CONFLICT MANAGEMENT ON NATURAL RESOURCES IN THE SALWEEN RIVER BASIN COMMUNITIES

Yuphin Buakhom1 Dr. Sunanta Lamsam-ang Prof. Dr.Anurak Panyanuwat Dr.Sutee Noutapa

ABSTRACT
This research aims to study, first, the context and pattern in the conflict management on natural resources in the Salween river basin community; second, the dimension that the community uses in solving conflict, and lastly, to analyze the weak and strong points of the old conflict management form in order to improve the conflict management in the community. The qualitative research methodology was used through the key informants from inside and outside the community. The research tools used in this study were as follows: Participated and NonParticipated Observation, Examination Interview and Focus group. The data was analyzed, in the restricted frame, by following the Conflict and Conflict Resolution Management concept, The Structure and Duty Theory, Networking concept, The Sustainable Development concept, The Participation concept, and Philosophy of the Sufficiency Economy, following the research theory and concept framework. The result found in this study were 4 types of the conflicts on the natural resources in the Salween basin in OmKoi district area as follows: conflict between the community and the state, conflict between the community and its neighboring communities, conflict within the community, and conflict between the community and the economically influential people. The conflict management patterns that community used were adjusting the old traditions and informal negotiation, networking,and building community organization, The dimensions used were cultural, social, political and economic. Their dimension used was through strong leaders, participation from the community, network and community organization. The pattern that is suitable to manage the conflict on the natural resources in the Salween river basin in Omkoi district area is the co-management between community, state, community organization, community learning group, local learning network, the natural resources and environment management model project, and His Majesty the Kings idea project on sufficiency economy. Ph.D. Student in Mekong and Salween River Basin Studies . Chiang Mai Rajabhat University. E-mail Address: yu2510@hotmail.com
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1. Introduction
When the state economic development strategy is developed in four decades, the demand for land, water resources and forest is increasing. This impact on community life, rapid destruction of natural resources, conflicts over resources in every community in every region, especially in area such as Salween River in Omkoi district. Here, in which the government has intervened by force and mechanism of the state as Anand Kanchanapan comments on this conclusion, As long as the economic structure of Thai society as a whole still lacks of fairness, moreover is filled with violence, especially the efforts to exclude local people, who have been using their traditional ways to preserve the resources, from the control and management of natural resources, such communities will be formed on the basis of new conflicts in society and try to seek rules to deal with the conflict (Anand Kanchanapan, 1995,p. 12-20). The growth of capitalism, such as the power to control and manage resources are seized by the state and transferred to third parties, cause conflict and usurpation of natural resources. This is occurring across all regions of the country. State monopoly of resource management by claiming national security with fixed laws which do not accept the tradition of the community is not practical in reality. Issues of conflict have become a national problem and this is not likely to end easily. Conflict management and usurpation of natural resources is a significant problem in the 21st

century. Salween River in the community area of Omkoi district encounters the problem of continued deforestation and this affects the economic, social and environmental causes of conflict, and the rape of natural resources among different sectors. Conflicts are more complex and diverse as the governments conflict management is not effective enough. Paradigm of conflict management is looking separately; not truly combining economy, society and culture together as a whole with the natural resource conflicts. In Thai society, the form of conflict management on natural resources that the northern people have used for a long time is, "the elders house". The houses owner is served as leader who compromises or decides disputes in the community. In northeastern Thailand, there is also The elder whose job is to manage the conflicts. In Salween River community, the forms of conflict management they use are their traditional customary rules and community networks on the same watershed. Karen tribes use their community elders and community groups as mechanisms for conflict management in natural resources. They have reproduced the original tradition repeatedly. The government has a master project to manage resources and environment through establishing learning centers, and sufficiency economy community ways in working via various watershed networks. These things can be developed into a form suitable for

management of natural resources, which will reduce the conflict in the Salween River as much as possible. The problems mentioned above makes me, therefore, interested in the study of conflict management in natural resources in the Omkoi Salween River community area. In order to understand that the natural resource conflicts are chronic and can become very serious if no changes are correctly made. There is much need to rely on conflict management, with appropriate emphasis on the participation of all sectors involved. This can lead to sustainability. The results of the research findings will be the solutions corresponding to the region to lead to a policy of conflict resolution resources in the Salween river basin in Omkoi district sustainably; meet the needs of the community, and guidelines for managing conflict, many basic concepts of sustainable development. 2. Research Objectives 2.1. To study the context and patterns of conflict management of natural resources in the community of Salween River area in Omkoi district 2.2. To study various dimensions of conflict management of natural resources 2.3. To study the mechanisms and procedures used to resolve community conflicts in natural resources in the Salween river area in Omkoi district

2.4 To study the weaknesses and strengths of the conflict management style of the existing resources of the Salween river basin communities in Omkoi district 2.5 To develop an appropriate model for the conflict management of natural resources in the Salween river area

3. Methodology
Research on conflict management of natural resources in the Salween river basin communities uses the Qualitative research methodology. It emphasizes field research, obtaining reliable data covering the complete answer to the problems and the conclusion that leads to a thorough understanding of the phenomenon. 3.1 Population and sample The subject of this study is the people who live in the Salween river community in Omkoi district, state officials and private sectors working in the region. The sample groups used in the research are specific. They are the community leaders, including official and unofficial Watershed Network Committee. The data resources outside the community are the field staff from both government and NGOs whose works are related to conflict management in the community. 3.2 Research Tools Research tools used in this study include; 1. Questions that are used in the indepth interview for both the official and non-

official members, senior citizen, members of relevant authorities; 2. Observation tools like guideline notes, working operations, community conditions, and the record of events. 3. Tool used to group discussion is group questions. 4. A field record which the research created to record the interviews various specific phenomena. They record conversations exchanged between people in the field of issues, as well as interviewing the main data resources and storing information from community observation. 5. Cameras and tape recorders used to taking pictures of the community activities. Only the field record is not detailed enough so the researcher used a camera and tape recorder to record peoples voice and hearsay. 3.3 Collection of data process as follows: 1. Studying related theories and researches used to frame the concept of research and as a guideline for data collection. 2. Studying the secondary data from various agencies to gather basic information about overall issues of conflict and conflict management of natural resources of the community. 3. Creating equipment from framework and objectives of the research and

inspection and amendment of the equipment by experts. 4. Studying primary data in the field through introducing the researcher to the study area in order to collect data. 5. Building relationships with people in the community. 6. The search for both general and key information resources. 7. Performing data collection by using a variety of data collection to get the information required completely to answer the research problems effectively. Methods used to collect the information are as follows: 7.1 The observation includes both participatory and non-participatory observation. 7.2 In-depth interviews are used with the relevant persons including community leaders, both formal and non-formal community organizations, senior government officials andNGOs. 7.3 Focus group discussion is used to collect data from the leaders and related officials. 3.4 Monitoring data The researcher uses the triangulation data examination method to verify the completeness, the accuracy and the reliability of data. 3.5 Analysis of data

The content analysis method with the analytic induction, typological analysis, data comparison are used for the analysis of data. 3.6 Presentation of research After the process of data collection, when the inspecting and analyzing the data is complete, the research is compiled and presented in the descriptive analysis research form. Conclusions The findings of the research on conflict management of natural resources in the Salween river basin community of Omkoi district are as follows: 1. The study found that there are four types of natural resource conflicts in Salween river basin communities in Omkoi district context as follows: first, the conflict between communities and government, second, the conflicts between neighboring communities, third, the conflicts between communities and the economic influence, and lastly, the conflicts within the community. 1.1. Patterns of conflict management of natural resources by the community are as follows: 1.1.1 Using local knowledge in the community, deployment of traditional and non-formal negotiation. The arresting of those who violate the rules of the community and giving a warning or penalizing them as applies to conflicts within communities and conflicts between neighboring communities. Also, the

implementation of ideologies, beliefs and traditional way of thinking as a guideline can determine the rules of dispute resolution in natural resources, with the help from the leaders and elders in the community to judge conflict natural resources of the community. 1.1.2 Building a network from people from the same watershed, that shares the forest land in order to resolve conflicts between communities, and to increase the bargaining power of the state or the economic influence of the external communities. This is exemplified by the protesting of any development projects from the government which affects the community such as the construction of Salween dam. 1.1.3 Community Organizations which can be either traditional or governmental organizations. A representative of such organization resolves conflicts between communities. 1.2 Forms of conflict management in natural resources by state are as follows: 1.2.1 Participation of the community in both drafting rules and guidelines, determining sanctions for violations of community rules. There should be a consultation meeting between members of the community from time to time to review the regulations and rules of the community, as well as a comanagement between government, community and privates sectors. 1.2.2 State development projects cherishing the sufficiency economy

concept of His Majesty the King as a guideline for the operation. Operating in the way that supports a simple lifestyle like Thai way of life in the past. The idea of "people live with the forest means people who live close to the forest learn to manage the resources wisely and carefully use the remained resources for maximum benefit fairly and sustainably. 2. The various dimensions in the conflict management of natural resources of the Salween river basin communities are as follows: 2.1 Cultural Dimension - this is based on beliefs and rituals of the community and focuses on ways of thinking and expressing that are culturally valued such as a Karen saying, the forest remains, the men live, the forest doesnt remain, nor the men." The beliefs about Khun Nam ghosts or an adjustment of a religious ceremony to ordain trees are used as a power tool in the fight against illegal logging of the capitalists from the outside. 2.2 Social Dimension - using social relationship between members of the community, strong ties of kinship, relations between the supportive neighbors. Networking of people who share the same watershed and forest land will diminish the conflict on natural resources between them. 2.3 Economic Dimension Living a simple lifestyle with the production as well as trade in sufficiency economy way. 2.4 Political dimensionSystems are managed by communities and community organizations. These user groups

stipulate which one is entitled to and how to practice their rights, how to control, manage and use both community rules and the states laws in conflict management. 2.5 Network dimension - The network of learning within communities and between communities who share the same watershed and forest land. 2.6 Sustainability dimension By focusing on long-term solution, using the social capital, local knowledge in the community, paradigm of sustainable development in conflict management in natural resources. 3. Mechanisms used in the management of natural resource conflicts in the Salween river basin community in Omkoi district are as follows: 3.1 Social mechanisms are strong community leaders. Leaders of both natural and formal leader types must have high strength and wisdom. The important leadership role is in setting rules of the village. In addition, leaders must be able to not only maintain and control the regulations of the community, but also to deploy customary and local wisdom to the political, economic and social changes. The most important feature of community leaders are working for the best interests of the community as a whole, having major strong kinship and relationship between the neighbors. 3.2 Mechanism of Culture is the use of different beliefs, values and traditions of the community. Traditional Knowledge, Identity and cultural diversity of different ethnic groups and

belief in the supernatural, including local knowledge in conservation of natural resources can reduce conflicts within communities and between communities. 3.3 Network means both the community network and network of people in the same watershed. This can create various conflict resolutions together between people in a compromising way. 3.4 Power base system by deploying all customs, State laws and regulations of the community. This is to manage conflicts which cannot be resolved by other methods. This power base system is used when the conflict is quite severe. 4.Weaknesses / strengths of the existed patterns of conflict management of natural resources are as follows: 4.1 The weakness of conflict management by capitalist economy community is that it reduces the importance of the way the community in Salween River in Omkoi area. Some communities started quitting from the traditional sacred obligation. The deployment of tradition is less and there is a lack of strictness. The practices in rituals / beliefs that have been delivered for generations now decreased its role. People feel helpless to manage their conflicts and rely more on government officials. The patterns of conflict management by the state also lack the community's participation. Various development government projects lack continuity and sustainability.

4.2 Strength of the conflict management pattern by the community is that it adjusts local traditions and wisdom. It can be reproduced, modified, or re-created into a new ideology. By using social capital and traditional knowledge principles, it can adjust traditional practices to be more official way, for example, the establishment of an official body and written draft regulations. This form will be more accepted by the government. The operation of the local state agencies on conflict management is driven based on sufficiency economy philosophy. 5. The most appropriate format in conflict management in natural resources in the Salween River of Omkoi community is the comanagement between the community, the government and NGOs in order to balance the power and keep all parties satisfied. By using the cultural capital to social capital, both local knowledge and adopting new knowledge from outside, such as new laws can be adjusted to make rules in the community for the efficiency in conflict management and in accordance with the context of community.Setting up a network of learning, a watershed development network and network of people who share the same forest land creates the share of knowledge both from inside and outside the community. Both public and private sectors together can reduce the conflicts. Adopting His Majesty the King's philosophy of Sufficiency Economy and its projects as a guideline in the lifestyle of the community by following the principle of

moderation, reason and creating good immune system by living a monastic and content life can altogether reduce conflicts in natural resources. It can also very well protect the invasion of the capitalism. Discussion Important issues from the research results to be discussed are as follows: The context of natural resource conflicts are four types of conflict. The first is the conflict between the state and the community. The second are the conflicts between community and the external influence. The third are conflicts between neighboring communities. Finally there are conflicts within the community. This is consistent with the findings of Yot Santasombat who sees governmental developments and overall economic changes cause a significant change in the community. The culture of communities is eroded. The communitys conflict resolution in natural resource management is not a static phenomenon without movement. It is the continual process in the adaptation of the management of resources of the community to the external conditions in a macro level under the context of economic, social, cultural and political changes. This indicates the direction of governmental developments that clearly affect life of the community (Yot Santasombat,1999). Conflict is the power relations in society which has conflict and inequality in access to resources. While certain groups are people are discriminated from the resources, another powerful group degrades environmental resources. This is in accordance with Yot Santasombat who said that the state uses the laws as mechanisms of power and an instrument in the blockade and usurpation of

resources from rural areas. The state uses the laws as a tool to confiscate natural resources, such as forests, soil and water, which are a common wealth, into the property of the nation. The laws have become an important mechanism contributing to the state, the business sectors and associated interest groups to invade and usurp resources from the community to maintain and benefit together, but make them more of personal property (Yot Santasomebat, 1996). In terms of social movements, the conflict management of natural resources of the Salween river basin communities in Omkoi district is an attempt to adapt within the context of the continual changing of society. It is not limited only in one community, but many communities working together as a network in order to manage the resources and also fight against the invasion from the state and outsiders. Anand Kanchanapan has referred to it as relationships with both harmony and conflict. They are moving, changing and can be reproduced. It has a multi-level scope from a family level, to a local village to an extensive network which overlaps. It is not an independent unit alone, but correlated with the state and market sustainability and fairness. (Anand Kanchanapan, 1996, 58-59). Interestingly, in the process of community interaction, the community has turned to the cultural dimension which values its own identity and dignity, respects its social capital and the knowledge of community and cultural diversity. It is important for the society to understand the significance of the communitys identity. People should especially understand that the Salween river basin communities in Omkoi district have a different way of life from other communities due to geographic location

and historical background of each particular group. In addition, each community has an identity with their own cultural niche. It is impossible to reach conflict management of natural resources in the Salween river basin community in Omkoi district without understanding of the value of social capital and knowledge of various groups of national federations who have been adapting to the ecosystems for generations. The understanding of natural resource management systems in the Salween River communities in Omkoi area has become an urgent issue for different reasons. Firstly, the management should correspond to the reality as fast as possible. Secondly, for the community to development an ability to adapt itself through adjusting its social capital and local knowledge in accordance with the context of economic, social and political changes, to create fairness and protect their share of resources sustainably and fairly. Most importantly, it is the process of seeking an alternative to the direction of development which based on social capital, knowledge, culture and traditions of various communities. Coexistence between the Philosophy of Sufficiency Economy and the conflict management in natural resources can coexist harmoniously in the Salween river basin communities of Omkoi district. It can also further to unite to the world outside with assistance from NGOs, government and private sectors with the principles of moderation and reasonableness. Building up the immunity through the wise and careful management of the existing resources for maximum benefit, also with the consideration of impact, selecting a simple, economic and sustainable form of

conflict management practice that is consistent with social capital and the local knowledge of community built to fit historical pattern. As a result, the conflict management of natural resources will emerge from the social capital and local knowledge of the community, combined with new knowledge. It is not the old style of conflict management which believes in "win-lose" result, but rather "win - win" in accordance with the philosophy of Sufficiency Economy which believes in the pace of development along with the balance. Suggestion 1. The government should give an importance to social capital and local knowledge of communities in conflict management of natural resources. 2. The government should recognize the rights of the community in managing the natural resources such as the customary rules in dealing with the conflict management in natural resources of the community in the Salween river basin in Omkoi district. 3. The community should be encouraged to have their own organizations in order to create a strong bargaining power to the external and to enable the people to manage conflicts in different levels effectively. 4. The restoration and enhancement of the communitys awareness and strong culture. 5. The state should improve legal policies and regulations to be fair, and guarantee the rights of communities in Salween river basin of Omkoi district.

Reference Yot Santasombat (1996). Tha Kwien, the preliminary analysis on the adaptation of the Thai farmers community amid the blockade of the industrial culture. Bangkok. Kobfai. Yot Santasombat (1999) Biodiversity and Traditional Knowledge for Sustainable Development. Chiang Mai Nopburee. Anand Kanchanapan (1997). Culture and Development: the dimensions of an innovative power, document of national seminar on the Crisis in Thai society. The National Culture Committee Office. ------------------------. (2000) Community dimension: the local way of thinking on authority and resources management. Bangkok. Thailand Research Fund Office.