Jarai battle for communal titles takes important step

9 August 2013
The Phnom Penh Post
Agricultural production / Agriculture and fishing / Economic land concessions and plantations / Ethnic minorities and indigenous people / Human rights / Land / Land tenure and land titling / Public land lease / Social development
concessions / Development / exploitation concessions / Korng Yu village / land / Land and Natural Resources / Land tenure and titling / O’Yadav district / Pate commune / Ratanakkiri / Ratanakkiri Province

Their work is far from over, but Jarai minority villagers in Ratanakkiri province took another important step forward yesterday in their quest for communal land titles.

More than 200 residents of O’Yadav district’s Pate commune signed declarations outlining the ways in which they make use of land in Korng Yu village. …

Tep Borin, a program manager for the NGO Indigenous Community Support Organisation, said villagers also agreed to certain government regulations regarding communal use of land. …

But Chhay Thy, provincial coordinator for rights group Adhoc, said that even if titles were approved, it is unlikely there would be enough land left to give villagers as much as they are entitled to. …

Either way, the Kingdom’s 24 indigenous groups – which are spread across 15 provinces and make up 1.2 per cent of the population – face enormous challenges, said NGO Forum executive director Chhith Sam Ath. …

http://www.phnompenhpost.com/national/jarai-battle-communal-titles-takes-important-step