The first quarterly of RCC meeting was organized on 24th March 2016. The meeting was facilitated by NGOF. There were 31 RCC members and partners, 9 women, attended the meeting. The overall objectives of the meeting is focused on sharing and updating concerning issues of hydropower development and to define advocacy strategies of its members and partners.
Ms. Nang Noy, who is a member of RCC steering committee, welcomed and thanked to participant for his/her value time and proactive attending the RCC meetings. She also provided an opportunity for self-introduction and introduced to agenda of the meeting which was welcomed for any comments or adding more points. There were two more agenda items were requested to include for discussion 1) to update result of boycott to Angkor Beer Company and 2) to organize the public forum on impact of hydropower dam development project along Mekong mainstreaming affected to community fisheries in Tonle Sap lack.
Dr. Tek Vannara, Executive Director of NGOF, also welcomed to RCC members and partners for participation in the first meeting and formally announced new project coordinator is Mr. Hok Menghoin as secretarial of RCC members. He also updated some key achievements of RCC members as below:
– Meeting with representative of U.S ambassador to discuss on Don Song Dam which will be impact to community people who live along Mekong mainstreaming.
– Submitting concern letter on Don Sahong case to ASEAN secretariat, Prime Ministry of Cambodia and U.S requesting for discussion during the U.S – ASEAN meeting.
Dr. Vannara also updated the result of U.S ASEAN meeting that U.S called for attention as stated in point number 11th and 13th of 18 points related to sustainable investment in Mekong Mainstreaming and issue of climate change.
Mr. Menghoin, RCC secretariat, updated the result of consultative workshop on Mekong Delta Study . The study focused on Mekong Delta Study in downstream, especially in Vietnam. The draft report is also covered some part of Cambodia but it has been found that the sample sites is very limited in Cambodia. It is the reason why the workshop is happened. As results of discussion, there are many questions and comments on the draft of reports related to methodology, sampling data and sites…etc.
Mr. Vong Kosal, Legal officer of NGO Forum, updated that standing position of NGOs in Thailand is advocate for no dam in Mekong Mainstreaming and campaign to stop buying electricity from large scale hydro in Mekong mainstreaming (see workshop report for details information).
Mr. Menghoin, RCC secretarial, updated that we have an international exposure visit for RCC members for this year. It is expected that participants will understand more about the real situation of hydropower dam development and the people livelihood affected by dam development. Hereby, there are two steps requesting for decision making from RCC members: 1) To identify trip objective and location; 2) Participant selection. As results, there were 17 out of 23 voted to visit the success advocacy case for no dam.
Mr. Menghoin, RCC secretariat, informed that the event of ASEAN people Forum will be held in August 2016 at Timor Leste. It is just information updating to RCC members for being well prepare to attend the event.
RCC’s action plan for next three months will focus on the compensation and fact finding of Lower Sesan 2, follow up letter to Asean Commission and letter from Angkor beer on the Don Sahong and the public forum concerning hydropower development, and the follow arrested environmental activist on Areng case.
To wrap up and closing remarks, Ms. Nany Noy, chair of the meeting, thanked to participants that they were actively participated and discussed in the meeting. She also remarked and called for attention to follow up on key activities regarding case of Lower Sesan to ensure that affected communities will get more benefit from negotiation process through the committee on compensation of LS 2. She also added that we should strengthened data collection process to compile as a report as evidence based advocacy. In addition, she encouraged RCC members to work as complementary activities in term of individual NGOs activity and RCC members’ activities. Finally, the meeting was ended at 5pm with good cooperation and collaboration works.
