, total population is 13011, female 7902 and male 5109. In 1998 there are 344 widow families (Female head of household) and 90 are disable families. The living condition of the people over there are very difficult and either they also their have many diseases that can be kill, like cholera, and or other.
Most of living conditions of the people at the resettlement site are now is better than before, how ever they have small plot and small house, but it's better than before that they live at the slump area, bad environment, and also cholera epidemic too. Some of them now they can grow some of fruit tree, vegetable, banana tree and other. When they live at the old place they can grow nothing, because they are build a small house connect to each other and very muddy in the wet season.
In the new village (Prochea Thom) now they have the own land, they can do everything up to them, but they need to follow the rules and regulations to gain the land title deed. Most of them they build a house with the materials that provided by NPA, up to now all that materials are very old (Since 2000), some of them are replace with the new one. Now some house they have quite in good condition, some they have concrete house and some they have wooden house in good condition, but more house are small and in poor condition.
Up to now most of the housing condition are too old, some families that they have better job in Thailand they can make their new house, but the other that they have any job they can't build the new house. In the village new a few of concrete are building, some of that are new owner that they have the money to build the land and build the new house. The new owner most of them are the moneylender, and they live at Poi Pet. Some of them they got the land are very cheap, because they lend the money to the land owner with higher interest and when the land owner can't pay them back they may take the land.
3-3- Personal Information
Base on the report from Mr. Thiem Rithy, land and resettlement assistant that he done his research study at Prochea Thom village about why people are leaves from the resettlement and why most of the people that they can stay the resettlement site. In his reports he mention that there are 33% of the people that living in the site are returnees and 67% are the local people that come from the other province within Cambodia.
The local people 67% are also include IDPs. Most of the local people that we mention here are come from the poor province in Cambodia such as Prey Veng, Svay Rieng (South-east of Cambodia) and some come from Takeo (South-west of Cambodia), and also some come from Siem Riep (North of Cambodia) and some are the local people in Battambang and also Banteay Meanchey Province.
The returnees when they arrive in Cambodia they also received some of money from organization they provided, like adult is $50 in each and children are $25 in each. But this amount of the money can't help them much, because the land is every expensive at their homeland. Some people when the return from the camp they go back to the old village, but they don't have nay land because their land are already distributed to the other people by the authorities. They need to buy some land for house construction and or farmland. But after they live over there for a few months or a year and they found that they can't stay over there because they can't do any farming because drought and or flooding. Sometime they raise animal and animal dead and make they lose all the money.
The difficulty of the people that they have experience to live in the camp, because when they arrived in Cambodia they don't have any land, and sometime when they go back to their old village they have no any relative or their land are already distribute to the other people. On the other hand when they stay at the camp they do nothing because they getting support from UNHCR or other refugees support organization at the Cambodia/Thai border. So that when they arrived in Country they don't know how to make the money or how to get income for their livelihoods. During we did the research in that village some people they also complain about that too. They say that when they were in the camp they getting support everything from organization, but here they got nothing. Because when they are in the camp they got rice, food etc for cooking, they are not worry about eating, and they not worry about health.
I used to live in the camp, site II. I left for the camp in 1981 when I was 15 years old. I left the camp to live in Moung Russey district in 1993. I was provided with some money. They gave $50 per adult and less for children. I came to live in Poi Pet because I don't have land in Moung Ressey and had no job to do too, so I had to come to Poi Pet.
Mrs. Phin Pheng, cluster 5, plot 192.
The local people that they are very poor in they can't make their business, or sometime in their old village faced with disaster like flood or drought, so that they need to find a better place to feed their familiar's life. When they decided like that they need to find some information and seek a better place to live. Some people they heard that Poi Pet is the best place to make the money through their relative or their friend, after some people they sold all their land to come to Poi Pet.
I left for Poi Pet in 1996. I left my birthplace because I was so poor and I could not earn any money and I did not have any farmland too. I could not grow rice because there was a drought and so I had to leave.
Mr. Keo Sitha, cluster 6, plot 42.
I left Takeo province when my eldest daughter was 5 years old. I left Kirivong district because my standard of living was difficult. I had farmland in Takeo but the rice was destroyed because of the floods. I have sold that land now. I left Sdau village to live in Poi Pet in 1994.
Mr. Tong Kdop, cluster 7, plot 188.
3-4- Background on the Resettlement process
NPA and the same as with ZOA, they cooperated each other to established this resettlement site. ZOA they are base work in Poi Pet and now they are also expand to Ordomeanchey province. NPA and ZOA did interview with 4099 families in 2 villages, Kbal Spean and Palilay village. In the beginning NPA want to move all the people that did the interview but after finished the inter and divide into plot we found that there are not enough land for that people, because the authorities only provide the land 114 ha to NPA for develop this resettlement site.
Base on the land is limited NPA and the same as DWG set up the criteria to select the beneficiaries who is more vulnerable, because the land that we had is not enough for 4099 families, the land are enough only 2000 families. After we design and divided into plot we did the interview again to find the people who is more vulnerable to provide the land plot. For selecting the vulnerable families we also review our criteria three time to meet our objective.
The people at the resettlement site most of them they say the same that organization went to their house and did interview with them. The origination that they mention is ZOA and NPA. They said that organization did interview with them and tell them they will distribute some of land but they don't know the size of land yet on that time. After interview they also took the photos too.
The first time the organization came to research every family, and then they interviewed the people who were very poor and had nowhere to settle. They asked people many questions and took photographs of the people. When they interviewed me they told me that they would provided me with the land, but they did not tell me what size of the land would be.
Mr. Prim Doeung, cluster 1, plot 71.
All of the people at the resettlement site they are very happy when they received the plot of land even the land is small, but it is bigger and better the old place that they live in the slum area. They volunteer to be there, no one push him or her to be there. When they are arrived in the new land they need to clear their own land, starting to build the house and latrine by using all the materials that provided by NPA.
I had a good feeling and was happy when I cam to live here first of all. I thought that I had land and so I did not want to move to another place. I volunteered to live here by myself. No one forced me to live here. I did not know the village before I came to live here.
Mrs. Cheng Mom, VDC member and Community Health Representative, cluster 1, plot 107.
The area that we set up the resettlement site is the former forestry but during that we organized the resettlement is no forest, because people already cutting the big trees, but there are some more small tree and thatch in that area. After distribution the villagers they need to clear the land and build the house. NPA and the same as DWG are not allowed the resident to swap their land; if they not follow that they may not receive the temporary land title.
I spent about 3 months to dig and clear everything because I had to do another job and to be able to buy food to eat. So I had to dig and clear in the evening, because in the morning and afternoon I went to earn money in Poi Pet. I dug and cleared the land at 4 or 5 PM. We did not employ anyone to help us, we did it ourselves. I think our plot has a good location and I am happy with it. I never thought about swapping the plot with another. No one here changed plots because NPA did not allow anyone to change plots.
Mrs. Cheng Mom, VDC member and Community Health Representative, cluster 1, plot 107.
Most of them that come to live in the new area, they don't know the situation of this land before, they just knew that the area is former forestry and full of forest and no mines in the area.
I did not see the area before we came to live here, only when I came with the organization. It was full of forest and it did not have the roads.
Mrs. Sril Ang, cluster 1, plot 166.
We have step by step to resettle the people in the new village, in the new village we ten clusters and in each cluster we divide into 200 hundred families. In each cluster we settle the people in four time, it's mean that in each time we settle 50 families. When we settle in each 50 families we explained to them about the rules and regulations and provided training to them about health and hygiene. After that NPA provided them all of the housing kits such as Nials, Bamboo, thatch, wire, and some tools like axe, knife, hoe etc.
We invited the people to joint the meetings three times before we allowed them to resettle in this village. We invited the people to join one meeting in the center to select the people for the 10 clusters. It took one week to settle 50 families, and one month to organize the 200 families in one cluster. So it took 10 months to organize the resettlement for all the families in the 10 clusters. Then we provided the plot locations by drawing the lots.
Mr. Touch Lay, former NPA staff, Poi Pet field coordinator.
Before NPA want to provide them a housing but we can get approval from the government to transport some wood from difference area, because during that time they close a lot of companies that cutting wood and transport the wood illegally. After that NPA decide provided them only housing kits and tools only, and some money that NPA prepare to buy housing kit NPA use for the other thing such as build the road and put the laterite.
We provided the families with some materials like a spade, a knife, an axe, and then house materials like bamboo, nails, wire, thatch grass and then 4 toilet rings, a toilet seal and cover. NPA had the plan to distribute the house to the people, but unfortunately the government did not allow us to buy any wood, and so we returned and gave them materials.
Mr. Touch Lay, former NPA staff, Poi Pet field Coordinator.
By setting up the new village, it's same as organize a new family. NPA provided a lot of materials to the people at the resettlement site. The villagers they are very happy and thanks full to NPA, because they think that NPA like their parents, and sometimes NPA are better than their parents, because their parents sometime have no provided such thing to them because they are poor. NPA provided them land, housing kits and tools.
NPA provided some materials like a knife, a spade, and axe, a water jar, thatch, bamboo and some small pieces of wood. The equipment was provided free and I was very happy when I got it. I think that it was enough for a small house. I didn't lack anything. But this house, I just built it myself.
Mrs. Srey Phalla, cluster 2, plot 20.
The new villagers at the new village (Prochea Thom) they are very happy with the new land that they got, most of them they have now land somewhere else, they expected that they will stay there forever, they don't want to move to the other place. Some they say that they don't want to move because they don't know where they need to move.
I think I will stay here for along time because I don't want to go to live anywhere else. I don't know other families that have moved from this village. I only know that they went to make business somewhere and then they will come back again.
Mrs. Mau Peoun, cluster 4, plot 4.
How ever they got the new land and they stay in the land, but base on the research finding from Mr. Thiem Rithy and also from the result of evaluation of the DWG and NPA they found that some of the plot are abandons and some are already sold.
3-5- Economic Characteristic and Survival Strategies
Most of the people that they live at the slump area and after that they move to Prochea Thom village, they all complain when they are stay at the old village they are very difficult, they have no land for cultivation. Some they have the land but small land or sometime because of the weather that they can't grove rice or vegetable.
Some people they say that because of poor they always seek for any information regarding to the job opportunity or the work place, and when they heard that in Poi Pet is more easy to get a job or they can work in Thailand more easily. After that most of them are sell everything that they have to come to Poi Pet. When they arrived in Poi Pet they don't have any land or house so that they need to rent a house or build a small house at the slump area. When the new people coming in the slump area are more grow up the populations.
Most of the work that they can find at the border is laborers, hand cart worker or selling small thing at the border, some children they can work as hand cart workers or carry some good to cross the border in illegal. To do this thing they need to cross the small stream between Cambodia and Thai border, sometime they catch by Thai border guard, and sometime by Cambodian border guard. If lucky they can cross the border with some good they will earn some money like 20 baht or 50 baht up to amount of material that they carry. All that materials they have the owner at Thai market that not far from the border, it's around 300 meters from the border.
Most of the people living here work as the laborers in Poi Pet. Some of them sew hats to sell at the Thai market because they buy the second hand cloth with which to make the hats. Some make business by being a motor taxi or motor kong bei driver. Some sell groceries at home, and some make other business. There are about 30 video parlors. About 15% of people make a living through selling the hats in Longker market (in Thailand).
Mr. Keo Sambath, VDC leader, cluster 5, plot 158.
If we compare the old place with the place that they live now is a bite far from the border, because it's 4km from the Poi Pet market, and they need to spend 5 baht for transport cost from the village to the border. So that they need to spend 10 for their round trip. Some people they complain that, because in their old village they don't spend the money for their transportation, but now they need to spend for. On the other hand they said that now they lose some of work, because they live far a way from the work place.
I think that it's more difficult to earn money here than in Poi Pet. In Poi Pet there was a lot of work to do, but here I don't have a job except as a moto-taxi driver. Although I was in Poi Pet on the roadside or on the riverbank, I could find the job to do easily. Now I am here in a legal resettlement area supported by NPA, but it's difficult to find a job to do, and so I think this is most important problem in my life. If we travel to the roundabout next to the border gate we have to spend 10 baht for transport and 10 for border pass. If we get a job to do then it is no problem, but if we don't get a job to do then we will meet the problems because we spend the money unsuccessfully.
Mr. Prim Doeung, cluster 1, plot 71.
Before when they stay at the slump area is very close to the work place and they have a lot of network with their friends, and when they have something arrive and they need the labors they are already there, but now they lose of that. Some people they work as the labor at the Thai market, like second cloth washers, waitress or sometime they working as construction worker in Bangkok.
Most people have been laborers since coming here. They have been laborers both in Poi Pet and now here, but some of them change their occupations. Now some of them are handcart porters, some are construction workers, and some are sack carriers, and some are laborers in Bangkok.
Mr. Sril In, village chief, cluster 5, plot 41.
Normally in Poi Pet, especially the people at Prochea Thom village they have experience indebt and they need to pay higher interest to the money lender, sometime when they can't pay the interest the may lose their land or they need to sell their land on the lover price.
I borrowed 2,000 baht and I have to pay 600 baht interest per month. I don't know when I will clear my debt, but I have to try to work. I do hope I will clear my debt some day. If I work everyday I hope I will be able to pay back.
Mr. Thon Sambath, cluster 6, plot 93.
The income generation in the village sometimes is very difficult to live for some of the people that living in the village. Sometimes they can earn only 15 or 20 baht a day (around $0,5) and they need to feed the whole family that has many members. The average income in a normal family is around 50 baht per day and they spend as much the same that they can earn. If some day that they can't earn the money they need to borrow from someone else that can afford or they need to borrow from the moneylender with the higher interest.
My family can earn maybe 50 baht, sometime 100 or 200 baht. It is not regular. But we don't save anything. The amount we spend depends on the income. If we earn a lot we spend it, and if we earn a little we have to spend a little, but we can't save.
Mr. Tong Kdop, cluster 7, plot 188.
NPA think about the entire infrastructure around the resettlement site, because NPA may think that this infrastructure maybe can help to the people that living in the village. Such as when we build the well it help much to the people because they have clean water to use, and when we build the road they get some food from food for work.
We developed the infrastructure in Prochea Thom village like roads, wells, health center, school, vocational training center, drainage culverts and a temporary market. I think that we improved the resettlement site by making this infrastructure. This infrastructure has help to improve the standard of living through better water supplies, road and transport.
Mr. Touch Lay, former NPA staff, Poi Pet field coordinator.
3-6- Design and Rules and Regulations
Most of the villager they say that in the new village is very nice, everything in the village is in good design. When they stay in the old village they have nothing like road, water point, and or environment, but when they came in to the new village they have new road, culvert, latrine and especially they have a plot of land. In the old village they don't have their own land they stay at the public land or private land, or sometime they rent a small hut to stay with a few families in one hut.
I think that this village is better than Psa Ra in Poi Pet center because here we have a good environment and fresh air and fair rules and regulations. If we had farmland to cultivate something it would be better.
Mrs. Cheng Mom, VDC member, and Community Health Representative.
Normally in one village they need to follow the rules and or regulations, anyway in Prochea Thom village is the new village that set up by NPA and DWG need to set up the rules and regulations too. NPA and DWG are setup 12 articles of rules and regulations to use within NPA resettlement site (Prochea Thom village). If we compare the rule and regulation that set up by NPA and DWG with the new land law is look similar too.
How ever in Prochea Thom we have building up the health center but most of the villagers they don't like to go to the health center, they like to buy the medicine at the market for their children or their own. When we did the interview with them they said that they don't like to go there because they need to wait for along time, and before they work only in the morning, because in the morning they need to go to work, and if they don't go to work they don't have money to buy rice. After complain from the villagers now health center they expand their work until in the afternoon and their service are better than before.
In the beginning NPA and the same as DWG want to distribute more big land to the people in that village to but the land over there is very expensive and the authority not provided us more land for house construction or for agriculture too. They only provided us 114 ha that enough only for house construction and we only divided into 2000 plot, some public are such as school, pagoda, health center, community training center, market, football place etc. If we have more land on that time maybe we can provide more to more people that we already interviewed.
I think that when NPA withdraws from the resettlement site some problems will happen because the VDC and the authorities have not gone along with each other and they don't work well together in the village. But the structure, the rules and regulations set up by NPa will continue into the future as these rules are recognized by the provincial governor, the provincial rural development director and the local authorities as well. I do hope that the authorities will really continue to monitor the site once NPA withdraws, and I hope that one day the VDC and the authorities will get along with each other.
Mr. Touch Lay, former NPA staff, Poi Pet field coordinator.
Most of the villager they think that the rules and regulations that set up by NPA and DWG are very important, because it can keep the people in the other and if they follow the rules and regulations may be the village is find and they are respect the right each other and in the village living in good environment.
I think that we should all keep the rules and regulations because it helps us to respect each other, help each other and to do good deeds in society. We are required to contribute money to the community for three years, so that the money is used by the community for repairing the school, the roads, the drainage pipes and culverts, the pump wells, the health centers and for supporting the volunteer teachers. So I am happy to contribute the community fund, although we have never received any donation as no one has died in our family.
Mrs. Cheng Mom, VDC member, and Community Health Representative, cluster 1, plot 107.
Regarding to the community funds that they collecting for every months by following the rules and regulations and that is agreement between NPA and resettles. Most of the villagers they happy to contribute the money, because they think that the money will for developed their village in the future, and also for the right purpose. But sometimes they also worry about the way that the cluster chief keeps the money, because they knew that the cluster chief is sometime cheat the community money.
I am happy to contribute because I agreed with NPA's rules to do so. But I am always concern about the way the finances are controlled in the village, and I am afraid that the community leaders will not use the money for village development. I am afraid that the community leaders cheat with the community money. I think that if there is an organization to monitor the process the village development might improve.
Mrs. Ku Chantheoun, lcuster 3, plot 21.
3-7- Sense of Community
When NPA set up this new village NPA also set up some community development committee in the village too, some community that set up by the villager in that village such as VDC by supported from Department of rural development and WPA, VLA, VHR, cluster leader, village leader and etc. The villager elects most of this people, because they work as volunteer and sometime they get support from the community fund and or other NGO that working in the same as area.
There is a health committee and well committee. I know that there were 5 members in a well committee, but now some of them have given up. I don't know why. I used to pay 5 baht every month before, but they have not collected the money for along time, not since NPA withdrew from the village.
Mr. Tong Kdop, cluster 7, plot 188.
On the other hand NPA and community help to set up all the committee, because NPA think that the community they will responsible all the activities in the village, because they are living in the village they may responsible all their community assets. If the community work their village may be better and all the materials maybe longer use.
The reason that NPA and the community organized the WPC because; the committee can help on cleaning the well, look after the well, maintenance and repair the well. The organization selected the volunteer to look after the well, and responsible for hygiene.
Water Point Committee, cluster 3.
Most of the villagers they say that they are always jointed the meeting when they are happened in the village, this they mean include the training that organized by some NGO that implementing in their village. The training that mostly conducted within that resettlement is conducted by NPA. During that time NPA have one office base in Poi Pet and we have Community Development worker base in that area too.
I always attended the meetings and they talked about village development, community organizing and environment or hygiene. I used to joint the AIDS training and health training held by ZOA before, but I never participated in human rights or domestic violence training since coming here.
Mr. Tong Kdop, cluster 7, plot 188.
When they jointed the meeting it's the same as training, because they always say that is meeting. Because when the cluster chief or group leader invite they always invited all the people in their cluster or group to attend the meeting.
I always go to attend the meetings. I am rarely absent from the meetings. The meetings talk about health, the living conditions of the people in this village, hygiene, AIDS, cholera, security. I don't know which organization it was. I also attended training on human rights and domestic violence. They talk about education and urged us to respect each other's rights.
Mr. Chan Savuth, cluster 8, plot 161.
In the beginning all the committee are works very well, but after that they are lazy and because they are lose of commitment lose of confidential because they saw the cluster chiefs they cheat the people, they took the community budget and they done any thing that support the community, such all that kind of activities make the people are not happy with and not believe on the authorities.
There are health committees, a well committee, VDC. The well committee members had a role to clean the well and repair it and my family was required to contribute some money to the well committee. The money was use for repairing the well. The money was use for the right purpose, I think, but now I don't know. They gave up working as the well committee a long time ago. I don't know why. Now I never see them. Perhaps they are too lazy to do it and they have their own business to do.
Mr. Chan Savuth, cluster 8, plot 161.
In Prochea Thom if we thing about relationship are not leally good because they only know somebody that living close together, and the other hand some of them are not coming from the same place, because they are coming the other province and most of them are not trust each other yet. Most of them they have a great experience during the Pol Pot regime that they need to close their mouth and quite. But we can see they can help all together when they have any funeral or ceremony in the village. During that time we can see they help each other by distribute some money to the dead family or they distribute some money to the new couple when they are getting married.
We don't communicate well with our neighbors because we come from difference provinces. They come from Moung, Svay Rieng, and Kompong Thom. So we have different ideas and different hearts. But we always joint the ceremonies.
Mrs. Srey Lap, cluster 10, plot 46.
There are much kind of the problems within the village and the same as some areas that close to the village too. As we know that the border area is the crossing area, and many kind of the people that they can work in those area. The poor people are more vulnerable, and they are at risk by using such kind of drug and glue, and also with trafficking and also violence.
I rarely see thieves here. Before the authorities arrested two thieves because they stole the bike and tape recorder of the cluster chief. I lost cooking pots and chickens before. There are a lot thieves in Poi Pet and there are some here. The Yama smokers there are a lot of Yama smokers in Poi Pet.
Mrs. Nam Ny, cluster 10, plot 185.
The villagers they believed that some thieves they most steal the materials or clothes and or chickens because they are using Yama or other drug. After they have no money to buy they need to steal everything for buying the drug.
I heard some people talking about Yama smokers in this village and that they steal some things in the village. I lost some of the materials that the organization provided me before. There are a lot of thieves here. They steal the chickens and the ducks. There are more thieves in Poi Pet than here.
Mr. Khov Sarouen, cluster 10, plot 10.
Most of the people that we did interview they don't know about the human traffic king to be a sex workers, but they knew some about some man or women being sold to Thailand before.
I don't know about human trafficking but I heard about women and man being sold to Thailand before, but now is quiet.
Mrs. Hem Ran, cluster 9, plot 8.
3-8- Land Management
In August 2001 and March 2002 NPA provided temporary land title to 1837 families in that village. In August 2002 NPA cooperated with department of land and construction to register the entire land plot at Prochea Thom village.
In May - July 2003 NPA and DWG are evaluated to the people that living in the plot, the purpose of this evaluation is to provide the land title deed to the families who is follow the rules and regulations of community. During that NPA and DWG are found only 831 families out of 1998 are follow the rules and regulations. It’s the first step of NPA that try to do evaluated to the beneficiaries in that resettlement site. So far NPA try to negotiate with Department of land and construction, and also with Ministry of Land and construction to reduce the fee of land title deed.
During that evaluation period they have some criteria to evaluate the entire plot, especially if they found that plot have no temporary land title they may not receive the land title deed in the future. They have the other criteria like participated in community fund, that plot look wealthy and they are able to live in the plot. On the other hand they are not pawn or sell the land.
The roles and regulations of people living at the Prochea Thom Village
Article 01: All residents of Prochea Thom village will obey the constitution and all national and local laws of Cambodia.
- 1.a Residents will not participate in any gambling in the village.
- 1.b Residents will not keep any illegal firearms or explosives in their home and will obey the national laws barring the possession of such weapons.
- 1.c Residents will not transport, store, or sell illegal drugs within the village.
- 1.d Residents will not engage in robbery or burglary within the village.
- 1.e Residents will not offer or pay for prostitution, either on an individual or commercial basis.
Article 02: Residents will not engage in private quarrels with their neighbors that escalate to a level that threatens their safety and property, the safety and property of their neighbors, or disturbs the general peace of the village. Residents becoming involved in such a dispute with their neighbor(s) will submit the dispute to the appropriate government authorities for resolution and will agree to follow these resolutions.
Article 03: Residents will not sell, rent out, or otherwise allow use of any kind of their plot to any individual or group unless given permission in writing by the Poi Pet resettlement-working group.
Article 04: Residents will not construct any building to be used for any commercial business within the village unless given permission in writing by the Resettlement Working Group.
Article 05: Residents are not allowing operating any loudspeaker system at such a volume that it disturbs the peace of the village. A loudspeaker system may be used for specific announcements if residents receive written permission from village government authorities.
Article 06: Residents will not raise any livestock, i.e., chicken, duck, pig, cow, buffalo, etc. without written permission from village government authorities. Permission will only be given if residents agree to raise the livestock according to hygienic standards set by the department of agriculture and NPA. Residents also agree to keep all livestock secured in an enclosure so that they cannot roam freely in the village.
Article 07: Heads of household will be responsible for ensuring that wastewater drainage channel is dug from their compound to the roadside canal.
Article 08: Heads of household are responsible for maintaining the road and drainage in front of their plot. They will ensure that the road remains in a condition that allows vehicles and people to pass without difficulty. They will also ensure that the drainage canal does not become blocked.
Article 09: All residents seven years old and older will be required to attend a standard set of health and hygiene classes conducted by NPA.
Article 10: Heads of household are responsible for ensuring that a latrine pit is dug on their plot and that the above ground latrine structure is built within the time period specified by NPA. Residents are responsible for keeping their latrine clean according to NPA guidelines.
Article 11: Residents will not litter on their plot or public areas in the village. All residents will follow procedures for disposing of their refuse as instructed by village government authorities and NPA.
Article 12: Residents understand that failure to obey the regulations of the village can result in termination of their tenancy agreement and eviction of their family from the village. Decisions on violations and eviction in regard to articles 1 through 1.e. will be the responsibility of local authorities. Decisions on violations and eviction regard to articles 2 though 11 will be the responsibilities of the Poipet resettlement-working group and NPA. For regulations 2 through 11 a total of 5 violation of nay one regulation or combination of regulations can result in termination of the tenancy agreement and eviction of the entire family from the village. Residents understand that local government authorities will enforce terminations of tenancy agreements and evictions.
How ever this rules and regulations are set up but are we know that the poor people can't follow the rules and or regulations because they have no choice. When in the families have some one getting ills and they don't have money to pay for the medicine, they can't keep that patient died, so that they need to pawn or sell the land to pay for doctor. They know its break down the rules and regulations but they have no choice.
I have a problem that I want to tell you about. Before my husband used to go work in Thailand for long periods of time and my children stayed at home, and so one day I did not have any money and I took my temporary deed to pawn it for 1,000 baht.
Mrs. Hem Ran, Cluster 9, plot 8.
Nowadays NPA try to lobby with the government to gain the land title deeds to the people at Prochea Thom village. NPA and the same as the people at the resettlement site think that the land title deeds are very important for them, because when they have the land title deed in the hand it's mean that the land are belong to them, they are the owner, no one can claim their land. On the other hand when they want to pawn or sell the land they will get higher price than before.
I'll be very happy to get the land title because its means that the land is belong to me. When I need money I will be able to sell it. I'll it for maybe 50,000 baht or over that price.
Mr. Khov Sarouen, Cluster 10, plot 10.
Some people at the resettlement site they expected that their land maybe cost higher price in the future when they get the land title deed, and some people they say that they may not stay over there for longtime because the land is very small for them. It's maybe they can sell that land and they buy the other new land.
If I sell the land I would like enough money to buy land and to set up the business. 100,000 baht, I could sell the land and spend 60,000 baht on some new land and would have 40,000 baht left to set up a grocery business.
Mrs. Chin Veoun, Cluster 9, plot 83.
But the other people they think that they may stay there forever, because they don't where to stay, and they think that now is difficult to find the land to stay in.
I have to follow the regulations that the organization made so I can be provided with a land title deed. If I get the land title deed I won't sell my land because I want to live here. I can't live anywhere else because it is very difficult for us to find the land, and I also have many children. When I get a land title I will be very happy. I don't think that my family will ever leave the village.
Mrs. Hem Ran, Cluster 9, plot 8.
Some people in the resettlement site they say that the land isn't enough for their family, but the other people they say that the land is enough for their family. The family that they say enough because in their families they have small members not as much as the other families. Mostly in the village they have many big families. But some of hem they still complain about rice field because they don't have any rice field, but the plot of land for house construction is no problem for them.
My plot of land is enough for my family to live in but it's very difficult because I don't have any rice land outside of the village. I have the right to grow vegetables, to build a house and raise some animals.
Mr. Chan Savuth, cluster 8, plot 161.
During the evaluation NPA and the same as with DWG found that there are 560 families that they pawn the land for difference purpose, some they pawn for their living condition and some for treatment. 132 families already sold the land, some of them. they are leave the plot but some they still stay at that plot to look after for the land and wait for the land title deed that they expected to get soon. Only 691 families that they distribute cash for community fund that NPA and DWG agreed for them distributed only 32 months. The other plots that also meet with the difficulty too, such as their parents died, the other new owner on the land, not regular living, abandon, and or no temporally land title, etc.
3-9- Political Dimension
In the new village up to now they only met with two elections happened, one is Commune and Sangkat election and the other one is national election on 27 July 2003. There are many parties in that area, but in Prochea Thom village we saw that there are only four parties are active in the village. There are CPP, FUNCINFEC, SAM REANSY, Chakro Pong Proleang Khmer party. But out of that four party is only CPP is more dominant and more power full in the village.
VDC member in each cluster, that they call cluster chief most of them are involve in the CPP party because during the election campaign they are the key person of CPP party in the village. The village chief that he is the one soldier of Heng Samrin, up to now he stills a soldier and he is involved in CPP party. The rules and regulations of the VDC are not involved or they are not the part of political issues that they are very active and the key person for one political party.
I am aware of the three main political parties in the resettlement site. I think that these political parties have affected the running and organization of the size too, but I don't know exactly. The political activities have disturbed the site, and I guess that the commune councils have not undertaken any development in the resettlement site yet. Mr. Touch Lay, former NPA field coordinator, base in Poi Pet.
The structure of the government that setup so far like the commune council that elected by the people. So far they are not really active to develop in their own village, because they are only focused on their own party rather than development work. On the other hand commune council are come from the other party, and if which party are in current government they are very strong and powerful.
I have never seen the commune council work to develop the village, or to tell the people not to sell the land. The authorities and the police sometimes help the people, and sometimes they don't. I don't know why. If we want the police to help us we have to pay money to them or to the authorities. If we don't have money and we have problems we can't depend on them because they will not help us unless we have money to give them.
Mrs. Srey Phalla, Cluster 2, plot 20
During July 2003 election the people around 10,000 people that they are registered but there are around 3,000 people that they voting. The people that they missed a chance to voted they complain that the election committee not allow them to vote and the other hand the voting place are far from the village, the people from the village need to spend the money for the transport from the village to the voting place.
Some respondents they said that the authority they not allow voters that they think are not CPP for voting. But it's the gossips because they don't have any witness or any documents to show us.
The people that they living along the border area they have many experience with the border closed. Sometime happened like political issues or robber crossing the border they closed border, like in 29 January the demonstrators they burn down Thai Embassy, after that Thai they decided to close the border unilateral around 2 weeks, during that time the people that living around the borders especially the people that living at Prochea Thom resettlement site they faced with the serious problem, because they earn from hand to mouth.
If the border is close the villagers will meet serious problems because they earn the money each day to support them. If the border is closed what can people do to make a living. There are many problems for the people living here and in Poi Pet.
Mr. Op Hoeun, Cluster 2, plot 125.
Some people that they not rely on the border they said that it's no problem for them however the border close or open, because they work at the field. But it's the problem for most of the people that living in Prochea Thom village, because they have the small of land plot, they don't have the farmland, how can they do their cultivation.
If some day the border is closed, all the people here will face problems. Before when the border was closed many families found it difficult. We did not have anything to eat for several days. So I used to go and find young bamboo to eat near the border.
Mr. Thon Sambath, Cluster 6, plot 93.
Most of the people that they live at Prochea Thom village they have experience to work in the rice field, and when the coming to the border most of them are working as laborers at the border area and when the border closed they faced with the problem. Most of them are complain that if they have the farmland they don't care about even the border close or open, because they can do their cultivation on their land.
If the border is close again we will meet the problems because my work is there. I don't know what to do. If we have farmland it would be ok for us even if the border were closed a long time.
Mr. Chan Savuth, cluster 8, plot 161.
Many people at the border the same as people that coming from the camp they know how to find assistant when they have the problem with the authority in the village. Sometime they go to the development organizations, or sometimes they go to Human Right organizations asking for help.
If I have a problem with the authorities, I will depend on the organizations that I know. But I have never had a problem with them. If we depend on the security guards we have to pay them money.
Mrs. Lors Luch. Cluster 7, plot 160.