Sundarbans and the Forest Peoples POSITION PAPER

Costal Livelihood and Environmental Action Network

Position Paper | Sundarbans and the Forest Peoples

Coastal Livelihood and Environmental Action Network (CLEAN)

Position Paper on Sundarbans and the Forest Peoples
Objective To play the role of supportive group for campaign, advocacy, research and networking in favour of forest peoples traditional rights on Sundarbans mangrove forest resources. Principles 1. Forest peoples are not extraterrestrial; they are one of the integral parts of the Sundarbans 2. Indigenous knowledge and traditional cultural practices of forest peoples ensure sustainable use of forest resources. 3. Participatory management has no alternative to conserve biodiversity and protect illegal extractors. 4. Commercialization of forest resources, unplanned development initiative, Involvement of IFIs and corruption of Forest Department are the major cause of forest destruction. 5. Measures for benefit sharing and tenure transition should be taken for sustainable forest management.

CLEAN: Position Paper on the Sundarbans and the Forest People

Position Paper | Sundarbans and the Forest Peoples

CONTENTS
Background Goal and Objectives Declaration of Position Development Methodology Working team 03 04 05 10 11

This paper is contributed by representatives from different sector of people such as Forest Peoples, local government, local administration, journalist, teacher, civil society organization, development organization, forest traders and social workers and prepared by Gouranga Nandi, Sazzadur Rahim Pantha, Nazmul Azam David, Tapos Kanti Das and Hasan Mehedi

CLEAN: Position Paper on the Sundarbans and the Forest People

Position Paper | Sundarbans and the Forest Peoples

BACKGROUND
Sundarbans is the largest mangrove forest in the world and has declared as on of the World Heritage in 1997. Its water-bodies have declared as Ramsar Site also. The Sundarbans is not only rich in biodiversity and beauty but also highly potential in economic perspective. More than 150 years ago, the forest declared as reserve forest but since at least 250 years the Forest Peoples like Bawali (wood and golpata Collectors), Moual (honey collectors), Jele (fishermen communities), Chunari (lime makers), Kathkurani (firewood collectors), Majhi (bawali & jele leaders), Sutar (boat repairers) and indigenous Munda Communities has been developed their settlements in Sundarbans Impact Zone (SIZ) of 77 Unions of 17 Upazilas under 5 Districts (Khulna, Satkhira, Bagerhat, Pirojpur and Barguna) of southwest region of Bangladesh depending on Sundarbans natural resources. Traditional cultural practices of Forest peoples communities developed through utilization of forest resources since hundreds of years. They respect Sundarbans like holy places and do not do anything which may dishonour the forest. The indigenous knowledge, traditional cultural practices and customary uses ensure tolerable collection of forest resources. As a result, the forest peoples become as an integral part of Sundarbans forest. But due to lack of proper policy, Forest Department treat them as extraterrestrial, not as an integral part of the forest, and generally they issue resource collection permits to the commercial traders. As a result, the forest is gradually denuded due to profit oriented mind-set of the traders as they have no traditional knowledge of resource collection. Besides, the forest people, local government and local administration have no access in forest management. For this reason, the forest is a forbidden area to them and illegal extracting of forest resources cannot be stopped. As the forest communities had no state recognition of their livelihoods, they could not claim their rights to the authorities. Corruption of forest department, development initiative ignoring local indigenous knowledge, lack of good governance, accountability and transparency within forest department and impact of climate change are increasing the threat on Sundarbans and forest peoples. The United Nations Convention of Biological Diversity (CBD) comply the rights of forest peoples through inspiring the government in conservation and dissemination of Indigenous Knowledge, Customary use of forest resources and Traditional Cultural Practices. The CBD also recognize the rights of forest peoples through articles related with Benefit Sharing and Tenure Transition. The Constitution of Bangladesh ensures the rights of all citizens, including marginal and socially excluded peoples. The Constitution also encourages the Government to launch special programme for the backward and under marginal part of the nation. But rights of the poorest forest peoples are always ignored by the policy instruments of the country. The Government of Bangladesh has also signed in WTO Agreements. But there are no initiative has seen to protect the Indigenous knowledge from corporate aggression. Recently several international and national organizations have come forward with projects on Sundarbans management and forest peoples. We feel very happy to know about their concern about Sundarbans mangrove forest. In the same time we feel anxious because we have bitter experience with IFI financing in Sundarbans issues. To protect the rights of forest peoples, CLEAN intends to declare its position paper to all concerned groups. Sazzadur Rahim Pantha Chairperson Coastal Livelihood and Environmental Action Network (CLEAN)

CLEAN: Position Paper on the Sundarbans and the Forest People

Position Paper | Sundarbans and the Forest Peoples

Protection, collection and restoration of forest resources for conservation and enrichment of mangrove biodiversity through Participatory and fair management of Sundarbans

GOAL

OBJECTIVES

Policy level change to ensure forest peoples traditional rights of access to and control over Sundarbans biodiversity resources

Protesting all types of Commercialisatio n and Corporatization of Natural and Forest Resources

Conservation, Documentation & dissemination of indigenous knowledge and cultural practices for promoting sustainable use of forest resources

Benefit Sharing of forest revenue with forest communities and financing for climate change impact for sustainable livelihood and development

Joint management of Sundarbans with active participation of Forest Peoples, Local Government, Local Administration, Expert Groups and Forest Department

CLEAN: Position Paper on the Sundarbans and the Forest People

Position Paper | Sundarbans and the Forest Peoples

DECLARATION OF POSITION
We, the representatives from various sectors of the society including development organizations, forest peoples representatives, journalists, civil society organizations and other professional groups, as the citizen of Bangladesh, solemnly proclaims the following Position of the CLEAN on the Sundarbans and the Forest Peoples with due call to the Policy Makers and Assistance Groups as a standard of achievement to be pursued in a spirit of conserving unique biodiversity of Sundarbans mangrove forest which is our collective possession and ensuring forest peoples rights: Article 1: Rights to Recognition We are recognizing that the forest and indigenous peoples of Sundarbans are equal, in the exercise of civic, social, economical, political and cultural rights in national and international standards, and also different like other forest peoples, and have the rights to consider themselves as different, and to be respected as such. Through hundreds years of practice, their livelihoods are recognized socially in broader state. Literature recognized them through creative writings, like novel, story, poem etc, of the intellectuals. But a very few of them are recognized by the state or forest department through voter list and national identity card. State recognition of forest and indigenous peoples by issuing Identity Card would ensure their entitlement on the forest resources. So we demand: a) State recognition of all forest and indigenous peoples of Sundarbans Impact Zone (SIZ) by listing and issuing identity card. b) Development of database on Forest Peoples so that the respective parties will get authentic information about the communities and their settlement. c) Forest Department's recognition and declaration on forest people's communities as they are one of the integral parts of the Sundarbans Reserve Forest (SRF). Article 2: Sundarbans Management We are concerned that due to lack in Forest Law 1927, Forest Policy 1994, Forestry Sector Master Plan and Forest Resource Management and Collection Manual the Sundarbans has become a forbidden area to the local administration, local government and other concerned people and institutions. As a result, there are no participation of forest communities, local government or local administration in protection or conservation, management and development of Sundarbans biodiversity, though they are the major stakeholders of the forest. For this reason, harmful activities to the forest biodiversity like illegal extraction of timber and wood resources, killing of tiger, deer and other species, collection of fish resources by using poison etc. cannot be protected. On the other hand, concerned stakeholders do not feel any responsibility to the forest due to lack of ownership. So our position is for: a) Participatory management of forest department with active participation of Forest Peoples representatives (who will be elected from Forest Peoples Organizations), Local Government (Union Parishad and Upazila Parishad), Local Administration (District Level and Upazila Level), Law Enforcing Agencies (Coast Guard and Police), Experts (Khulna University etc.) Civil Society and Concerned Groups (Tourism Groups etc.) have no alternative to protect, conserve and development of Sundarbans biodiversity.
CLEAN: Position Paper on the Sundarbans and the Forest People

Position Paper | Sundarbans and the Forest Peoples

b) Ensuring active role of participatory management committees in (a) issuing permits of forest resource collection, (b) protecting illegal extraction and harmful activities to the Sundarbans through forming Sundarbans Watch Group, (c) distributing Forest Revenue and Benefits earned from forest resources to development programmes for forest peoples communities, (d) restoration, development and enrichment of biodiversity, (e) Anti-corruption movement, and (e) annual assumption of collection. Article 3: Access to Forest Resources We believe that the traditional collection process of forest resources have developed through practice of hundreds of years. The forest peoples honour the forest as their mother and respect it like holy places. Traditional rights of forest resource collection derived from indigenous knowledge, traditional cultural practices, beliefs, histories, philosophies and customary uses of forest resources which ensure tolerable collection towards sustainable use of mangrove biodiversity resources. We concerned that due to lack of capital, entitlement and access to forest department, the forest peoples cannot be able to collect their resources. So, we demand: a) To issue the permits of forest resource collection only to the forest and indigenous peoples who are expert and have indigenous knowledge of forest resource collection and depend on it for their life and livelihood. b) To provide seasonal soft loans to the forest resource collector groups so that they can be free from usurious money lenders. c) To disseminate the information of forest resource collection in village level and distribute the permits from Union Parishad (UP) level. Article 4: Commercialization of Forest Resources From experiences over the decades, we have learnt that commercial collection of forest resources is one of the major causes for desertification of the Sundarbans. The commercial collectors extract 3-4 times more resources than permitted due to profit-driven mindset. Corruption of Forest Department (FD) and Law Enforcing Agencies (LEA) simply increase the amount of collection by taking bribe. We, hereby refuse the all doctrines, policies and practices based on blaming the forest people for Sundarbans destruction by excess collection because they are culturally racist, scientifically false, politically biased, morally condemnable and socially unjust. We demand to: a) Prohibit commercial collection of forest resources from the Sundarbans through changing the forest act and forest resource collection manual. b) Control of all forms of corruption of FD and LEA through implementing anti-corruption law, national integrity policy and proper monitoring of anti-corruption commission. Article 5: Transparency and Accountability of Forest Department We know that the Forest Department is the only authority in management of the forest. Other respective departments have no access in forest related issues. In case of illegal extraction, FD practices three powers at a time: filing the case, investigation, judgement. This huge power derives the corrupted forest officials to file, investigate and judge false cases against innocent forest peoples. Due to the cases under forest act 1927, many of the forest people migrated from their settlement and live as floating people. Besides, the FD never interested to disclose
CLEAN: Position Paper on the Sundarbans and the Forest People
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Position Paper | Sundarbans and the Forest Peoples

information of revenue, corruption, rules-regulations and other issues related with forest which makes them out of all accountability. So, we demand for: a) Decentralization of Case Filing, Investigation and Judgement of Forest related cases to different three departments like FD, Criminal Investigation Department and Magistracy. b) Quick assessment/investigation of previous cases filed by FD to free the innocent forest people from false cases so that they can retain their traditional livelihoods and normal life. Article 6: Water, Health and Security We concerned that the FD has no opportunities to provide safe drinking water or primary health services for the forest peoples when they stay in forest. For that reason, the forest peoples cannot get any treatment support after affecting by deadly animals or any diseases. Besides dacoits often plunder forest peoples for illegal money and FD cannot take any effective measure against them. In case of death, families of forest people fall in a hopeless situation as they do not get any support from their employers or government. Though the government has taken an initiative to incorporate forest peoples in insurance system, only 25 thousand forest people within 300 thousand enlisted in this system. So, we demand for: a) Establish 50 bed hospitals at Range level and boat hospitals for at least primary health support services to the forest peoples when they stay in forest for resource collection. b) Excavation of ponds and installation of Pond Sand Filter (PSF) for safe drinking water in Coup level and establishment of Cyclone Shelter cum Coup Office. c) Coercion of forest dacoits through upgrading forest officials' arms and patrol boats, activating Coast Guard and providing extra opportunities to the forest department grassroots staffs. d) Incorporating all of the forest peoples in the proposed insurance system mandatorily and increasing the amount of premium at least up to Taka 100 thousand. Article 7: Customary use of Forest Resources and Alternative Livelihood We are convinced that the Sundarbans is not only a beautiful site and unique source of mangrove biodiversity, but also has high potential from economic perspective. The forest can play a vital role in economic development of Bangladesh through using its diversified resources like Golpata (nypa palm trees) by producing Nypa Molasses or Nypa Drinks, Golphal (nypa fruticans), Keora (sonneratia apetala fruit), Ora (sonneratia caseolaris fruit), Mele (Elephant Grass) Honey, Fish Processing etc. and Ecotourism. A very few of researches have done on economic potential of Sundarbans resources and uncommon products of the forest. We also concerned that, a number of tourism companies operate their activities without considering sensitive ecology of the Sundarbans and create hazards on wildlife habitats. So, we demand: a) To provide support in conducting research on potential of alternative products of Sundarbans. We also demand for support of interest-less seasonal capital and market promotion. b) Development of an Ecotourism Policy considering the sensitive environment and different ecology of Sundarbans and implementation of that policy strictly.

CLEAN: Position Paper on the Sundarbans and the Forest People

Position Paper | Sundarbans and the Forest Peoples

c) Inspiring customary uses of forest resources like Golpata (leaf of nypa fruticans), Goran (ceriops decandra), keora (sonneratia apetala), Bain (avicennia officinalis), Kankra (bruguiera gymnorhiza), Hental (phoenix paludosa), Nolkhagra (phragmites karka), Shon (saccharum spontaneum) etc. d) Any form of alternative livelihood initiative including microcredit is not acceptable except forest based environment-friendly livelihoods because they are not compatible with traditional culture and belief of the forest peoples. Article 8: Investment of IFI and Development Initiatives We are bitterly experienced with International Financial Institutions (IFI) investments in Sundarbans biodiversity conservation and other development initiatives in the adjacent area. One of the development project, Coastal Embankment Project (CEP) ignored indigenous knowledge on traditional water management and caused water logging and siltation of rivers, and responsible for shortage of freshwater flow in Sundarbans. Increased salinity endangered the biodiversity of the Sundarbans and loss of cultivable lands derived excess people to depend on Sundarbans forest resources. The other project, Sundarbans Biodiversity Conservation Project (SBCP) suggested the Government for stopping production of Newsprint, Hardboard and Match by using forest wood when it inspired trade-based collection of forest resources which is a major cause of forest desertification. The SBCP also criticized by the civil society groups for lack of transparency and accountability, defective peoples participation, exclusion of peoples representatives, dominance of inefficient foreign consultants, ignoring traditional knowledge and inadequate social and ecological measures. The project also blamed forest peoples for denuding Sundarbans. The total project made a burden to the people resulting degradation of forest and deindustrialization. So, our position is: a) To protest all types of IFI involvement and corporate financing in Sundarbans forest management which blame forest peoples for degradation of biodiversity, derives to commercialization of forest resources and encourages market economy. b) To organize campaign and peoples movement against all types of initiative which is not complied with National Environmental Management Action Plan (NEMAP), Integrated Coastal Zone Management Plan (ICZMP) or existing pro-people policy in national or international level. Article 9: Cultural Rights We recognize that the traditional cultures, beliefs, legends and stories of forest peoples ensure sustainable use of forest resources. It is very important to transfer these knowledge from generation to generation for sustainability of Sundarbans. But these cultures, beliefs, legends and stories are going to be vanished gradually. So, we demand to: a) Provide support to forest and indigenous people's so that they can play a vital role to maintain, protect and develop the past, present and future manifestations of their culture which are integrated with their life and livelihood. b) Incorporate these cultures, beliefs, legends and stories in textbooks so that it can inspire people in conservation and restoration of forest resources and biodiversity c) Documentation of traditional cultural practices and dissemination of them to the broader area.
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Position Paper | Sundarbans and the Forest Peoples

Article 10: Special Measures Generally the forest peoples of the Sundarbans are very poor and affected by tropical storms, cyclones, tidal surges and other natural hazards every year. The Constitution of Bangladesh declares basic and fundamental human rights to all of its citizens. The constitution also urges the state to take special measure to protect fundamental rights of the marginalised and backward communities. The forest peoples have never got any special support though they are poor, backward and underprivileged. So, we demand for: a) Undertaking development of forest and indigenous communities especially in education and health services so that they can be able to develop their socioeconomic situation. b) Installation of forest resource based and environment-friendly medium industries in the forest peoples areas to create job opportunity. c) Expanding the social safety-net services to the forest peoples so that they can be able to retain their normal life after affecting by any natural hazards.

Article 11: General Obligations 1. We demand for political and administrative commitment to review the relevant policies towards implementing our demands and we will: a) respect this position paper and take initiative to implement its articles according to the decision of Executive Committee of the CLEAN; b) not participate in any activities which is contradictory to any of the articles or part of articles of this Position Paper. 2. We may amend any article or its part in Annual General Meeting of CLEAN. 3. The Bangla and English version of this declaration, treated as same, will be preserved in the Secretariat and any of the members can take copy of the declaration with due process.

CLEAN: Position Paper on the Sundarbans and the Forest People

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Position Paper | Sundarbans and the Forest Peoples

WORKING TEAM
1. 2. 3. 4. 5. Sazzadur Rahim Pantha Gouranga Nandi Nazmul Azam David Tapos Kanti Das Hasan Mehedi Chairperson, CLEAN Khulna Correspondent, BBC Executive Director, Paribartan-Khulna Staff Correspondent, Daily NewAge Chief Executive, CLEAN Team leader Team member Team Member Team Member Team Secretary

CLEAN: Position Paper on the Sundarbans and the Forest People

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