Green territorialization and indigenous politics: a case study of Aye Chaung public protected forest in Chin state, Myanmar

Abstract

Indigenous territories can be seen as the last frontiers of Myanmar’s natural resources especially forested areas. Therefore, the state conservation projects and concessions are likely to enter especially into Indigenous areas and their customary land which is legitimized and justified by the law and the discourse of shifting cultivation as unproductive, and ecologically destructive. The policies targeted to eradicate shifting cultivation and to turn it into agroforestry or to regenerate into forest. Moreover, customary land tenure of indigenous groups is also considered as Vacant, Fallow and Virgin Land or Wasteland which is legally at the disposal of the government. In fact, state-led conservation schemes, as part of state land formalization or uncompleted task of unionist basis state formation in post-independence, lead to the dispossession of Indigenous peoples’ livelihood, land tenure and identity, therefore, increasing resistance by indigenous communities happen in the last decade. This study examines how the state carried out green territorialization into indigenous areas, its dispossession to Indigenous communities and Daai indigenous movement against a new proposed conservation project in Chin state, Myanmar. The research examines the creation of Aye Chaung Public Protected Forest by the state in 2002, a new proposed Public Protected Forest in 2020 and Daai communities’ resistance as a case study. To analyse this case, the concept of “green territorialization, accumulation by dispossession and new social movement are employed. A qualitative method is e applied. 10 in-depth interviews, 18 key informant interviews, and one focus group discussion were conducted. It is complemented by household survey on land use and means of livelihoods, their contribution to food security and land use of Pan Taung villagers. The analysis demonstrates that the creation of Aye Chaung Public Protected Forest (2002) by the state is characterized by lack of free, prior, inform, and consent, top down approach to conservation, dispossessing livelihood means, customary tenure and effecting indigenous identity of Pan Taung village. The imposition of regulations is likely to bring conflicts between the authorities and effected communities rather than successful conservation. As a result, Daai Indigenous communities employ collective conservation and networked approach to defend their land rights from external interventions by redefining their identity as “kho mah m’dek mah” in Daai language or “htar-nay taing yin-tar’ in Burmese or “indigenous peoples”. Daai Indigenous movement emerged along with environmental activism while re-strengthening customary land and forest management system. It is argued that Daai Indigenous network employed identity oriented conservation initiative as a tool or a way to assert their territory rights. Daai Indigenous movement is a countermovement against the state green territorialization, and re-strengthening of customary tenure system and the creation of Daai Indigenous Conserved Areas as re-territorialization project. This approach plays crucial role in the successful resisting of a new proposed Aye Chaung Public Forest in 2020. This study not only complement the previous findings but also fill the literature gaps regarding green territorialization, accumulation by dispossession and indigenous politics in Myanmar. Conservation is crucial for Indigenous communities to combat climate change and to ensure well-being of the community itself. However, top-down approach conservation in indigenous is likely to bring more conflicts rather than effective conservation. Therefore, in Indigenous territories, promoting community-based conservation, and meaningful consultation for the creation of conservation areas are essential to minimize conservation indued conflicts while promoting accountability of local communities to nature.