Sunday, September 13, 2009
List of Donors of Sanghamitta Seba Sangha
(1)Bhikhuni Karma Laxmi Stomo Associate Professor Department of Regions Hawaii University, USA,donated (USA 1000.00$) For Land Development(She is 1st Donor of this Org in 2001.
(2)World Vission of Bandarban Bangladesh , donated Semi-Pacca School Building with 5 Classrooms and Furniture’s in 2004.
(3) ADP-Bandarban, Bangladesh, donated Semi-Pacca Girls Hostel with 4 Bedrooms and Furniture’s.Est. Cost (BDT 6,65,000) in 2006.
(4) Bandarban Hill District Council Bangladesh , donated Hostel Building (2 storied foundation)1st part- @ cost (BDT=12,33,500) Completed in 2007-08.
(5) Bandarban Hill District Council Bangladesh , 2nd part donated @ cost (BDT=9,99,000) Completed in 2007-08.
(6) Ms. Carol Barms, UK donated (£ 250.00)in 2008.
(7) Green Hill, Bandarban, Banglades (Local NGO)donated -1 no Ring wel
-3 nos ToiletTotal Cost @ BDT=1,50,000/-Completed in 2008
(8) Public Health Engineering Department Bandarban, Bangladesh donated -1 no Ring wel
in 2008.
(9)GROUS, Bandarban, Bangladesh (Local NGO)donated School Furniture’s in 2009.
(10) Mr. Diponkar Talokder State Minister of Chittagong Hill Tract Affairs,
Govt.Of The People Republic of Bangladesh. donated 5 storied “Sanghamitta Buddhist Temple cum Complex” Proposed.(This Complex already)Will start 2009-2010.
(11) Georg Alexander Bouman, The Netherland, 2 sets Solar System, 1 set Microphine and Cash BDT 40,000/- for Land Development.
----------------------------------------------------(2)World Vission of Bandarban Bangladesh , donated Semi-Pacca School Building with 5 Classrooms and Furniture’s in 2004.
(3) ADP-Bandarban, Bangladesh, donated Semi-Pacca Girls Hostel with 4 Bedrooms and Furniture’s.Est. Cost (BDT 6,65,000) in 2006.
(4) Bandarban Hill District Council Bangladesh , donated Hostel Building (2 storied foundation)1st part- @ cost (BDT=12,33,500) Completed in 2007-08.
(5) Bandarban Hill District Council Bangladesh , 2nd part donated @ cost (BDT=9,99,000) Completed in 2007-08.
(6) Ms. Carol Barms, UK donated (£ 250.00)in 2008.
(7) Green Hill, Bandarban, Banglades (Local NGO)donated -1 no Ring wel
-3 nos ToiletTotal Cost @ BDT=1,50,000/-Completed in 2008
(8) Public Health Engineering Department Bandarban, Bangladesh donated -1 no Ring wel
in 2008.
(9)GROUS, Bandarban, Bangladesh (Local NGO)donated School Furniture’s in 2009.
(10) Mr. Diponkar Talokder State Minister of Chittagong Hill Tract Affairs,
Govt.Of The People Republic of Bangladesh. donated 5 storied “Sanghamitta Buddhist Temple cum Complex” Proposed.(This Complex already)Will start 2009-2010.
(11) Georg Alexander Bouman, The Netherland, 2 sets Solar System, 1 set Microphine and Cash BDT 40,000/- for Land Development.
SANGHAMITTA SEBA SANGHA
Vill :- Taingkhali, 319, Rajvila Mouza
Bandarban Sadar, Bandarban Hill District.
Bangladesh.
Regd. No- B.Ban-156/2002
Dear Reader,
The “SANGHAMITTA SEBA SANGHA” Orphanage counts now more than 90 boys and girls they are taken care of by Chief Patron His Venerable Ven. U Wee Shudha Mahathero.Some children who have lost their parents and some are coming from very poor family. And the surrounding area and have been adopted by Orphanage of “Sanghamitta Sebe Sangha” but their living conditions are harsh.
The children and His Venerable Ven. U Wee Shudha Mahathero are facing difficult circumstances; there are no regular funds to permit buying every day’s provisions to prepare their food and bye their cloths while everything depends on the charity of the poor population living in the same area. The orphanage, like all the other villages, is located in a very forgotten and isolated area that can be described as a seriously poor and underdeveloped region of Bangladesh where even no NGOs or other development organisations are operating.
These particular children have no one else to look after for but the Most Venerable Ven. U Wee Shudha Mahathero who has no resources and is fully dependent on the charity of others.
Life is a hardship and a burden for the Venerable Ven. U Wee Shudha Mahathero who does everything in his power to protect his orphanage with the 90 children. Any time when more children are coming to the orphanage they will be accepted nevertheless the economic problems the orphanage is facing. Over the past 6(sixs) years, the number of children in the orphanage raised from 40 to 50 as many people die from malaria and dysentery in this region while there is no healthcare.
As there are no donors or sponsors who are supporting the Pagoda, housing the orphans, not only food, clothing and school materials form a major yoke for the Monk, but there are also healthcare problems while money resources are scarce.
One may even not imagine that the construction is a Pagoda and Orphanage where in they are living while one can only observe one shaky bamboo construction with a roof of foliage.
His Venerable Ven. U Wee Shudha Mahathero is supporting with all his faith his project but has no means to give the correct support to these rootless and homeless children. His Venerable Ven. U Wee Shudha Mahathero has given all that he has and that is a shelter in the Pagoda, but the housing conditions are such that the situation has become impracticable.
The roof of the Pagoda where everybody is lodging is old and needs replacement, as during the rains water is penetrating through the roof and many children suffer from cold and humidity and easily get sick as they sleep on the earthen floor.
In addition, the two rooms to sleep in are just too small and evidently overcrowded and the situation is far from happy, as they even have no decent toilet facilities but to go into the nature.
As there are no sponsors supporting the orphanage there is no regular incoming money flow and therefore the Venerable Ven. U Wee Shudha Mahathero and his orphanage are delivered on their own, from day to day basis.
With Mitta,
Ma Ning Ning
President
Sanghamitta Sebe Sangha. Liaision Office: - Maddhyam Para, Bandarban Sadar, Bandarban Hill District, BD. Ph: 0088-036163055, Mob-0088-01713622100. e-mail:- sanghamitta@gmail.com
Demend For Project
Dear Reader,The “SANGHAMITTA SEBA SANGHA” Orphanage counts now more than 70 young girls and theyare taken care of by His Venerable Ven. U Wee Shudha Mahathero.
These children who have lost their parents are coming from the surrounding area andhave been adopted by the Pagoda of Taingkhali but their living conditions are harsh.
The children and His Venerable Ven. U Wee Shudha Mahathero are facing difficult circumstances; there are no regular funds to permit buying every day’s provisions to prepare their food and bye their cloths while everything depends on the charity of the poor population living in the same area. The orphanage, like all the other villages, is located in a very forgotten and isolated area that can be described as a seriously poor and underdeveloped region of Bangladesh where even no NGOs or other development organisations are operating.
These particular children have no one else to look after for but the Most Venerable Ven. U Wee Shudha Mahathero who has no resources and is fully dependent on the charity of others.
Life is a hardship and a burden for the Venerable Ven. U Wee Shudha Mahathero who does everything in his power to protect his orphanage with the 73 young children. Any time when more children are coming to the orphanage they will be accepted nevertheless the economic problems the orphanage is facing. Over the past two years, the number of children in the orphanage raised from 40 to 73 as many people die from malaria and dysentery in this region while there is no healthcare.
As there are no donors or sponsors who are supporting the Pagoda, housing the orphans, not only food, clothing and school materials form a major yoke for the monk, but there are also healthcare problems while money resources are scarce.
One may even not imagine that the construction is a Pagoda wherein they are living while one can only observe one shaky bamboo construction with a roof of foliage.
His Venerable Ven. U Wee Shudha Mahathero is supporting with all his faith his project but has no means to give the correct support to these rootless and homeless children. His Venerable Ven. U Wee Shudha Mahathero has given all that he has and that is a shelter in the Pagoda, but the housing conditions are such that the situation has become impracticable.
The roof of the Pagoda where everybody is lodging is old and needs replacement, as during the rains water is penetrating through the roof and many children suffer from cold and humidity and easily get sick as they sleep on the earthen floor.
In addition, the two rooms to sleep in are just too small and evidently overcrowded and the situation is far from happy, as they even have no decent toilet facilities but to go into the nature.
As there are no sponsors supporting the orphanage there is no regular incoming money flow and therefore the Venerable Ven. U Wee Shudha Mahathero and his orphanage are delivered on their own, from day to day, basis.
Project Proposal
With all gratitude, the Orphanage of “SANGHAMITTA SEBA SANGHA” will be grateful to obtain a project to rebuild their housing facilities and they, like the other orphanages and villages all who have absolutely no national or international support in this area, will be delighted to obtain poverty alleviation programmes to enhance and establish self support and self reliance, which is the best solution for independency.
Having a visit at the Orphanage of “SANGHAMITTA SEBA SANGHA” as how it looks today:
Having a visit at the Orphanage of “SANGHAMITTA SEBA SANGHA” as how it looks today:
Children are posting with His Venerable Ven. U Wee Shudha Mahathero in front
of their Pagoda Having showed some pictures of the living circumstances of the Monk and the Children also a new construction is very welcome to improve their livelihood conditions.
Struggling from day to day to survive, His Venerable Ven. U Wee Shudha Mahathero is appealing for help as he is suffering to assure protection, shelter and love for his children.
His Venerable Ven. U Wee Shudha Mahathero writes:
Orphanage Problems: Now the children are not in good situation. Our houses are very old and poor. Food is also a very big problem here. Now the season is rainy season. In this season, children are suffering more than other season. Nobody thinks selflessly to the children.
Would you like to think a bit of the children? Please try to find or manage an Agency or a Donor who will be able to help children. Otherwise, the children will die in starvation. They are our future. So, everybody needs to share the sympathy to the children. They are very much destitute and helpless. We need to think them as our own children.
“May every living being, drowning and adrift, soon return to the Pure Land of Limitless Light”
of their Pagoda Having showed some pictures of the living circumstances of the Monk and the Children also a new construction is very welcome to improve their livelihood conditions.
Struggling from day to day to survive, His Venerable Ven. U Wee Shudha Mahathero is appealing for help as he is suffering to assure protection, shelter and love for his children.
His Venerable Ven. U Wee Shudha Mahathero writes:
Orphanage Problems: Now the children are not in good situation. Our houses are very old and poor. Food is also a very big problem here. Now the season is rainy season. In this season, children are suffering more than other season. Nobody thinks selflessly to the children.
Would you like to think a bit of the children? Please try to find or manage an Agency or a Donor who will be able to help children. Otherwise, the children will die in starvation. They are our future. So, everybody needs to share the sympathy to the children. They are very much destitute and helpless. We need to think them as our own children.
“May every living being, drowning and adrift, soon return to the Pure Land of Limitless Light”
MayGod bless you.
Venerable Ven. U Wee Shudha Mahathero
--------------------
To Page-2
- Garden project, vegetables, small animals
- Water-well with hand pump
- Housing project
ANNEX
Construction design of the Orphanage of
“SANGHAMITTA SEBA SANGHA”
With global summary of construction costs
Summary of construction Costs
The following list presents the costs related to the designs presented in the ANNEX on the pages 10 until 15.
B**Page 11, Store Room , , Estimated costs in Tk (1,94,000 Taka)
C**Page 12, Office , , Estimated costs in Tk (7,35,000 Taka)
D** Page13, Dinning-room with Kitchen , Estimated costs in Tk (7,88,000 Taka)
E** Page14, Hostel Estimated costs in Tk (10,02,000 Taka)
F** Page15, Toilet complex Estimated costs in Tk ( 5,03,000 Taka)
Unforeseen Costs and Price Fluctuations (10%) 3,95,000
TOTAL ESTIMATED COSTS 43,44,000
Note: * and ** may indicate degree of importance!
Request for a “Regional Development Programme
Request for a “Regional Development Programme”
By inhabitants of the
Chittagong Hill Tracts region of
Bangladesh
Bangladesh,2009-10
Table of contents
Preliminary: 2
Introduction 2
Summary 3
1. Findings of the field visit 4
1.1 Focal points: 4
2. Background information 11
2.1Location 11
2.2Current development status 12
2.3 Relevant countryside background 12
2.3.1 Physical characteristics 12
2.3.2 Soils and land use management 12
2.3.3 Vegetation 13
2.3.4 Climate and weather 13
2.3.5 Ecosystem, density of population and land capacity 13
2.3.6 Demography 14
2.3.7 Economic activities 14
2.3.8 Access to education and healthcare15
3. Recommendations 16
3.1 Proposal for a Review and Identification mission 16
3.2 Proposal for intermediary solution 17
3.3 Proposed course of intervention 17
Preliminary:
: The End :
By inhabitants of the
Chittagong Hill Tracts region of
Bangladesh
Initiative to a “Pro Poor Development” within an overall “Integrated Development Plan” to support the whole society of the ‘Hill Tracts’ area of Bangladesh
Petition for making an “Independent Objective Review and Project Identification” as follow-up on this ‘presentation paper’
A Soil Scientist, an Ecologist, and a Rural Development Economist visiting the area for distraction, putting their impressions in this document together
Petition for making an “Independent Objective Review and Project Identification” as follow-up on this ‘presentation paper’
A Soil Scientist, an Ecologist, and a Rural Development Economist visiting the area for distraction, putting their impressions in this document together
Bangladesh,2009-10
Table of contents
Preliminary: 2
Introduction 2
Summary 3
1. Findings of the field visit 4
1.1 Focal points: 4
2. Background information 11
2.1Location 11
2.2Current development status 12
2.3 Relevant countryside background 12
2.3.1 Physical characteristics 12
2.3.2 Soils and land use management 12
2.3.3 Vegetation 13
2.3.4 Climate and weather 13
2.3.5 Ecosystem, density of population and land capacity 13
2.3.6 Demography 14
2.3.7 Economic activities 14
2.3.8 Access to education and healthcare15
3. Recommendations 16
3.1 Proposal for a Review and Identification mission 16
3.2 Proposal for intermediary solution 17
3.3 Proposed course of intervention 17
Preliminary:
This draft is of no question an official document nor does it pretend to be a scientific analysis as the experts did not visit the area with these objectives as background, visiting the area for sightseer purposes.
This paper is materialized after the requests from local inhabitants, expressing that they are seeking desperately for economic support and technical assistance, as they desire to improve their knowledge and livelihood conditions.
At the same time, it is obvious that the natural habitat balance throughout this region is seriously disturbed and is in a state of peril, while so much positives’ can be done to validate this extraordinary area as it has so many potentials for economical development.
On one hand, it is apparent that in this area, development aid has not yet established its determined standing that is justified in relation to the overall needs while on the other hand, the population is very much perceptive, eager and open-minded to improve their livelihood conditions like anyone else in the world. The people and the authorities are very much aware of their state of affairs and are clearly willing to develop themselves but economical resources and technical assistance is their limiting factor at this moment.
The spirit of this document is aiming for opening frontiers, dialogues, debates and negotiations between donors and government, which optimistically will result into fruitful projects to support this region.
Introduction
It is a common reality for Bangladesh, as an overpopulated country, that homeless and landless families are drifting to areas with better opportunities. Apart from people migrating to urban areas others are seeking elsewhere, were there is open space, claiming land in the coastal and in the mountainous areas of Bangladesh. This is a phenomenon, worrying the Government and need to be carefully guided to dominate this situation. It occurs that also this observable fact, apart from other trends as a whole, is playing a considerable role in the ‘Hill Tracts’ region. This report tries to highlight different components that are related to the existing situation in this region that need prior attention to support the governmental and civil institutions allowing dealing with the actuality and finding appropriated solutions.
This report endeavours also to orient, to a certain extend, on sector developments and micro-projects activities, which preferably should be part of an ‘Overall Development Strategy’ that is centrally coordinated. This, instead of isolated ad hoc activities that will most probably miss the context of a positive overall and long term impact on social economical development that is in harmony with land-use and natural-resource management issues.
The main objective of this report is to invite the government and international donors to proceed with this kicked off pre-identification process through a joined venture investigation on a professional level to study the situation of the ‘Hill Tracks’ that may result ideally in an “Overall Integrated Regional Development Programme”.
Summary
The opinion of this report is that the Natural Environment in the region of the ‘Hill Tracts’ is in serious peril where a multitude of factors that are encompassed with mainstreams also happening elsewhere in the world; overpopulation with respect to the land capacity, drifting of population searching for family wellbeing, cultural and political implications, high incidence of poverty, infiltration of bandits from abroad, the degradation of the environment caused by unawareness of land use practices, inappropriate agricultural habits, mismanagement of natural resources and the lack of capital.
At eyesight, it appears that there is a need for special prepared expertises to handle the all-round state of affairs with competence and confidence as the situation learns that there is locally not enough specific specialised and experienced knowledge at hand, as result of many influences that are interacting, such as the constant rotation of governmental officials, the lack of appropriate logistics, the lack of research and the lack of awareness in general.
Further there is the evidence of a vacuity in social and economic development (Statistical Yearbook of Bangladesh; by BBS) that is influenced by a multitude of factors like: the under explored capacity of oriented policy making and of enforcement of law with regard to the implementation of universal land-use and environmental conservation regulations, security, the poor standards of knowledge of the rural population due to the lack of education that reflects on impropriated land use management, lack of development support to enhance talents of how to live in harmony and serenity with the nature, lack of infrastructures for communication and transport, lack of supporting services for information, advisory and extension, shortage of vocational training facilities, the lack of credit facilities to stimulate private initiatives and last but not least the not enough resources to be effective in field operations at all line agency levels.
The actuality learns that we are facing an alarming situation and if nothing is undertaken to stop the process of ongoing deterioration of the overall environmental dimensions, the country looses not only an unique national heritage monument but worse of all the livelihood conditions of the entire population in this region will become harsh, and this is the core reason of presenting this paper.
To achieve a satisfactory solution for the complexity of interacting elements playing an important role in this particular region before it will become a ‘hot spot’, a support from international development aid can notably be welcome to this crucial situation and could be considered as urgent and vital.
In addition, this paper has come to some basic findings that may be useful as orientation indicators to articulate a professional guided field mission for the ‘Hill Tracks’.
1. Findings of the field visit
The data presented in the “Statistical Yearbook of Bangladesh” confirm that this area as a whole is far behind on any sector development in comparison with the rest of the country (even in the domains of education and health), and therefore many aspects needs attention. Logically there are immediate urgencies; high priorities above the lesser exigencies that can be categorised but it need a profound and objective investigation at first. As far as this mission can reach, three main themes can be described to be important for a profound investigation to scrutinize their nature of performance, allowing developing a precise understanding of the key elements and in consequence enabling defining a coherent methodology.
The three principle subject matters that appear to the surface are:
a) The ill environmental situation is seen as the crucial and alarming factor that needs to be cured urgently as the livelihood conditions of the local population and the economy of the entire region are highly depended on the resources from the countryside.
b) The capacity of Oriented Development Policy Making and the support of a proper execution of law and regulations routine in particularly concerning appropriated Land Occupation, Land Use and Natural Resource management and implementation issues, needs strengthening.
c) The lack of awareness, knowledge, facilities and capital has serious negative impacts with regard to how the urban and rural population is making wrong use of the land capacity and even making serious abuse of the natural resources.
Therefore, it is of utmost importance to enhance the basic understanding of the total of interrelated rules of settings in relation to governance and behaviour of the local multi-cultural population, permitting to establish a harmonious mechanism for socio-economical development and environmental protection, and these parallels need clearly support in orientation and investment.
Note: There is the issue of security in the area that has not been explored by the experts, as it is not in their competence to give an analysis or an opinion of this situation.
1.1 Focal points:
1. The total picture of the “Hill Tracts” is composed out of a wide range of aspects in which human, cultural, historic, economic, ethnologic, ecologic, geomorphologic, topographic, climatic and agricultural settings are interacting. These local dimensions are one by one, for many reasons typical but then different and even unique in comparison to the rest of the country and need therefore special comprehension and attention in order to dominate the situation appropriately. Not only the appreciation and the capacity of how to live in harmony and in synergy with all these specific conditions are poorly explored but the situation is also noticeably influenced by the fact that there are hardly any proper investments undertaken as result of the lack of capital.
2. To serve the entire process of dealing with the actual local situation in a proper manner, it is essential to profound the understanding of the mechanisms of all these forces that are mentioned above in order to share knowledge and raise comprehension and intuition of responsibility at all stakeholders level.
A three-step approach can be identified to develop this mechanism, notably: - by learning; through observation, investigation, fact-finding and analysing; - by reporting; through publication of documentations, handouts, didactic and audiovisual materials; - and by teaching; through awareness raising and dissemination of information in general.
To support this engine, it is wise to engage assistance of high-qualified specialists and institutions like universities, collecting, washing and analysing data through assessments and case studies, getting supporting feedback through participatory monitoring & research, etc. Speeding-up the process of rapid decision making and of maximizing saver judgments can be achieved through assessing various options by comparing experiences made abroad during study-tours to areas with similar conditions.
Furthermore, the process of the sharing of information and of responsibility among all members of the society is conditional; this can be achieved through means of participatory discussions and decisions making during workshops.
To propagate dissemination of knowledge, special attention can be given to the domains of thematic appropriated vocational-, school-, radio- and TV- programmes, further to focused group discussions during village-committee or career-association meetings, and to strengthen information services for all kind of occupation sectors and implementing special training programmes focused on TOT and village leaders.
3. As a whole, as we are dealing with a complex and precious, but vulnerable scenario, it is advisable for the entire wellbeing and for the degree of achievements toward a successful integrated regional development that any progress activity will be better-off when centrally coordinated and professionally monitored by independent institutes like universities, as part of a transparent and well oriented “Overall Regional Strategy Plan” that is supported by all stakeholders of the public and civil institutions instead of undertaking informal, hectic, isolated, disconnected or ad hoc development activities.
4. Therefore a healthy matrimony between the public and civil sectors, focusing on a vivid participatory approach, aiming for a solid organizational- and cooperative- strategy within the development policy encompassed with transparency and mutual understanding serving the bilateral goals in the society, is the basis to enhance fixity of purpose, efficiency, quality, flexibility in making compromises, sustainability and accomplishment within the entire regional development process.
5. While updating modern governance and management style performances, it is important to strengthen the entire organisation within the institutional framework of interacting workforces, each with their distinct agendas, from District Steering Committee level all the way down to Village Development Committee level, Enterprise or Business-branch Association level, from designing level to implementing level, ensuring open dialogue and feedback through a vivid two-way communication flow and an optimal performance of the enterprise spirit.
6. Consequently, in view of complementing the multitalented disciplines related to oriented policymaking, planning, steering and reviewing encompassed with watching over rules and regulations, it is important to also upgrade the permanent workforces of the line agencies, their equipments, logistics, routines (e.g. tasks for Forest and Natural-Park rangers) and their methodology and ideally including a key-role for Universities and the component of participatory Monitoring & Research to this institutional ‘engine’; temporary support of external technical assistance may be convenient to orient and to streamline the process.
7. Within the philosophy that this document is following, it is advisable that there is a clear acceptance of dividing responsibilities and tasks: governance and implementation must operate separately from each other as each contest need an independent arbiter to ensure that the process is optimal performed. Within this light, each sector has its own precise expertises and disciplines; Policy making, (participatory) Planning, Monitoring and Evaluation, keeping Law and Order are notably responsibilities of the government and implementation of activities are consequently tasks for the independent private sectors. This is the concept of routine and order within the ‘institutional cycle management’ schedule to assure optimum performance of control over quality and fixity of purpose, costs and results, efficiency and productivity, flexibility and competence, sharing and improving of knowledge in function to optimize the objectives of a sustainable development and at the same time it also boosts the activities and spreads the economy in advantage to every body’s wellbeing.
8. In addition to this global concept, it is essential to improve the dynamic of the entire development process by upgrading the performances of the local urban and rural societies who can be considered as the implementing forces at the basis within the institutional framework design. It is therefore thoughtful to invest in sector wise appropriated technical education programmes for adults that are encompassed with, to a high standard, the raising of a universal awareness attitude, for understanding and respecting the total environment scenario of which livelihood and nature are the principal key elements that can only survive when functioning in synergy.
9. To encourage the emancipation process and the participation of the civil society within the framework of development it is important to strengthen the capacity and role of the Information Services, Vocational Training Services and Credit Services encompassed with extension, advisory, publication and dissemination of information and training manuals that is also accessible for the illiterates and for those who like to educate themselves privately. In this light it will be very positive when private training schools will emerge that can take advantage of central developed teaching materials by stimulating the private initiative in participating in the education sector.
10. The communication networks in this region are not well developed and of poor quality because of the vast and mountainous surroundings what makes it difficult and expensive. Subsequently, the people living in the rural area are very much isolated as there are hardly any transport facilities, no electricity and telecommunication amenities, even mobile phones cannot function here and because of a poor-attendance of commercial, banking and public services such as post offices, schools, hospitals and police stations to ensure protection and enforcement of law. This is one of the principal factors that influences directly the livelihood conditions in this area and makes that the development is far behind to national standards (Statistical Yearbook of Bangladesh; by BBS). Solutions to this difficult situation can be searched in the advantage of making use of mobile clinics, mobile governmental service-units and mobile shops and banks. In addition, the introduction of the solar-energy technology to this area can have a remarkable and rapid impact on social and economical activities and it can be an outcome for telecommunications purposes, improving trade and security status (police communications) and saver travelling (tourism).
11. The reality learns that the entire agricultural sector needs reorientation and renewal. With the nowadays conditions due to the increase of the population, shifting cultivation cannot be sustainable anymore and permanent associated farming ecosystems have to be enforced. Nowadays without permanent agriculture, there is no possibility of a stable social order. As result, permanent farming habits consisting soil conservation and land use management practices, know-how of irrigation, tillage practices, mechanisation, integrated pest management (IPM), agricultural production associated with animal husbandry need to be taught to all inhabitants and this is a major challenge, while changing an adult’s lifestyle is extremely difficult. It may be necessary to make use of vocational training centres for TOT and village animators, experimental ‘Pilot-projects’ and participatory On-Farm Research & Training programmes including participatory monitoring and evaluation exercises on community development basis to boost the process of ‘learning by doing’. There can also be made advantage of the positive effect, learned from other cases over the world, which is that children are teaching their own parents of what they have learned at school what can be imaginable if a good practical education programme for rural schools is introduced to the system.
Complete new techniques need to be introduced and developed which are also very costly and labour intensive like terracing and constructing complementary irrigation systems that are based on soil and landscape classification features and on land allocation and ownership documentations. The whole system is so big and so complex that it will need major efforts and a flexible credit policy may come handy as it is proven that when beneficiaries share in the costs of implementation, sustainability and continuity in development acts become more evident. It would be imaginable to invite the support of the universities in preparing a ‘Permanent agriculture’ (Permaculture ) design for this area and to assist in supervising the implementation phase.
However, if this entire and complex exercise of establishing permanent farming ecosystems are functioning according to the law and rules of nature, this landscape can bare the numerous inhabitants in a sustainable manner and that can be seen as a great achievement of governance in an overpopulated nation.
12. In addition to primary livelihood development, it is important to spread income sources to other commodity sectors instead of improving unilaterally only agricultural production. As it is shown in the reality that the amount of people living in the same area cannot continue to profit from the scarce land resources when every family their sons and daughters can only become farmers. It is also safer for the economical system to diverge money-generation over a larger spectrum of activities like transforming, conserving and recycling agricultural products into durable and transportable merchandises (e.g. silk and other retail industries), upgrading their values and diversity of goods, improving resistance to price fluctuations while keeping on track with the demand of the market. Investing in development toward spreading of diversity of products within the vast market system is providing security to livelihood and reducing of risks for the vulnerable local economy. It is also better for the national economy and peace to create locally new job opportunities what can prevent migration problems with all the disturbing consequences.
13. To lift the level of livelihood in the region it is important to strengthen the existing and to create new Income Generating Activities through encouraging the developments of Cottage Industries, Small and Medium Enterprises, introducing and enforcing the use of alternative resources of Non-Timber Forest Products, investing in post-harvest processing and recycling technologies and explore the possibilities of solar energy what can be a relief for this remote area. Obviously, the entire rural area can profit from the intensification of the network of itinerant private services of trade in commodity and local production goods.
14. It would be advisable to setup locally a multifaceted vocational training programme for adults, reinforcing a chain of practical training schools that are focused on relocating unemployed or unskilled people and on those who like to change profession. This kind of vocational training centres should be appropriated to the urban and rural expertise demands, focused on a consistent regional economical development of the intermediary commodity and service sectors, spreading and supporting the development of small and medium enterprises and hence mobilizing the regional development potencies.
Such a vocational training programme should put emphasis to alternative and new developments in order to renovate old technologies and to stay ahead in advancements. At the same time, it should answer to local and global challenges with regard to spreading of the economy, energy and environment, focussing on possibilities such as in solar energy and alternative raw materials for the construction and the furniture industries.
15. Appropriated children education programmes are to be developed that are very much practical oriented on local livelihood conditions for urban and rural surroundings including new agricultural practices for rural schools. Emphasis must be put to cultural, social and environmental awareness to enhance integration, emancipation, understanding and mutual respect as a remedy against mischief and misguidance in general, stimulating a social control and solidarity senses.
The introduction of School-gardens are of great value, where children can practice and learn, ideally according to Permaculture principles , about crop growing, about new varieties or even new vegetables, new tillage techniques, Integrated Pest Management (IPM), recycling of garden and kitchen waist into compost, house hygiene and sanitation, etc. Also by complementing small animal production activities to the rural school-gardens, improving the notion of associated farming, these practical training units may generate funds for the individual schools by selling their products, permitting paying their teacher’s allowances or didactic materials and miscellaneous.
Then there is the great opportunity of making advantage of the influence that children can have on their parents as they teach at home of what they have been learning at school, as it is shown in many occasions that the children have better influence on their parent’s behaviour than many adult training programmes can.
On the other hand however, there are not enough schools and classes for the rural children yet and not enough teachers. In addition to the reality; to be a teacher in a rural village, one has to sacrifice wellbeing and the convenience encompassed with the lifestyle of developed places, logically it can be understood as it is a hardship working in these remote areas were there are no facilities such as proper housing or even safe water apart from distraction as there is even no electricity nor telephone. One cannot expect from young teachers to live in such difficult conditions without compensation. In answer to such a situation, several countries of South America have the policy that all students who completed their studies in any profession will conditionally serve first two years in underdeveloped areas (compulsory) before they may build up their career according to their conveniences. As this rule is for everybody the same it does not appear as discriminatory anymore to work in rural areas, it becomes a mission equal for everybody to serve their nation. Other solutions may be investigated such as hardship allowances or directly training volunteers from the villages through intensive pedagogic tuition courses as an intermediary solution.
To improve a rural education programme and to support so-called training volunteers in their teaching performances, nation-wide special-school-TV classes can be introduced as a complementing medium to assure a certain standard for under equipped schools.
Briefly and to the point; the present-day situation learns that it is evident that the rural children of the Hill Tracts are refrained from proper education and that their school results are way below national standards (Statistical Yearbook of Bangladesh; by BBS) and therefore these children have no equal chances in self-development yet.
16. As the whole area is behind on any development, healthcare also is not fully optimised, as there are no hospitals, clinics, private doctors or pharmacies spread over the rural area. There occur far more disease cases than to regular national standards (Statistical Yearbook of Bangladesh; by BBS). The same reasons and the same proposed solutions described for education (Point:15) are true for healthcare. People do not have money to buy mosquito nets while malaria is a huge problem and there is no medication on the spot. Dysentery and Typhoid are spread all over the region and are a serious problem for the inhabitants due to the fact that potable water points are scarce and because of the lack of awareness related to hygiene and sanitation. Mobile clinics with laboratory outfits may have grate potentials to a steady amelioration in obtaining the national healthcare objectives, but still there is the obstacle that the inhabitants have very few money while they live in a subsistence, struggle for life, pattern. Moreover, the number of orphan children is seriously high.
17. Providentially, there exist new domains for a promising economical development that can be explored as this region has exceptional potentials that are hardly investigated or not yet discovered.
The magical factor of this lucrative economical development phenomenon is the unique and magnificent landscape with its vegetation classified as evergreen virgin tropical rain forest. Evidently, this precious scenario with its human and cultural aspects has to be cherished with utmost care.
To govern this unique and outstanding area it needs serene and wise management virtues as the vulnerable environment is on a balance that can go to the prosperous direction or to the bad side. In order to achieve the merit to managing this entire sanctuary of what may become a national monument needs specialised and superior level of expertise in all disciplines, which is determinant and crucial to the process. In order not to invent the wheel again and to be to the purpose, it is advisable to search assistance and import experiences from abroad but also from the national Universities to support the evolution process this area is going through and navigating it to a save future. Apart from the general disciplines covered by relevant line agencies, special attention is needed toward the particular and outstanding characteristics that are distinct to this region.
Among the key elements that need attention can be found in the fields of ethnology, cultural awareness, community development, land-use planning and management, land classification, land allocation and ownership settlement, agricultural tillage practices, changing shifting cultivation practices into permanent associated farming ecosystems, soil and water conservation (erosion control, terracing), water harvesting for complementary irrigation, overall supporting research, Watershed Management, Natural-Park Management, rehabilitation and sustainable-use of natural-resources, conservation of bio-diversity, Urbanisation Management, potable water & sanitation and sewerage management, etc. Finally yet importantly; Tourism and in particularly Eco-Tourism with all its facets can be the miracle medicine to prosperity of this entire region from which all strata of the society can profit from.
18. Especially, as mentioned above (Point:17), Eco-Tourism can offer, to all levels of the society, a great delight, even from the low-budget holidaymakers to the villagers of the remote areas (poor people support poor people) who can benefit from the very flexible and wide diversified activities that are encompassed within this vast industry.
All kind of different branches and aspects that are related to tourism need to be investigated and developed under supervision of the government to ensure discipline and order.
Related topics are: wildlife observation, wildlife and ecology vacation courses, school journeys, instructional tours, vacation camps, landscape-painting courses, health therapy and relaxation centres, botanical gardens, safaris, boat trips, tracker rally sport, arranged footpaths network from village to village and from district to district with overnight facilities, mountain cycling, lake windsurfing, waterskiing, river canoeing, wild-water rafting, swimming, paragliding, sport fishing, as well as cultural dance, sport, art and music events, etc. and consequently all transporters, shops, restaurants, hotels, resorts, inns, private house room-rentals, handicraft, agriculture etc. will profit along.
2. Background information
2.1 Location
The area, appealing for technical and economical support for animating an appropriated integrated regional development process, is located in the “Hill Tracts” of Bangladesh, as the inhabitants themselves cannot solve alone their problems.
The “Hill Tracts” are located on the southeast border with Myanmar and it is mentioned that there are infiltrations of bandits, coming from Myanmar, making the area unsafe. This unpleasant situation is perhaps one of the reasons that one can witness that development aid is not optimised in this area. It is also true that this region is difficult to access because of its topographical characteristics and that it is inhabited by completely different ethnological tribes with a different lifestyle, culture and religion.
2.2 Current development status
The local development dynamic in this region is slow and behind on the national drift (Statistical Yearbook of Bangladesh; by BBS). An important number of the local population of the ‘Hill Tracts’ area is refrained from proper education and skill training making that they are being switched off from catching along with new development trends and therefore have unfair chances on the labour market.
Acts in development are accentuated by erroneous ventures from the urban and rural societies due to many reasons. In relation to this, one may even observe as if it were lawless incidents that are taking place with regard to Land Use Management, Environmental Protection, Land Occupation and use of Natural Resources. but it is mainly due to the lack of awareness and capital, and sometimes the need of more enthusiasm and commitment.
Recently there are a number of development aid projects operating in this region but the overall given support is still shy with regards to the overall needs.
2.3 Relevant countryside background
2.3.1 Physical characteristics
There are 3 districts covering the ‘Hill Tracts’ namely Banderban, Khagrachhari and Rangamati and they form part of the Chittagong Division, demarcating a remote area with a mountainous topography in contrast to the rest of the country which is mainly part of a lowland plain river-delta system.
2.3.2 Soils and land use management
The soils of this region are dominated by brown sandy loams and clay loams in the basins or valleys. The soils are slightly to strongly acid and therefore classified as poor soils for agricultural production. Most soils are shallow over “shaley” or sandstone bedrocks, while the topography is classified as ‘very steep slopes on high hills’ and therefore very sensitive to erosion (FAO Classification).
The mountainous terrain of the three districts limits the land for intensive agricultural production and it is only in the valleys were rice can grow. It is estimated that only some seven percent of the land can be planted with lowland crops and there is hardly any water control management developed as for instance infrastructures of complementary irrigation with all other kind of related activities like associated rice-aquaculture production. There is no notion of land use management in relation to stabilise this hilly landscape into sustainable permanent agricultural ecosystems with practices like terracing and other soil conservation measures.
2.3.3 Vegetation
The area is officially classified under the primary evergreen rainforest, but this vegetation pattern is actually changing into secondary forest as result of shifting cultivation practices using shorter and shorter cycles, not leaving the area in the necessary fallow period of at least 15 years. The diminishing of the primeval forest is also accelerated due to serious immoral logging practices and due to uncontrolled bushfires for land clearing purposes. Here is an accumulating destruction process taking place, caused by the fact that the area is getting more and more populated, without any professional planning, control, navigation or guidance that is inherent to global conscious development and environmental protection standards.
Valleys are mainly cultivated with paddy-rice while the cleared hillsides are cultivated with upland rice during the monsoon season and other food crops are grown on the slopes of the riverbeds. There is some reforestation practiced in terms of rubber plantations and fast growing timber species that are not indigenous, further the secondary forest is over-covered with bamboo varieties, choking up the natural biodiversity, changing the vegetation in a poor landscape.
This biodiversity is of such an importance for modern science that it must be protected from destruction; once it has disappeared, it can never be restalled. Using the hard timber for making furniture is supporting a very short-term economical venture where the father will be rich undoubtfully leaving his son poor.
2.3.4 Climate and weather
The area lies within the South-central Asian monsoon system. Rainfall is greatest during the summer months between June and October when the temperatures are the highest (around 32 and 33ºC) and the annual rainfall is approximately in the order of 2700 mm (average over 10 years). The weather is cooler and dryer during the period between Decembers to March.
2.3.5 Ecosystem, density of population and land capacity
In the not far past this area was covered with a dens tropical rainforest vegetation, providing perfect harmony between climate and topography and where watersheds were in equilibrium with natural forces.
The soil mechanisms were in perfect symbiosis with the vegetation and protected from erosion and solar radiation due to the permanent vegetation cover, providing in exchange nutrients to the flora ensuring a perfect microclimate in the area. Even the agricultural ecosystem practiced known as shifting cultivation reached an acceptable balance as the recess periods were more than fifteen years and did not harm at that stage the natural ecosystem as it had enough time to recover.
Due to the expansion of the density of the population in the area, the pressure on the increased need for food production and need for other commodities, like energy and materials for construction, has a serious impact on the biosphere and is reaching in an alarming phase.
The actual balance of the natural habitat is disturbed by the fact that more and more people are claiming more land and sadly enough by destructive land use practices performed out of ignorance. As result, the overall ecological system is in serious competition with erroneous human conduct, brought out of its equilibrium and cannot restore a new sustainable balance if these destructive performances of land use mismanagement are not altered. Moreover, there is a category of business minded persons who are neatly robbing the treasures of the forest for only blind benefit, cutting down all precious hardwood species without any forest management principles. One can witness everywhere the demolishing acts on the virgin forest, consequently igniting a chain reaction of enormous erosion forces causing serious sedimentation disorders in the rivers and in the lakes, destroying the entire area and leaving the future generation in disaster.
Actually, the overpopulation in respect to the local ecosystem and land capacity is not only due to the increase of birth but also due to a migration process. As a matter of fact, this landscape can support more population but only if an appropriated sustainable permanent agricultural ecosystem is carefully developed, properly implemented and respected by all stakeholders.
However, as how things are going on at this moment in a way of an optimistic ‘laisser faire’ attitude, this landscape can certainly not support more inhabitants. It is up to decision-making level but conditionally, with or even without more inhabitants, the respect for natural law mechanisms has to prevail.
2.3.6 Demography
The Population Census of 1991 learns that the Hill Tracts has a mixed cultural society and it has a most colorful incidence of religions of which some 45% are Buddhist, 43% are Muslim, nearly 11% are Hindu and less than 1% are Christian who are linked to each other, with a total population of 1.042.373 and an average household size of 5.2 while 5.6 is the national average.
2.3.7 Economic activities
In a city like Banderban, actually a peaceful little town with hardly any traffic but rickshaws and baby taxies, almost everything is available and there are all kind of social and economic developments going on, on a peaceable low profile basis. Government offices close at 04:00 PM and consequently the electricity is cut-off for the whole city, coming back when it gets dark.
There exist many small enterprises and among them transforming also hardwood timber into luxury furniture. Telephone communications are poor and like all other activities that need to be fuelled with electricity are paralysed from 04:00 PM until nightfall.
The villages in the rural areas have no electricity or running water and there are no signs of catching up with modern development trends. Road connections for four-wheel vehicles are scarce and are poorly maintained. Many villages are far and isolated as public transport is inadequate and many villages can only be reached by foot or by the river. There are no telephone connections at all even mobile phone systems are not active.
In the valleys is rain fed crop production practiced, mainly rice and the yields are low while the soils are poor and there is the lack of water management capacity permitting to practice complementary irrigation when necessary to safeguard yields.
Development has hardly taken place in this area except from in the capital towns and the indigenous population has continued to live their traditional cultural lifestyle and habits based on Buddhism. Nowadays there is the reality that because of land shortage all over the nation, families from outside this region are migrating also to the ‘Hill Tracks’ districts and are claiming land for settlement, introducing other lifestyles and practises sometimes in disturbance with the traditional order and balance of this ecological system.
2.3.8 Access to education and healthcare
The countryside is so remote that many villages have even never had contact with or from the outside world and it is hard for outsiders, in particularly young teachers, grownup in the developed world, to live in such places as a consequence of their mission. Infect even if there are well-constructed school buildings, teachers are many times, preferring to overnight in town, not attending their school class-time-tables. Actually, there are not enough teachers for all the existing classes and many villages even do not have a school. All together, it makes that the rural children have very poor educational level, also because of the fact that they do not have the appropriated school equipments, didactic schoolbooks, notebooks or other stationeries because they cannot afford it as they are too poor and do not have sufficient development cooperation yet to improve their status of becoming self-supporting.
This story is identical if not more problematic for the healthcare sector, while access to medication is simply insufficient.
Hygiene and sanitation are problematic and there are many cases of dysentery. As the inhabitants of the villages are very poor, their house constructions are basic and most of the houses are badly covered, mostly with thatch what is a problem for protecting rainwater penetrating into the houses during the monsoons when many illnesses occurs.
There are very few potable water points, such as ring-wells or deepwater boreholes, equipped with hand-pumps and therefore safe water is a serious problem. People have to walk far distances to collect clean water and in many cases, they use water from small streams, rivers or ponds instead, but this water is not safe and is easily contaminated, taking in account the bad sanitation habits of going into the nature or using latrines with open cesspits.
There are many cases of malaria in the rural areas, as people have no money to buy mosquito nets, sleeping unprotected on a mat on the floor and as it is very hard to find medication.
3. Recommendations
It is clear that there is a significant need and hunger for technical and economical assistance. An injection from foreign aid seems to have great potentials for this hinterland to give a booster to changing the passive mood and restoring the balance with regard to the national development trend. It may be wrong but it gives the impression as if this part of the country is isolated from development due to the fact that there are robbers operating from abroad, then one may wonder why not improve the security at the borders instead of closing this area from the country.
The message of this report is that this area has great virtues for a splendid future for all levels of its society but it needs a lubrication of the development engine.
3.1 Suggestion for a Review and Identification mission
The opinion of this paper is that a bilateral or multilateral supported joint venture enterprise, through the intervention of an independent ‘Review’ mission, will be a most desirable outcome to scrutinize the real time situation that preferably will be followed up by an ‘Identification’ mission.
As it is to the view of this paper a matter to develop all interrelated sectors at the same time in order to become affective.
With the spirit of accumulated wisdom gathered during the a ‘Review’ mission it would be most effective to formulate simultaneously the Terms of References for an eventual follow-up Identification mission for a plausible overall “Integrated Development Plan”
3.2 Proposal for intermediary solution
However, in the meanwhile, ideally, an oriented Regional Development Programme is formulated; it is highly important that small donor-investments can start up Micro Pilot-Project Developments.
Preferably, these Micro-Projects, in whatsoever kind of domain they may be operative, should not be focused only on one sector development but also on common interests including awareness towards respecting the conservation of the environment that is related to the project’s nature of activities.
Accordingly, such Pilot-Projects should be most effective when their activity projections are functioning as study-objects while taking part in a participatory research and learning by doing process and in an information-sharing scheme that is co-managed by e.g. the line Universities. These study-projects should be considered as an important and vital component to get to know real-time information in all kind of domains that is needed to enhance appropriated development strategies.
3.3 Proposed course of intervention
The key to sustainable economical development is to encourage and to empower the private sector while the overall planning and respecting of laws and regulations are carefully watched over by the local authorities. This is a lesson learned from the political evolution throughout the world, it is why for instance communism has failed and it is why many countries of Africa are struggling as their governments maintain too much power to them selves, discouraging the process of emancipation, economical development, autonomy and ultimately peace for their nation.
To the point of view of this paper, it is advisable to follow a global integrated development model where probably a multilateral donor support is centrally coordinated and calibrated, each focussing on their role within the institutional agenda to develop all stakeholders at the same time to ensure that there is a perfect harmony between all actors of the public and civil institutions.
All projects should fundamentally collect and analyse research data and feedback information from development achievements in order to foster an appropriated, flexible and participatory performance of the never-ending “Oriented Development Policy Making” process on project level and subsequently animating sharing of knowledge with other projects and institutions, inviting expertise and assistance from line universities.
Consequently, when this whole process is centralised and assimilated in the Management Information System (MIS) on Regional Planning level the central “Oriented Development Policy Making” system is well established, swift and prosperous.
This paper is materialized after the requests from local inhabitants, expressing that they are seeking desperately for economic support and technical assistance, as they desire to improve their knowledge and livelihood conditions.
At the same time, it is obvious that the natural habitat balance throughout this region is seriously disturbed and is in a state of peril, while so much positives’ can be done to validate this extraordinary area as it has so many potentials for economical development.
On one hand, it is apparent that in this area, development aid has not yet established its determined standing that is justified in relation to the overall needs while on the other hand, the population is very much perceptive, eager and open-minded to improve their livelihood conditions like anyone else in the world. The people and the authorities are very much aware of their state of affairs and are clearly willing to develop themselves but economical resources and technical assistance is their limiting factor at this moment.
The spirit of this document is aiming for opening frontiers, dialogues, debates and negotiations between donors and government, which optimistically will result into fruitful projects to support this region.
Introduction
It is a common reality for Bangladesh, as an overpopulated country, that homeless and landless families are drifting to areas with better opportunities. Apart from people migrating to urban areas others are seeking elsewhere, were there is open space, claiming land in the coastal and in the mountainous areas of Bangladesh. This is a phenomenon, worrying the Government and need to be carefully guided to dominate this situation. It occurs that also this observable fact, apart from other trends as a whole, is playing a considerable role in the ‘Hill Tracts’ region. This report tries to highlight different components that are related to the existing situation in this region that need prior attention to support the governmental and civil institutions allowing dealing with the actuality and finding appropriated solutions.
This report endeavours also to orient, to a certain extend, on sector developments and micro-projects activities, which preferably should be part of an ‘Overall Development Strategy’ that is centrally coordinated. This, instead of isolated ad hoc activities that will most probably miss the context of a positive overall and long term impact on social economical development that is in harmony with land-use and natural-resource management issues.
The main objective of this report is to invite the government and international donors to proceed with this kicked off pre-identification process through a joined venture investigation on a professional level to study the situation of the ‘Hill Tracks’ that may result ideally in an “Overall Integrated Regional Development Programme”.
Summary
The opinion of this report is that the Natural Environment in the region of the ‘Hill Tracts’ is in serious peril where a multitude of factors that are encompassed with mainstreams also happening elsewhere in the world; overpopulation with respect to the land capacity, drifting of population searching for family wellbeing, cultural and political implications, high incidence of poverty, infiltration of bandits from abroad, the degradation of the environment caused by unawareness of land use practices, inappropriate agricultural habits, mismanagement of natural resources and the lack of capital.
At eyesight, it appears that there is a need for special prepared expertises to handle the all-round state of affairs with competence and confidence as the situation learns that there is locally not enough specific specialised and experienced knowledge at hand, as result of many influences that are interacting, such as the constant rotation of governmental officials, the lack of appropriate logistics, the lack of research and the lack of awareness in general.
Further there is the evidence of a vacuity in social and economic development (Statistical Yearbook of Bangladesh; by BBS) that is influenced by a multitude of factors like: the under explored capacity of oriented policy making and of enforcement of law with regard to the implementation of universal land-use and environmental conservation regulations, security, the poor standards of knowledge of the rural population due to the lack of education that reflects on impropriated land use management, lack of development support to enhance talents of how to live in harmony and serenity with the nature, lack of infrastructures for communication and transport, lack of supporting services for information, advisory and extension, shortage of vocational training facilities, the lack of credit facilities to stimulate private initiatives and last but not least the not enough resources to be effective in field operations at all line agency levels.
The actuality learns that we are facing an alarming situation and if nothing is undertaken to stop the process of ongoing deterioration of the overall environmental dimensions, the country looses not only an unique national heritage monument but worse of all the livelihood conditions of the entire population in this region will become harsh, and this is the core reason of presenting this paper.
To achieve a satisfactory solution for the complexity of interacting elements playing an important role in this particular region before it will become a ‘hot spot’, a support from international development aid can notably be welcome to this crucial situation and could be considered as urgent and vital.
In addition, this paper has come to some basic findings that may be useful as orientation indicators to articulate a professional guided field mission for the ‘Hill Tracks’.
1. Findings of the field visit
The data presented in the “Statistical Yearbook of Bangladesh” confirm that this area as a whole is far behind on any sector development in comparison with the rest of the country (even in the domains of education and health), and therefore many aspects needs attention. Logically there are immediate urgencies; high priorities above the lesser exigencies that can be categorised but it need a profound and objective investigation at first. As far as this mission can reach, three main themes can be described to be important for a profound investigation to scrutinize their nature of performance, allowing developing a precise understanding of the key elements and in consequence enabling defining a coherent methodology.
The three principle subject matters that appear to the surface are:
a) The ill environmental situation is seen as the crucial and alarming factor that needs to be cured urgently as the livelihood conditions of the local population and the economy of the entire region are highly depended on the resources from the countryside.
b) The capacity of Oriented Development Policy Making and the support of a proper execution of law and regulations routine in particularly concerning appropriated Land Occupation, Land Use and Natural Resource management and implementation issues, needs strengthening.
c) The lack of awareness, knowledge, facilities and capital has serious negative impacts with regard to how the urban and rural population is making wrong use of the land capacity and even making serious abuse of the natural resources.
Therefore, it is of utmost importance to enhance the basic understanding of the total of interrelated rules of settings in relation to governance and behaviour of the local multi-cultural population, permitting to establish a harmonious mechanism for socio-economical development and environmental protection, and these parallels need clearly support in orientation and investment.
Note: There is the issue of security in the area that has not been explored by the experts, as it is not in their competence to give an analysis or an opinion of this situation.
1.1 Focal points:
1. The total picture of the “Hill Tracts” is composed out of a wide range of aspects in which human, cultural, historic, economic, ethnologic, ecologic, geomorphologic, topographic, climatic and agricultural settings are interacting. These local dimensions are one by one, for many reasons typical but then different and even unique in comparison to the rest of the country and need therefore special comprehension and attention in order to dominate the situation appropriately. Not only the appreciation and the capacity of how to live in harmony and in synergy with all these specific conditions are poorly explored but the situation is also noticeably influenced by the fact that there are hardly any proper investments undertaken as result of the lack of capital.
2. To serve the entire process of dealing with the actual local situation in a proper manner, it is essential to profound the understanding of the mechanisms of all these forces that are mentioned above in order to share knowledge and raise comprehension and intuition of responsibility at all stakeholders level.
A three-step approach can be identified to develop this mechanism, notably: - by learning; through observation, investigation, fact-finding and analysing; - by reporting; through publication of documentations, handouts, didactic and audiovisual materials; - and by teaching; through awareness raising and dissemination of information in general.
To support this engine, it is wise to engage assistance of high-qualified specialists and institutions like universities, collecting, washing and analysing data through assessments and case studies, getting supporting feedback through participatory monitoring & research, etc. Speeding-up the process of rapid decision making and of maximizing saver judgments can be achieved through assessing various options by comparing experiences made abroad during study-tours to areas with similar conditions.
Furthermore, the process of the sharing of information and of responsibility among all members of the society is conditional; this can be achieved through means of participatory discussions and decisions making during workshops.
To propagate dissemination of knowledge, special attention can be given to the domains of thematic appropriated vocational-, school-, radio- and TV- programmes, further to focused group discussions during village-committee or career-association meetings, and to strengthen information services for all kind of occupation sectors and implementing special training programmes focused on TOT and village leaders.
3. As a whole, as we are dealing with a complex and precious, but vulnerable scenario, it is advisable for the entire wellbeing and for the degree of achievements toward a successful integrated regional development that any progress activity will be better-off when centrally coordinated and professionally monitored by independent institutes like universities, as part of a transparent and well oriented “Overall Regional Strategy Plan” that is supported by all stakeholders of the public and civil institutions instead of undertaking informal, hectic, isolated, disconnected or ad hoc development activities.
4. Therefore a healthy matrimony between the public and civil sectors, focusing on a vivid participatory approach, aiming for a solid organizational- and cooperative- strategy within the development policy encompassed with transparency and mutual understanding serving the bilateral goals in the society, is the basis to enhance fixity of purpose, efficiency, quality, flexibility in making compromises, sustainability and accomplishment within the entire regional development process.
5. While updating modern governance and management style performances, it is important to strengthen the entire organisation within the institutional framework of interacting workforces, each with their distinct agendas, from District Steering Committee level all the way down to Village Development Committee level, Enterprise or Business-branch Association level, from designing level to implementing level, ensuring open dialogue and feedback through a vivid two-way communication flow and an optimal performance of the enterprise spirit.
6. Consequently, in view of complementing the multitalented disciplines related to oriented policymaking, planning, steering and reviewing encompassed with watching over rules and regulations, it is important to also upgrade the permanent workforces of the line agencies, their equipments, logistics, routines (e.g. tasks for Forest and Natural-Park rangers) and their methodology and ideally including a key-role for Universities and the component of participatory Monitoring & Research to this institutional ‘engine’; temporary support of external technical assistance may be convenient to orient and to streamline the process.
7. Within the philosophy that this document is following, it is advisable that there is a clear acceptance of dividing responsibilities and tasks: governance and implementation must operate separately from each other as each contest need an independent arbiter to ensure that the process is optimal performed. Within this light, each sector has its own precise expertises and disciplines; Policy making, (participatory) Planning, Monitoring and Evaluation, keeping Law and Order are notably responsibilities of the government and implementation of activities are consequently tasks for the independent private sectors. This is the concept of routine and order within the ‘institutional cycle management’ schedule to assure optimum performance of control over quality and fixity of purpose, costs and results, efficiency and productivity, flexibility and competence, sharing and improving of knowledge in function to optimize the objectives of a sustainable development and at the same time it also boosts the activities and spreads the economy in advantage to every body’s wellbeing.
8. In addition to this global concept, it is essential to improve the dynamic of the entire development process by upgrading the performances of the local urban and rural societies who can be considered as the implementing forces at the basis within the institutional framework design. It is therefore thoughtful to invest in sector wise appropriated technical education programmes for adults that are encompassed with, to a high standard, the raising of a universal awareness attitude, for understanding and respecting the total environment scenario of which livelihood and nature are the principal key elements that can only survive when functioning in synergy.
9. To encourage the emancipation process and the participation of the civil society within the framework of development it is important to strengthen the capacity and role of the Information Services, Vocational Training Services and Credit Services encompassed with extension, advisory, publication and dissemination of information and training manuals that is also accessible for the illiterates and for those who like to educate themselves privately. In this light it will be very positive when private training schools will emerge that can take advantage of central developed teaching materials by stimulating the private initiative in participating in the education sector.
10. The communication networks in this region are not well developed and of poor quality because of the vast and mountainous surroundings what makes it difficult and expensive. Subsequently, the people living in the rural area are very much isolated as there are hardly any transport facilities, no electricity and telecommunication amenities, even mobile phones cannot function here and because of a poor-attendance of commercial, banking and public services such as post offices, schools, hospitals and police stations to ensure protection and enforcement of law. This is one of the principal factors that influences directly the livelihood conditions in this area and makes that the development is far behind to national standards (Statistical Yearbook of Bangladesh; by BBS). Solutions to this difficult situation can be searched in the advantage of making use of mobile clinics, mobile governmental service-units and mobile shops and banks. In addition, the introduction of the solar-energy technology to this area can have a remarkable and rapid impact on social and economical activities and it can be an outcome for telecommunications purposes, improving trade and security status (police communications) and saver travelling (tourism).
11. The reality learns that the entire agricultural sector needs reorientation and renewal. With the nowadays conditions due to the increase of the population, shifting cultivation cannot be sustainable anymore and permanent associated farming ecosystems have to be enforced. Nowadays without permanent agriculture, there is no possibility of a stable social order. As result, permanent farming habits consisting soil conservation and land use management practices, know-how of irrigation, tillage practices, mechanisation, integrated pest management (IPM), agricultural production associated with animal husbandry need to be taught to all inhabitants and this is a major challenge, while changing an adult’s lifestyle is extremely difficult. It may be necessary to make use of vocational training centres for TOT and village animators, experimental ‘Pilot-projects’ and participatory On-Farm Research & Training programmes including participatory monitoring and evaluation exercises on community development basis to boost the process of ‘learning by doing’. There can also be made advantage of the positive effect, learned from other cases over the world, which is that children are teaching their own parents of what they have learned at school what can be imaginable if a good practical education programme for rural schools is introduced to the system.
Complete new techniques need to be introduced and developed which are also very costly and labour intensive like terracing and constructing complementary irrigation systems that are based on soil and landscape classification features and on land allocation and ownership documentations. The whole system is so big and so complex that it will need major efforts and a flexible credit policy may come handy as it is proven that when beneficiaries share in the costs of implementation, sustainability and continuity in development acts become more evident. It would be imaginable to invite the support of the universities in preparing a ‘Permanent agriculture’ (Permaculture ) design for this area and to assist in supervising the implementation phase.
However, if this entire and complex exercise of establishing permanent farming ecosystems are functioning according to the law and rules of nature, this landscape can bare the numerous inhabitants in a sustainable manner and that can be seen as a great achievement of governance in an overpopulated nation.
12. In addition to primary livelihood development, it is important to spread income sources to other commodity sectors instead of improving unilaterally only agricultural production. As it is shown in the reality that the amount of people living in the same area cannot continue to profit from the scarce land resources when every family their sons and daughters can only become farmers. It is also safer for the economical system to diverge money-generation over a larger spectrum of activities like transforming, conserving and recycling agricultural products into durable and transportable merchandises (e.g. silk and other retail industries), upgrading their values and diversity of goods, improving resistance to price fluctuations while keeping on track with the demand of the market. Investing in development toward spreading of diversity of products within the vast market system is providing security to livelihood and reducing of risks for the vulnerable local economy. It is also better for the national economy and peace to create locally new job opportunities what can prevent migration problems with all the disturbing consequences.
13. To lift the level of livelihood in the region it is important to strengthen the existing and to create new Income Generating Activities through encouraging the developments of Cottage Industries, Small and Medium Enterprises, introducing and enforcing the use of alternative resources of Non-Timber Forest Products, investing in post-harvest processing and recycling technologies and explore the possibilities of solar energy what can be a relief for this remote area. Obviously, the entire rural area can profit from the intensification of the network of itinerant private services of trade in commodity and local production goods.
14. It would be advisable to setup locally a multifaceted vocational training programme for adults, reinforcing a chain of practical training schools that are focused on relocating unemployed or unskilled people and on those who like to change profession. This kind of vocational training centres should be appropriated to the urban and rural expertise demands, focused on a consistent regional economical development of the intermediary commodity and service sectors, spreading and supporting the development of small and medium enterprises and hence mobilizing the regional development potencies.
Such a vocational training programme should put emphasis to alternative and new developments in order to renovate old technologies and to stay ahead in advancements. At the same time, it should answer to local and global challenges with regard to spreading of the economy, energy and environment, focussing on possibilities such as in solar energy and alternative raw materials for the construction and the furniture industries.
15. Appropriated children education programmes are to be developed that are very much practical oriented on local livelihood conditions for urban and rural surroundings including new agricultural practices for rural schools. Emphasis must be put to cultural, social and environmental awareness to enhance integration, emancipation, understanding and mutual respect as a remedy against mischief and misguidance in general, stimulating a social control and solidarity senses.
The introduction of School-gardens are of great value, where children can practice and learn, ideally according to Permaculture principles , about crop growing, about new varieties or even new vegetables, new tillage techniques, Integrated Pest Management (IPM), recycling of garden and kitchen waist into compost, house hygiene and sanitation, etc. Also by complementing small animal production activities to the rural school-gardens, improving the notion of associated farming, these practical training units may generate funds for the individual schools by selling their products, permitting paying their teacher’s allowances or didactic materials and miscellaneous.
Then there is the great opportunity of making advantage of the influence that children can have on their parents as they teach at home of what they have been learning at school, as it is shown in many occasions that the children have better influence on their parent’s behaviour than many adult training programmes can.
On the other hand however, there are not enough schools and classes for the rural children yet and not enough teachers. In addition to the reality; to be a teacher in a rural village, one has to sacrifice wellbeing and the convenience encompassed with the lifestyle of developed places, logically it can be understood as it is a hardship working in these remote areas were there are no facilities such as proper housing or even safe water apart from distraction as there is even no electricity nor telephone. One cannot expect from young teachers to live in such difficult conditions without compensation. In answer to such a situation, several countries of South America have the policy that all students who completed their studies in any profession will conditionally serve first two years in underdeveloped areas (compulsory) before they may build up their career according to their conveniences. As this rule is for everybody the same it does not appear as discriminatory anymore to work in rural areas, it becomes a mission equal for everybody to serve their nation. Other solutions may be investigated such as hardship allowances or directly training volunteers from the villages through intensive pedagogic tuition courses as an intermediary solution.
To improve a rural education programme and to support so-called training volunteers in their teaching performances, nation-wide special-school-TV classes can be introduced as a complementing medium to assure a certain standard for under equipped schools.
Briefly and to the point; the present-day situation learns that it is evident that the rural children of the Hill Tracts are refrained from proper education and that their school results are way below national standards (Statistical Yearbook of Bangladesh; by BBS) and therefore these children have no equal chances in self-development yet.
16. As the whole area is behind on any development, healthcare also is not fully optimised, as there are no hospitals, clinics, private doctors or pharmacies spread over the rural area. There occur far more disease cases than to regular national standards (Statistical Yearbook of Bangladesh; by BBS). The same reasons and the same proposed solutions described for education (Point:15) are true for healthcare. People do not have money to buy mosquito nets while malaria is a huge problem and there is no medication on the spot. Dysentery and Typhoid are spread all over the region and are a serious problem for the inhabitants due to the fact that potable water points are scarce and because of the lack of awareness related to hygiene and sanitation. Mobile clinics with laboratory outfits may have grate potentials to a steady amelioration in obtaining the national healthcare objectives, but still there is the obstacle that the inhabitants have very few money while they live in a subsistence, struggle for life, pattern. Moreover, the number of orphan children is seriously high.
17. Providentially, there exist new domains for a promising economical development that can be explored as this region has exceptional potentials that are hardly investigated or not yet discovered.
The magical factor of this lucrative economical development phenomenon is the unique and magnificent landscape with its vegetation classified as evergreen virgin tropical rain forest. Evidently, this precious scenario with its human and cultural aspects has to be cherished with utmost care.
To govern this unique and outstanding area it needs serene and wise management virtues as the vulnerable environment is on a balance that can go to the prosperous direction or to the bad side. In order to achieve the merit to managing this entire sanctuary of what may become a national monument needs specialised and superior level of expertise in all disciplines, which is determinant and crucial to the process. In order not to invent the wheel again and to be to the purpose, it is advisable to search assistance and import experiences from abroad but also from the national Universities to support the evolution process this area is going through and navigating it to a save future. Apart from the general disciplines covered by relevant line agencies, special attention is needed toward the particular and outstanding characteristics that are distinct to this region.
Among the key elements that need attention can be found in the fields of ethnology, cultural awareness, community development, land-use planning and management, land classification, land allocation and ownership settlement, agricultural tillage practices, changing shifting cultivation practices into permanent associated farming ecosystems, soil and water conservation (erosion control, terracing), water harvesting for complementary irrigation, overall supporting research, Watershed Management, Natural-Park Management, rehabilitation and sustainable-use of natural-resources, conservation of bio-diversity, Urbanisation Management, potable water & sanitation and sewerage management, etc. Finally yet importantly; Tourism and in particularly Eco-Tourism with all its facets can be the miracle medicine to prosperity of this entire region from which all strata of the society can profit from.
18. Especially, as mentioned above (Point:17), Eco-Tourism can offer, to all levels of the society, a great delight, even from the low-budget holidaymakers to the villagers of the remote areas (poor people support poor people) who can benefit from the very flexible and wide diversified activities that are encompassed within this vast industry.
All kind of different branches and aspects that are related to tourism need to be investigated and developed under supervision of the government to ensure discipline and order.
Related topics are: wildlife observation, wildlife and ecology vacation courses, school journeys, instructional tours, vacation camps, landscape-painting courses, health therapy and relaxation centres, botanical gardens, safaris, boat trips, tracker rally sport, arranged footpaths network from village to village and from district to district with overnight facilities, mountain cycling, lake windsurfing, waterskiing, river canoeing, wild-water rafting, swimming, paragliding, sport fishing, as well as cultural dance, sport, art and music events, etc. and consequently all transporters, shops, restaurants, hotels, resorts, inns, private house room-rentals, handicraft, agriculture etc. will profit along.
2. Background information
2.1 Location
The area, appealing for technical and economical support for animating an appropriated integrated regional development process, is located in the “Hill Tracts” of Bangladesh, as the inhabitants themselves cannot solve alone their problems.
The “Hill Tracts” are located on the southeast border with Myanmar and it is mentioned that there are infiltrations of bandits, coming from Myanmar, making the area unsafe. This unpleasant situation is perhaps one of the reasons that one can witness that development aid is not optimised in this area. It is also true that this region is difficult to access because of its topographical characteristics and that it is inhabited by completely different ethnological tribes with a different lifestyle, culture and religion.
2.2 Current development status
The local development dynamic in this region is slow and behind on the national drift (Statistical Yearbook of Bangladesh; by BBS). An important number of the local population of the ‘Hill Tracts’ area is refrained from proper education and skill training making that they are being switched off from catching along with new development trends and therefore have unfair chances on the labour market.
Acts in development are accentuated by erroneous ventures from the urban and rural societies due to many reasons. In relation to this, one may even observe as if it were lawless incidents that are taking place with regard to Land Use Management, Environmental Protection, Land Occupation and use of Natural Resources. but it is mainly due to the lack of awareness and capital, and sometimes the need of more enthusiasm and commitment.
Recently there are a number of development aid projects operating in this region but the overall given support is still shy with regards to the overall needs.
2.3 Relevant countryside background
2.3.1 Physical characteristics
There are 3 districts covering the ‘Hill Tracts’ namely Banderban, Khagrachhari and Rangamati and they form part of the Chittagong Division, demarcating a remote area with a mountainous topography in contrast to the rest of the country which is mainly part of a lowland plain river-delta system.
2.3.2 Soils and land use management
The soils of this region are dominated by brown sandy loams and clay loams in the basins or valleys. The soils are slightly to strongly acid and therefore classified as poor soils for agricultural production. Most soils are shallow over “shaley” or sandstone bedrocks, while the topography is classified as ‘very steep slopes on high hills’ and therefore very sensitive to erosion (FAO Classification).
The mountainous terrain of the three districts limits the land for intensive agricultural production and it is only in the valleys were rice can grow. It is estimated that only some seven percent of the land can be planted with lowland crops and there is hardly any water control management developed as for instance infrastructures of complementary irrigation with all other kind of related activities like associated rice-aquaculture production. There is no notion of land use management in relation to stabilise this hilly landscape into sustainable permanent agricultural ecosystems with practices like terracing and other soil conservation measures.
2.3.3 Vegetation
The area is officially classified under the primary evergreen rainforest, but this vegetation pattern is actually changing into secondary forest as result of shifting cultivation practices using shorter and shorter cycles, not leaving the area in the necessary fallow period of at least 15 years. The diminishing of the primeval forest is also accelerated due to serious immoral logging practices and due to uncontrolled bushfires for land clearing purposes. Here is an accumulating destruction process taking place, caused by the fact that the area is getting more and more populated, without any professional planning, control, navigation or guidance that is inherent to global conscious development and environmental protection standards.
Valleys are mainly cultivated with paddy-rice while the cleared hillsides are cultivated with upland rice during the monsoon season and other food crops are grown on the slopes of the riverbeds. There is some reforestation practiced in terms of rubber plantations and fast growing timber species that are not indigenous, further the secondary forest is over-covered with bamboo varieties, choking up the natural biodiversity, changing the vegetation in a poor landscape.
This biodiversity is of such an importance for modern science that it must be protected from destruction; once it has disappeared, it can never be restalled. Using the hard timber for making furniture is supporting a very short-term economical venture where the father will be rich undoubtfully leaving his son poor.
2.3.4 Climate and weather
The area lies within the South-central Asian monsoon system. Rainfall is greatest during the summer months between June and October when the temperatures are the highest (around 32 and 33ºC) and the annual rainfall is approximately in the order of 2700 mm (average over 10 years). The weather is cooler and dryer during the period between Decembers to March.
2.3.5 Ecosystem, density of population and land capacity
In the not far past this area was covered with a dens tropical rainforest vegetation, providing perfect harmony between climate and topography and where watersheds were in equilibrium with natural forces.
The soil mechanisms were in perfect symbiosis with the vegetation and protected from erosion and solar radiation due to the permanent vegetation cover, providing in exchange nutrients to the flora ensuring a perfect microclimate in the area. Even the agricultural ecosystem practiced known as shifting cultivation reached an acceptable balance as the recess periods were more than fifteen years and did not harm at that stage the natural ecosystem as it had enough time to recover.
Due to the expansion of the density of the population in the area, the pressure on the increased need for food production and need for other commodities, like energy and materials for construction, has a serious impact on the biosphere and is reaching in an alarming phase.
The actual balance of the natural habitat is disturbed by the fact that more and more people are claiming more land and sadly enough by destructive land use practices performed out of ignorance. As result, the overall ecological system is in serious competition with erroneous human conduct, brought out of its equilibrium and cannot restore a new sustainable balance if these destructive performances of land use mismanagement are not altered. Moreover, there is a category of business minded persons who are neatly robbing the treasures of the forest for only blind benefit, cutting down all precious hardwood species without any forest management principles. One can witness everywhere the demolishing acts on the virgin forest, consequently igniting a chain reaction of enormous erosion forces causing serious sedimentation disorders in the rivers and in the lakes, destroying the entire area and leaving the future generation in disaster.
Actually, the overpopulation in respect to the local ecosystem and land capacity is not only due to the increase of birth but also due to a migration process. As a matter of fact, this landscape can support more population but only if an appropriated sustainable permanent agricultural ecosystem is carefully developed, properly implemented and respected by all stakeholders.
However, as how things are going on at this moment in a way of an optimistic ‘laisser faire’ attitude, this landscape can certainly not support more inhabitants. It is up to decision-making level but conditionally, with or even without more inhabitants, the respect for natural law mechanisms has to prevail.
2.3.6 Demography
The Population Census of 1991 learns that the Hill Tracts has a mixed cultural society and it has a most colorful incidence of religions of which some 45% are Buddhist, 43% are Muslim, nearly 11% are Hindu and less than 1% are Christian who are linked to each other, with a total population of 1.042.373 and an average household size of 5.2 while 5.6 is the national average.
2.3.7 Economic activities
In a city like Banderban, actually a peaceful little town with hardly any traffic but rickshaws and baby taxies, almost everything is available and there are all kind of social and economic developments going on, on a peaceable low profile basis. Government offices close at 04:00 PM and consequently the electricity is cut-off for the whole city, coming back when it gets dark.
There exist many small enterprises and among them transforming also hardwood timber into luxury furniture. Telephone communications are poor and like all other activities that need to be fuelled with electricity are paralysed from 04:00 PM until nightfall.
The villages in the rural areas have no electricity or running water and there are no signs of catching up with modern development trends. Road connections for four-wheel vehicles are scarce and are poorly maintained. Many villages are far and isolated as public transport is inadequate and many villages can only be reached by foot or by the river. There are no telephone connections at all even mobile phone systems are not active.
In the valleys is rain fed crop production practiced, mainly rice and the yields are low while the soils are poor and there is the lack of water management capacity permitting to practice complementary irrigation when necessary to safeguard yields.
Development has hardly taken place in this area except from in the capital towns and the indigenous population has continued to live their traditional cultural lifestyle and habits based on Buddhism. Nowadays there is the reality that because of land shortage all over the nation, families from outside this region are migrating also to the ‘Hill Tracks’ districts and are claiming land for settlement, introducing other lifestyles and practises sometimes in disturbance with the traditional order and balance of this ecological system.
2.3.8 Access to education and healthcare
The countryside is so remote that many villages have even never had contact with or from the outside world and it is hard for outsiders, in particularly young teachers, grownup in the developed world, to live in such places as a consequence of their mission. Infect even if there are well-constructed school buildings, teachers are many times, preferring to overnight in town, not attending their school class-time-tables. Actually, there are not enough teachers for all the existing classes and many villages even do not have a school. All together, it makes that the rural children have very poor educational level, also because of the fact that they do not have the appropriated school equipments, didactic schoolbooks, notebooks or other stationeries because they cannot afford it as they are too poor and do not have sufficient development cooperation yet to improve their status of becoming self-supporting.
This story is identical if not more problematic for the healthcare sector, while access to medication is simply insufficient.
Hygiene and sanitation are problematic and there are many cases of dysentery. As the inhabitants of the villages are very poor, their house constructions are basic and most of the houses are badly covered, mostly with thatch what is a problem for protecting rainwater penetrating into the houses during the monsoons when many illnesses occurs.
There are very few potable water points, such as ring-wells or deepwater boreholes, equipped with hand-pumps and therefore safe water is a serious problem. People have to walk far distances to collect clean water and in many cases, they use water from small streams, rivers or ponds instead, but this water is not safe and is easily contaminated, taking in account the bad sanitation habits of going into the nature or using latrines with open cesspits.
There are many cases of malaria in the rural areas, as people have no money to buy mosquito nets, sleeping unprotected on a mat on the floor and as it is very hard to find medication.
3. Recommendations
It is clear that there is a significant need and hunger for technical and economical assistance. An injection from foreign aid seems to have great potentials for this hinterland to give a booster to changing the passive mood and restoring the balance with regard to the national development trend. It may be wrong but it gives the impression as if this part of the country is isolated from development due to the fact that there are robbers operating from abroad, then one may wonder why not improve the security at the borders instead of closing this area from the country.
The message of this report is that this area has great virtues for a splendid future for all levels of its society but it needs a lubrication of the development engine.
3.1 Suggestion for a Review and Identification mission
The opinion of this paper is that a bilateral or multilateral supported joint venture enterprise, through the intervention of an independent ‘Review’ mission, will be a most desirable outcome to scrutinize the real time situation that preferably will be followed up by an ‘Identification’ mission.
As it is to the view of this paper a matter to develop all interrelated sectors at the same time in order to become affective.
With the spirit of accumulated wisdom gathered during the a ‘Review’ mission it would be most effective to formulate simultaneously the Terms of References for an eventual follow-up Identification mission for a plausible overall “Integrated Development Plan”
3.2 Proposal for intermediary solution
However, in the meanwhile, ideally, an oriented Regional Development Programme is formulated; it is highly important that small donor-investments can start up Micro Pilot-Project Developments.
Preferably, these Micro-Projects, in whatsoever kind of domain they may be operative, should not be focused only on one sector development but also on common interests including awareness towards respecting the conservation of the environment that is related to the project’s nature of activities.
Accordingly, such Pilot-Projects should be most effective when their activity projections are functioning as study-objects while taking part in a participatory research and learning by doing process and in an information-sharing scheme that is co-managed by e.g. the line Universities. These study-projects should be considered as an important and vital component to get to know real-time information in all kind of domains that is needed to enhance appropriated development strategies.
3.3 Proposed course of intervention
The key to sustainable economical development is to encourage and to empower the private sector while the overall planning and respecting of laws and regulations are carefully watched over by the local authorities. This is a lesson learned from the political evolution throughout the world, it is why for instance communism has failed and it is why many countries of Africa are struggling as their governments maintain too much power to them selves, discouraging the process of emancipation, economical development, autonomy and ultimately peace for their nation.
To the point of view of this paper, it is advisable to follow a global integrated development model where probably a multilateral donor support is centrally coordinated and calibrated, each focussing on their role within the institutional agenda to develop all stakeholders at the same time to ensure that there is a perfect harmony between all actors of the public and civil institutions.
All projects should fundamentally collect and analyse research data and feedback information from development achievements in order to foster an appropriated, flexible and participatory performance of the never-ending “Oriented Development Policy Making” process on project level and subsequently animating sharing of knowledge with other projects and institutions, inviting expertise and assistance from line universities.
Consequently, when this whole process is centralised and assimilated in the Management Information System (MIS) on Regional Planning level the central “Oriented Development Policy Making” system is well established, swift and prosperous.
: The End :
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