The Tra Su wetland forests provide food and income for local communities in An Gang province in Vietnam’s Mekong delta. Now the wetlands are being threatened by the extended drought in the Mekong region leading to loss of biodiversity and affecting local people’s livelihoods.
Forced evictions cause misery for Phu Phan mountain farmers, Thailand
Thailand’s military government has undertaken forced evictions of both businesses and villagers found using state lands such as national reserve forests and protected areas without legal land titles. This article looks at ongoing evictions in northeastern Thailand’s Phu Phan mountains, to present farmers’ perspectives on their struggles.
Development and change in ethnic C’Tu and Ve villages in Vietnam’s Central Highlands
Ethnic groups such as the C’Tu and Ve are predominant in Central Vietnam’s Tay Giang and Nam Giang communes in Quang Nam province. Karine Hoang’s photo essay shows how the recently introduced forest protection and rubber contract farming policies are affecting the traditional customs and ways of life of the ethnic communities.
Passion and people’s power defend free-flowing Salween
Laofang Bundidterdsakul is a Hmong indigenous human rights lawyer. He initiated the Salween Youth Research Project to restore people’s power along the Salween River who are seeking to protect the Salween River from a proposal for a hydropower cascade and take back decision-making about the use of the river.
Growing food forests along the Ou River in Lao PDR
Khmu youths and villagers living along the Ou River in Luang Prabang Province, Northern Lao PDR have adopted a food forest concept in reforesting the river’s banks that in recent years have been impacted by land erosion. The initiative aims to maintain fragile areas that are important sources of food and thus sustain community food security.
Integration for whom: The ASEAN Economic Community
The ASEAN Economic Community (AEC), to be launched in 2015, aims to create a single market and production base. Dorothy Guerrero examines whether this advances socio-economic development in the ASEAN region, or results in damage to people’s general well-being, human rights and environmental security.