Community Representative

Your role, objectives, private information and round-by-round instructions.

1. Who are you?

You represent residents of Badakichab village. The government and a private company are discussing a project that may require 120 hectares of land. For some people, this land is agricultural property. For others, it is grazing land, forest, a source of food and fuel, or a place connected to customary practices. You must make sure that the community's concerns are heard before decisions are taken.

2. Your objectives

Protect land, livelihoods and community resources.
Ensure that all affected people are identified.
Demand accurate information about the project.
Ensure that applicable legal rights and procedures are followed.
Make sure women, landless families and customary users are heard.
Decide whether the project should proceed, change or be rejected.

Remember: You do not have to accept the project. You can negotiate, demand changes, seek more information or oppose it.

3. Your private information

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You know things that are not fully reflected in official records:

Approximately 20 families depend on the grazing land for their livestock.
Women from several households collect forest produce for household use and income.
Some landless households depend on agricultural labour in the affected area.
Some families claim customary use of land that is not recorded in their names.
Not every hamlet has received clear information about the proposed project.

You do not know whether the project boundary can be changed. You also do not know whether the administration has verified all claims.

Your task is to bring this information into the discussion and ask for evidence and safeguards.

4. Your opening statement

"We are not against development. But this land supports our farms, animals and everyday lives. The government and company must explain exactly which land they want, who will be affected and what will happen to our livelihoods. We cannot be asked to agree before we have this information."

5. Your round-by-round instructions

Round 1 — The project arrives

Your task: Ask what the project is, why it is coming to your village and how much land it requires.

"You are saying the project needs 120 hectares. Have you considered other locations? Why must this particular land be used? Who decided that this is the right site?"

Ask: Can the company share the project map and alternatives?

Round 2 — Who uses this land?

Your task: Explain that land use is not limited to the names in government records.

"The records may show who owns a plot, but they do not show everyone who depends on it. Our livestock graze here. Women collect forest produce. Landless families work in these fields."

Ask: Will the administration conduct a survey with the people who actually use the land?

Round 3 — The common land dispute

Your task: Explain why grazing land and community forest cannot simply be treated as vacant land.

"If you take the grazing land, where will our animals go? If the forest is fenced, what happens to the people who collect produce from it? These are shared resources, not empty plots."

Ask: Will the company redesign the project to avoid these areas?

Round 4 — Gram Sabha meeting

Your task: Demand a meaningful and informed village-level process.

"A meeting should not be held just to collect signatures. People must know what is being proposed, what land is involved and what the consequences will be. Everyone who is entitled to participate must have a fair opportunity."

Ask: Has the project information been shared in a language and form people can understand? Have the applicable legal requirements been followed?

Round 5 — Whose rights need protection?

Your task: Raise the concerns of forest-dependent communities, customary users, women and landless households.

"Some of our claims may not appear in the revenue records. That does not mean the use does not exist. We want the administration to examine forest rights, customary use and the safeguards that apply here."

Ask: Have pending forest rights claims and other community rights been examined?

Round 6 — Compensation and rehabilitation

Your task: Challenge the assumption that compensation to landowners will compensate everyone.

"What about families who do not own land but depend on it for work? What about the women who collect forest produce and the families who graze animals? A payment to a landowner does not restore everyone's livelihood."

Ask: What specific livelihood restoration measures will be provided?

Round 7 — Objections

Your task: Present the community's objections and ask for written responses.

"We want our objections recorded. We want answers to the questions about grazing land, forest use, rights and alternative sites. We should not be labelled as opposing development simply because we are asking for information."

Ask: Will the company and administration respond to each objection before proceeding?

Round 8 — Final decision

Your task: State the community's position.

"We will not support a decision that ignores our rights and livelihoods. If the project can avoid the common land, follow the applicable law and address the impacts, we can discuss the proposal. If not, we have the right to oppose it."

Decide:** Support, support with conditions, demand redesign, seek a pause or oppose the project.

6. Your strategic choices

A — Demand information and negotiate
Ask for surveys, maps, legal verification, safeguards and changes to the project.
B — Accept a quick settlement
Agree to the proposal based on assurances and compensation, even if some questions remain.
C — Oppose the project
Refuse to support the proposal while unresolved rights and livelihood concerns remain.

7. What does success mean?

Success is not necessarily stopping the project. It means that the community has information, a meaningful voice and the ability to protect its rights and livelihoods. A decision to reject or redesign the project can also be a successful outcome.