In 2009–2010, research was commissioned to understand the information and media needs of Cambodia’s indigenous peoples. The research consultations were held in seven of the fifteen provinces where indigenous people live. The report was finalized in 2012 and contained a recommendation—originating from indigenous people themselves—that they needed their own indigenous media support organization. 

ESTABLISHING A PILOT COMMUNITY MEDIA PROJECT IN RATANAKIRI

In 2013, in response to this research report, Building Community Voices, a Khmer-managed NGO, established a pilot indigenous community media project named “Promoting Indigenous Voices” in several villages in Ratanakiri. This project successfully developed indigenous youth in communities so that they were able to produce hundreds of audio reports for radio programs as well as videos. The project supported indigenous communities in establishing two community radio stations at the commune level that continue to broadcast in indigenous languages. Indigenous community members are utilizing social media and posting issues affecting their communities to Facebook. This is an important way for indigenous communities to connect with each other locally, nationally, and globally. The use of media has promoted cooperation and solidarity across indigenous communities and created a desire for more information. The work has built the capacity of communities to mobilize and strengthen their culture and solidarity. During this period, community ownership of the pilot media project was limited.

ESTABLISHING CONSERVE INDIGENOUS PEOPLES LANGUAGES ORGANIZATION

In discussion with indigenous communities and Building Community Voices, work began in mid-2015 to phase out the activities of Building Community Voices and transfer staff to a new, independent, indigenous-led NGO. The former indigenous staff of Building Community Voices transferred to become staff of the new Conserve Indigenous Peoples Languages Organization (CIPL).

With the establishment of Conserve Indigenous Peoples Languages Organization (CIPL) in 2016, an indigenous-led and staffed organization, one of its key aims is to ensure indigenous community leadership and ownership of communication and media activities. The priorities and activities of Conserve Indigenous Peoples Languages Organization (CIPL) will be shaped and guided by the indigenous communities that it supports.

Conserve Indigenous Peoples Languages Organization (CIPL) has an important and unique role in Cambodia in strengthening indigenous peoples’ access to information in remote parts of Cambodia and in their own languages. It plays a role in strengthening the indigenous voice on matters impacting indigenous rights, livelihoods, and culture: namely, the loss of indigenous lands through illegal land grabbing and the Government’s granting of economic land concessions on indigenous homelands. CIPL obtained official registration with the Cambodian Government on the NGO and Association list with the Ministry of Interior on October 11, 2016, under registration number Pro Kor 6672.

Indigenous peoples have peace, prosperity, freedom, and dignity.

Support indigenous peoples’ access to information widely; strengthen indigenous youth to produce media in their own languages to strengthen identity, culture, and understanding of rights; gain knowledge on land, forest, and natural resources management; and gain knowledge on climate change, healthcare, the economy, and community livelihoods. Strengthen organizational capacity, good governance, leadership, management, and financial sustainability.