A Socio-Economic Survey at Some Islands Adjacent to Lampi Marine National Park

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2 A Socio-Economic Survey at Some Islands Adjacent to Lampi Marine National Park Tint Tun and Aung Myint Oo Biodiversity and Nature Conservation Association (BANCA) Biodiversity and Nature Conservation Association (BANCA) Europe Conservation Switzerland (ECoSwiss) May, 2008

3 1 Introduction Lampi Island is an island of Myeik Archipelago in southern Myanmar. The island is also known as Kyunn Tann Shey. Lampi Island was officially designated as Marine National Park on the 27 th. February, 1996 and coral reefs, mouse deer and Salone ethnic culture are key protection. Salone is an ethnic group of Myanmar and they are also known as Moken or Sea Gypsies. Ma Kyone Galet and War Kyuun are famous villages in that Park area. A preliminary socioeconomic interview survey was conducted at Nyaung Wee, Ma Kyone Galet, Ko Phawt, Salat Galat and War Kyuun villages of Bok Pyin and Kawthoung Townships from 17 to 27 March MYANMAR Lampi Island Bok Pyin Kawthoung Bay of Bengal THAILAND Figure 1. Map showing the Lampi Island. Figure 2. Lampi Island.

4 2 Nyaung Wee Village Lampi Island Aung Ba vilage Nyaung Wee Island Nyaung Wee Village Kawthoung Bay of Bengal Figure 3. Map showing the location of Nyaung Wee village. Figure 4. Nyaung Wee village. 1. Village - Nyaung Wee 2. Location - N 10º29.617', E 098º14.344' 3. Island - Nyaung Wee Island. The village is situated near the south-east corner of the island facing mainland and Aung Ba in the east. 4. House - 27 (made of bamboo, wood, thatch and corrugated iron) 5. Household Population Male (55), Adult/Children (36/19)

5 3 Female (61), Adult/Children (40/21) 7. Races - Native Salone 65 (Other) Myanmar, Dawei, Rakhine, Kayin Religion Buddhist 35, Nat 80 (1 Witch Doctor), Christian 1 No religious buildings. 9. Business - Fishery (squid and sea cucumber) is the main 10. Government - business. Motorized boats and Salone dug-out canoes have been used in fishing. Three stores cum cafe are also opened at the village. Sea cucumber fishermen from Ayeyarwady delta area use the village as their temporary station. Salone also goes squid fishing not only in their village water but also in other areas. They go to such area by trailing behind a motorized boat (Figure 4 & 5). They must sell their squid to the boat owner as the owner provide food and drink to them during their fishing. Nil. (a villager has been assigned temporarily as a Agencies village leader man) 11. School - Nil. 12. Health care - No Clinic at the village but a person who moved from 13. Fuel wood - other area has some health and medicine knowledge and he takes care of the villagers. Some medicine can be bought from the shops at the village. Locally available woods and home-made charcoals 14. Fresh water - are used as fuel. A small dam is constructed at a stream about 1 miles 15. Transportation - west away from the village. A villager sells water at 500 Kyats (about 0.5 US Dollars)/50-gallon barrel and it is supplied by water pump. Access only by boats. No regular passenger ferry to 16. Remarks - and from other places. Ma Kyone Galet, Aung Ba and Kawthoung are the most contact places for business. Nyaung Wee is known as a Salon village. Income

6 4 covers just their expenses. However, there is a marine-product-purchasing depot and owner of the depot has good income. He sells his goods in Kawthoung occasionally. Villagers also collect sea urchin eggs, rock oysters, sea shells and sand worms for their food. They do not sell forest products. But, it was learnt that some peoples from Aung Ba village which is situated near main land in the east came and fell trees with chain-saw for trading purpose. Another temporary fishing camp is situated on the south-west coast of the Island and it is more shelter and busy than Nyaung Wee village with many various kinds of artisinal fishing boats for overnight stop, freshwater, refreshment, food and things. Figure 5. Some seacucumbers being sun out at Nyaung Wee Island. Figure 6. Heading towards a squid fishing ground. Figure 7. Fishing boats anchored and stranded at the Nyang Wee Island temporary fishing camp. They will go to Kawthoung when the tide floods again.

7 5 Ma Kyone Galet Village Lampi Island Makyone Galet village Bo Cho Island Aung Ba village Kawthoung Bay of Bengal Figure 8. Map showing the location of Ma Kyone Galet village. Figure 9. Ma Kyone Galet village. 1. Village - Ma Kyone Galet 2. Location - N 10º41.001', E 098º15.539' 3. Island - Bo Cho Island. The village is situated at the northern part of the island in the passage between Lampi and Bo Cho islands facing Lampi island in north. 4. House - 88 (made of bamboo, wood, thatch and corrugated iron) 5. Household - 88

8 6 (Salone 32, Myanmar 25, Salone/Myanmar 31) 6. Population Male (139), Adult/Children (80/59) Female (156), Adult/Children (90/66) 7. Races - Native Salone 50% (Other) Myanmar, Dawei, Rakhine and Kayin 50% 8. Religion Buddhist 294, Christian 1 Monastery 1, Pagoda 1 Salone also built Buddhist shrine at their home. 9. Business - Fishery (fish, squid, sea cucumber and crab) is the main business. 43 motorized artisinal fishing boats (individual owned 18, business men owned 25) and 35 Salone dug-out canoes have been used in fishing by the village. A total of 15 grocery, stores and cafes are also opened at the village. A workshop and a small shipyard are also opened at the village. About 22 acre horticulture farm planted some vegetables and fruits (mango, cachew, coconut, betel nut, betel leaf, banana, water crest etc.). 10. Government Agencies - Village Peace and Development Council Office (7 members) Fire brigade 1 (7 members with no fire extinguishers and fire fighting equipments) 11. School - Basic Education Post Primary School (1) Staff and Students Principal (1), Junior/Primary Assistant Teacher (2), Local Appointed Teacher (1), Labour (1), Students (112) 12. Health care - A state-run Sub Rural Health Centre is opened with a certified nurse. 13. Fuel wood - Charcoal and Fuel wood are supplied mainly from Aung Ba village. 14. Fresh water - Pump from some freshwater streams near the village

9 7 to fill in 3 storage tanks of about 400 gallon capacity. Then freshwater is supplied by gravity flow to the boats and some houses. Owners sell at 500 Kyats/50- gallon barrel. 15. Transportation - Access only by boats. Regular passenger ferry boat to Aung Ba village. Kawthoung is the main contact place for all businesses. 16. Remarks - Out of 126 under-18-years-old peoples, 112 attended the school from 1 st to 8 th. Grades. Therefore, it can be said that 89.6% of the children attend the school. New school building is constructing. Illegal logging extracted some timbers from the island in the past but nowadays there is no illegal logging. However, with an exception, some timbers have been extracted from the island for local use. Ma Kyone Galet is known as a Salone village and a busiest village in that area with fishing boats from both the village and other areas. Sea cucumber fishermen from Ayeyarwady delta area and artisinal fishermen of various fishing boats also use the village as their temporary station for stopover, freshwater, food, refreshment and things. Figure 10. Main street of the Ma Kyone Galet village. Figure 11. A passenger ferry boat (in set) to Aung Ba village is leaving Ma Kyone Galet village. (Lampi Island can be seen at background)

10 8 Ko Phawt Village Lampi Island Ko Phawt village Aung Ba village Ko Phawt Island Kawthoung Bay of Bengal Figure 12. Map showing the location of Ko Phawt village. Figure 13. Ko Phawt village. 1. Village - Ko Phawt 2. Location - N 10º51.721', E 098º11.639' 3. Island Ko Phawt Island. The village is situated on the northern bank of tidal passage between north and south islands. 4. House - 8 (made of bamboo, wood and thatch) 5. Household Population - 30 Male / Female (19/11)

11 9 7. Races - Myanmar 8. Religion - Buddhist 9. Business - Fishery (fish, squid and sea cucumber) is the main business. Hundreds of squid traps are deployed near the island using six motorized boats. Fish purchasing depot is opened by a man from Late Kyuun village (near Aung Ba). Two private owned big wooden motorized boats are used for transportation of their goods to Kawthoung town and Aung Ba village. Two cafes and one café cum store are opened at Ko Phawt village. Sea cucumber fishermen from Ayeyarwady delta area use the village as their temporarily station. 10. Government - Nil. Agencies 11. School - Nil. 12. Health care - Nil. Some medicine can be bought from the shops. 13. Fuel wood - Charcoal and locally available wood. 14. Fresh Water - Small freshwater stream on south island supplies water to the village but hard to meet the demand in a few summer months. 15. Transportation - Access only by boats. No ferry boat service. Ma Kyone Galet and Aung Ba is the most contact places for business. Kawthoung is the main business contact town with the purchasing depot. 16. Remarks - Ko Phawt is temporary fishing camp village and they closed their camp during the raining season. S Figure 14. A fishing boat anchored at the tidal passage of Ko Phawt Island.

12 10 Salet Galet Village Salat Galet village Lampi Island Aung Ba village War Ale Island Kawthoung Bay of Bengal Figure 15. Map showing the location of Salat Galet village. Figure 16. Salet Galet village. 1. Village - Salet Galet 2. Location - N 10º52.644', E 098º05.053' 3. Island - War Ale Island. The village is situated on the north coast of the Island in a passage between the War Ale and Lampi Islands facing Lampi Island in the north. 4. House - 9 (made of bamboo, wood and thatch) 5. Household Population - 39 Male 19, Adult/Children (12/7)

13 11 Female 20, Adult/Children (12/8) 7. Races Myanmar 8. Religion Buddhist 9. Business Cafe shops and fishery (squid and sea cucumber) are the main business. Small eight café shops are opened at the village and they also sell other goods and liquors. There is a purchasing depot at the village. Small scale squid and sea Cucumber fishing have been done by the villagers. Two small motorized boats are used for transportation. 10. Government Nil. Agencies 11. School - Nil. 12. Health care Nil. Some medicine can be bought from the shops. 13. Fuel wood Wood and charcoal. Mainly come from Ma Kyone Galet. 14. Fresh water A small dam was constructed at a small stream on the facing Lampi Island about one mile away from the village. Freshwater is available throughout the year. However, it can supply just enough water during the dry season. 15. Transportation Access only by boats. No passenger ferry service. Ma Kyone Galet is the main contact. 16. Remarks All villagers at Salat Galet come from Makyone Galet or Aung Ba villages or Palaw town (situated between Dawei and Myeik towns) to run their shop, usually, from November to beginning of raining season. The owner of the fishery depot lives at the village throughout the year. Many fishing vessels including offshore fishing vessels from Myeik use Salat Galet for freshwater, refreshment and taking refuge when bad weather condition as it is very good sheltered place and deep enough for any fishing boats.

14 12 War Kyuun Village Lampi Island War Kyuun village War Kyuun Island Aung Ba Kawthoung Bay of Bengal Figure 17. Map showing the location of War Kyuun village. Figure 18. War Kyuun village. 1. Village - War Kyuun 2. Location - N 10º54.722', E 098º14.919' 3. Island - War Kyuun Island. The village is situated on the west bank of the Island facing Lampi Island in the west. 4. House (mainly made of wood, brick and corrugated iron). 5. Household Population Male / Female (695 / 612)

15 13 7. Races - Myanmar 8. Religion - Buddhist Monastery 1, Pagoda Business - Fishery (Fish, Squid, Shrimp, Ice Factory, 50 Ton/Day Ice Factory and Cold Storage, Fish Processing Plant) run by a private company, Anawar Soe Co. Ltd. ) is the main business. A fish meal factory is under construction at adjacent islet. The company is trading with both Myanmar and overseas companies. A super market is opened at a concrete building by the company and many shops are opened at the village. 10. Government - Local security troop has been set up at the village. Agencies 11. School - Basic Education Post Primary School Principal (1), Junior Assistant Teacher (1), Primary Assistant Teacher (1), Local appointees: Junior Assistant Teacher (5), Local Appointees: Primary Assistant Teacher (4) Students (352) 12. Health care - A Clinic is opened at the village. 13. Fuel wood - Wood and charcoal. 24-hour electricity supply. 14. Fresh Water - A small dam is built at a small stream on the Lampi Island and freshwater is pumped up to a storage tank. It is supplied to War Kyuun village (War Kyuun Island) through an underwater pvc-pipe line by gravity flow. Freshwater is sold at the village. 15. Transportation - Access only by boats. No regular passenger ferry service. Myeik and Kawthoung towns are the main business contacts. 16. Remarks - War Kyuun village is the most modernized and populated village in that area. It is a private owned village and the Anawar Soe company s workplace in Tanintharyi division. The company owners upgraded

16 14 the village building one and two-storey family lines with brick and corrugated iron roof. They also built well furnished two-storey school and provide books to all students. There is a library at the village and a clinic for both out- and in-patients. There was a medical doctor at the clinic. A total of 116 staff run ice factory, cold storage and fish processing plants. Concrete landing site is also built at the factory. It is usually busy with many modern and artisinal fishing vessels and most of them are owned by the company. An IP Star satellite telephone line has been connected to the village. Figure 19. Anawar Soe Co. Ltd. coldstorage and fish processing factory. Figure 20. Basic Education Post Primary School at War Kyuun village. Figure 21. Mini-market at War Kyuun village. Figure 22. A street at War Kyuun village. (Library building is on the right) Figure 23. War Kyuun village.

17 15 Discussion Out of the five villages, two villages (Nyaung Wee and Ma Kyone Galet) are located in Kawthoung Township and three villages (Ko Phawt, Salet Galet and War Kyuun) are located in Bok Pyin Township. Nyaung Wee, Ma Kyone Galet and War Kyuun villages are permanent villages but Ko Phawt and Salet Galet villages are seasonal. War Kyuun and Ma Kyone Galet villages are developing with both fishery and other businesses. Lampi Island is located in Bok Pyin Township. But, villages surrounding the Lampi communicate very much more to Kawthoung than Bok Pyin for business, food, goods, fuel oil and travel. The population of each villages described are the number of villagers live at their respective villages. Many more peoples, who are not included in that population, are also going in and out the villages and fluctuation is mainly depend on their target animals, fishing gears, fishing practices, fishing grounds and catch. Figure 14. Figure showing the no. of male and female at five villages. Nyaung Wee and Ma Kyone Galet are known as Salone villages. However, peoples from other areas have come and settled at the villages. Some married with Salone girls and live at the villages. According to a villager from Nyaung Wee, more people from mainland are expected to come and settle in a few years as more fishing vessels have come to Nyaung Wee Island and business related with the vessels have grown at the island. Even the ferry boat from Aung Ba was observed at the temporary fishing

18 16 camp at Nyaung Wee Island. That camp is more expected to develop with peoples from other areas than the Nyaung Wee village as it can provide much more clear anchorage and shelter place whereas some exposed and submerged rocks are situated in open water in front of the Nyaung Wee village. More peoples are also coming to the Ma Kyone Galet. Peoples annexed the village by building some houses on the east coast of the Bo Cho Island just a few minutes walk through a low ridge from the main village. Some villagers lived on the east coast burnt their surroundings where freshwater stream is flowing and do horticulture. A culturist uses pump to water his betel leaf plantation proved good freshwater supply there. Ma Kyone Galet, Salet Galet and War Kyuun villages are long time well known places among the fishermen for very good shelter in bad weather and freshwater source. However, surroundings of two freshwater sources at Ma Kyone Galet village are dirty with left over oil bottles and spilled oil. A villager said that, at least two or three children are dead every year because of the not-clean water, Many left-over packaging materials are also found near public bathing places. Figure 25. A freshwater source at Ma Kyone Galet village. Figure 26. A freshwater source at Ma Kyone Galet village. Survey period was coincided with long summer school holiday. Many children were found at all survey sites to live with their parents during their holidays. Some Salone ladies bring their children to their fishing since no one of their relatives at the village can take care of them during their fishing trip to other

19 17 areas. They said that they were poor and it was a very hard life for them. Salones are generally impoverish peoples. Figure 27. Salone children are waiting for their mothers while their mothers are collecting sea urchin eggs in a shallow water of the Lampi Island. Figure 28. Moving towards some rocks for oyster collection. After collecting some food, they will go back to mother boat which anchored a few hundred meters away. Recommendation Raising public awareness of environment and natural resources is an urgent need for sustainable development and conservation of Lampi and its surrounding area since the area has got on its development momentum with fishery, tourism, trade and more settlement. It will be the best that social security and vocational training for job opportunities for peoples, especially for Salone, can be done concurrently. Summer short mobile environmental education programmes are also recommended for children because they come from various coastal places and, therefore, they can share and spread their knowledge when they go back to their respective towns/villages to attend their next academic year.

20 18 Acknowledgement We would like to thank Mr. Luca Schueli (ECoSwiss) for his support and U Uga (BANCA) for his encouragement. We also appreciate Captain Eddy Gallina of the Sea Nomad catamaran of Marinasia Co. Ltd., Mr. Barrt Bebdell and U Lu Kyaw for their help in various ways during our survey. U Aye Maung Hlaing, U Moe Kyaw and U Ko Ko Aung of Myanma Travels and Tours of Kawthoung are also thanked for their help to become a successful trip. Last but not the least, our thanks are also due to the interviewees during the survey. Figure 24. Tint Tun (foreground, left) and Aung Mying Oo (foreground, right) on the Sea Nomad katamaran boat with Eddy (at bow with sunglass) and Berry (sitting, left).