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MK11: Bridging the Hydropower Policy-

Implementation Gap: Communications and

Feedback Mechanisms to Improve

Participation in Decision-Making for Local

Land and Water Use

Report on Hydropower Policy Implementation Study Your

Trip2: Hinhuep district participants (Numlik1)

22-28th May 2013

Yhoksamay Lathsavong, Reid Magdanz, Khontavan

1. Rationale

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Namlik1 Hydropower project is one development project of Lao government, the project will install 65MW, 30 years concession and the product will be use within domestic. The contract to implement project were signed on 8th Feb 2013. We called Namlik1 Hydropower Development project and representative Lao Government by Ministry of Planning and Investment, Ministry of Energy and Mines (Department of Energy and Business): and behalf of developer is PTT International Company, POSCO Design and Construction Company The project will spend 124 Million USD to develop Namlik1 project, Three years for during construction and will be start 4th 2013, Therefore this project cannot be avoid to affect to local and government infrastructure such as: Land, House, electricity, water, road as well as community livelihood to the people along Namlik river Hinhuep district. However, the developer will carry out commitment such as: will responsibility in social and environment development, will have appropriate compensation as well as income generation activity such as (Monphao) This study tour was purposed and requested by village authority that will be impact, local and provincial government and this study tour were organized to help village authority, district and provincial officials in Hinheup district, Vientaine province. To learn and share experience with Resettlement and Management Unit (RMU) from two sites Namthuen2 (NT2) and THPC Expansion project in Khammuoane province. The study tour will focus on Hydropower policy Implementation, and for preparation for Namlik1 project especially is information dissemination to effected communities and it may reduce their concern about resettlement and compensation and livelihood after resettle and how they can grievance and mediation.

Objective To exchange lessons learn about hydropower policy implementation in area and focus on:

compensation, resettlement, livelihood development, and grievance mechanism

To exchange lessons on communication between stakeholders (Central, and local government,

communities, and developer).

To lesson learn exchange about resolving grievance villagers

Participant execrated in this trip. Need to know and learn about process of compensation for hydropower project

Step and process of RMU establishment and how to work with developer

The participant from effected communities about resettlement

Resettlement process

Ranking and priorities effected people

How village authority manage people in resettle area (Ex; 3 ethnics living and stay together in

new site )

How government support and enforcement policy implementation

How to relocation the villages not effect 100%

How to identify livelihood activity

Grievance mechanism and village mediation

How to Calculate for compensate

Communication between stakeholder

Village complain and policy implementation

The methodology to information disseminate

How to prevent conflict and solution

Would like to see livelihood of impact people and compare with policy implementation

2. Result

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Study tour participants filled out forms before and after the tour asking them to rank, in percentage terms, the understanding if various topics regards to policy implementations the number of below are average of the scores of participants.

ການປະເມນີຜນົຜນົຂອງການຮຽນຮ ູ້ກອ່ນນການທດັຊະນະສຶກສາ

No Topic evaluation % before % After

1 General understanding of compensate and resettlement in development project (Especially hydropower) 46 84

2 Resettlement management 42 79 3 Compensation for effected people 45 83 4 Grievance mechanisms

45 84 5 Communication system between stakeholder (central, local,

community, developer ) 47 87 6 Livelihood development after resettlement 46 86

The evaluation forms showed a clear increase in participants’ understanding of key topics in

Hydropower development – in most cases, they ranked their understanding 39 percentage points

reater after the tour, equivalent to an increase of 4 points on a traditional 1-10 scale.

After the study tour, participants also ranked their satisfaction with various aspects of the tour,

again on a 100 point scale. The results can be seen in the table below.

Satisfaction Comment Satisfaction Comment

ລດ Assessment Measure Satisfaction Level

Average satisfaction level for this

study tour: 92% 1 Duration

95 2 Preparation and coordination 90 3 Study tour topic 90 4 Team facilitator

95 5 Materials and tools

90

3. Lesson learns exchange in this trips

At the end of study tour the all participant have a short meeting to evaluate and shared within team what they have learn from this trip. The summary lessoned was divided in three groups’ discussion and group present such as: Group 1; representative from province Group2; representative from district Group 3; representative from village Detail what they have learns as below;

3.1 Lesson learns from provincial level.

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Step and process to begin hydropower development project and according to investment policy of

Lao PDR and developer have to implement and follow base on policy and the government sector

from central as well as local government have to monitoring policy implemented

Participatory and resettlement process have to implement under participatory with effected

communities and resettlement management unit especially relocation site selection and full

compensation should be completed before move effect people or start construction

Make sure that data collection and list of asset of effected community not missing during data

collection and make registration after completed

Before begin implemented project the Resettlement Management Unit should be set-up and in place

to work on protect beneficiary of effected communities and facilitate communities easy to access

grievances mechanism and representative of local government

3.2 Lesson learns from District level.

The livelihood and income generation activity were identify and base on participation from

effected communities and support budget by developer and the government sector help in

mobilize community to participant

Not only Resettlement Management Unit-RMU worked with company the local duty bearer

should be responsibility together.

Mediation or conflict solution and grievance mechanism for effected communities according to

Ministry of Justice

Beneficiary negotiation between developer and effected communities

Information dissemination for effected communities such as: legislation, Policy that relevant

village entitlement and project scoping

3.3 Lesson learns from representative effected communities.

Calculate village asset price for compensation such as: land, Fruit tree, house, village asset,

garden the calculation were compared with current local market price

Participant consultation about resettlement with effected people move people to new

resettlement site.

Decision making process about livelihood activities, appropriate occupation and income

generation activity

Understand the process how to access grievance mechanism, mediate and conflict solution and

how to prevent corruption on resettlement and livelihood

Reduce concern from hydropower construction at least we will get compensation lost of asset,

resettlement, and improvement livelihood will be better at least the same.

3.4 Observation from project team

This is the first time study tour on Hydropower policy Implementation. The participant were

interested in this trip, because it is actual happened in their village and what their concern and

worry about policy implementation were reduces. And after they will use lesson learn from this

trip to explanation to people in their village. For the district and provincial staff they have

increase capacity building and how to work corroboration with company, data collection, asset

register, classified appropriate livelihood program

The affected communities quiet difference situation between Hinhuep and THPC, NT2 for

Hinhuep district 7 villages will be impact to farm land and some house not whole village will

relocate only some household living on the river side .

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The livelihood of people in this area quite well including others facility such as: road, water,

electricity, school and etc.., and main source of income of people quite high for example from

annual crop.(Monpao) and they are no sure yet which kind of crop will replacement

4. Next step

The participant from district and provincial will propose to higher government to set-up Resettlement Management Unit.

Support Resettlement and management committee RMU on functions and capacity building Draft communication tool to bridging the gaps that we found during consultation and workshop Produce communication for village and district and capacity building tool using Support and push district to monitor developer on Hydropower policy implementation

5. Times and location The study tour were taking place within 6-11/May/2013(six days including day travel) and study tour site is

1. NT2 , Resettlement village and Infrastructure activities, Public Information center,

Resettlement and Management Office,

2. THPC Expansion project in Khounkham district (Visit Social and Environment Department,

Livelihood team, Resettlement team, and Compensation and redress committee), Relocation

and resettlement village, Livelihood activity.

6. Participant

Participants on the study tour included representatives of MONRE, MEM, PMO, FES, PEM, PONRE,

PGO, and PPI in Vientaine Province, the Hinheup District deputy governor and relevant district offices,

and seven village heads from villages affected by the Namlik1 hydropower project. All together, there

were 24 participants, 7 women (the list of names is attached in the Annex).

7. Estimate expenditure and other material

The budget from BPIG, and were including DSA, Accommodation, Transport, food

8. Annex document

1) Agenda 2) List of participant 3) Letters

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Draft agenda for Study tour 6-11/5/2013 Date Time Activities Responsibility

6/6/13 (VT) Monday 8:00 Team travel to pickup participant from Hinhuep- VT Yhoksamay

7/5/13, Tuesday

8:30-9:30 Meeting at VFI office to preparation and pre evaluation/ Visit LINK center RL Project

VFI

9:00-17:00 Travel from VFI to Khounkham district, THPC Khammoune All participant 6:00 Diner with Resettlement Management Unit- RMU and THPC THPC

8/5/13, Wednesday

8:00-8:30 Participant registration Khonetavan MoNRE

8:30-9:00

Introduction Welcoming Introduction guest and participant from central, province,

district and communities representative General of Numlik and Hinhuep district and about situation of

hydropower project plants

Mr Soulilun THPC Yhoksamay Hinhuep Gorvernor

9:00-10:00

Introduction of Policy Implementation 1. Implemented Resettlement Action Plan 2. Compensation 3. Livelihood Development 4. Grievance Mechanism 5. Stakeholder communication

THPC

10:00-12:00 Question and experience exchange 12:00-13:00 Lunch THPC

13:00-17 Visit resettlement site

17:00 Dinner and relax BPIG 9/5/13, Thurday

08:00-10:00 Meeting with district Gorvernor and RMU Khounkham district to

exchange five topic that mention above and suggestion how to work well with the company and share experience

THPC RMU

10:00-10:30 Coffee break and Thank you to Khounkham Governor 10:30-17:00 Travel to Nakai district

10/5/13, Friday

8:00-10:00 Meeting with RMU, NT2 project RMU

10-12:00 Visit resettlement village, infrastructure, Livelihood activities, Housing,

and interview people (NT2)

RMU&NT2

12:00-1:30 Lunch with RMU RMU&NT2

1:30-3:30 Public information center NT2 3:30-5:00 Travel to Thakeak-study tour evaluation Yhoksamay

11/5/13, Saturday 8:30-5:00 Travel from Thakeak to VT

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List of participant trip 2, Representative from VT province, Hinhuep district and effected people

No Paticipant Position\Organization

Central

1 Ms Khontavanh MONRE 2 Ms Sipapai MONRE 3 Mr Sithon PM, PRD 4 Ms Malee MEM 5 Ms Tookta MEM

Provincial

5 Mr Vinut Provincial Governor VT 6 Mr Kongphachan PEM 7 Mr Khamphet PHA Provincial home affair 8 Mr Vansamay PoNRE VT

District

9 Mr Duangta Deputy Hinhuep Governor 10 Mr Thongmai Governor office 11 Ms Viengkham DONRE 12 Mr Khamyoth Governor office 13 Mr Khamkeo DoNRE 14 Ms Bounthanom LWU 15 Mr Noy Keandara DEM

Village

16 Ms Mone Village leader, Ban Viengthong 17 Mr Xiengkhoun Village leader, Ban Phonemuang 18 Mr Ounkham Village leader, Ban Khonepook 19 Mr Bounthong Village leader, Hinhuepthai 20 Mr Suan Village leader, Phonthong neur 21 Mr khamthan Village leader Hinhuep nuar 22 Mr Khamseng Village leader, Ban Khonpook

VFI

23 Mr Yhoksamay Research facilitator