Relocation and Resettlement in Ceará - Houston Advanced ...

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FRC, PAGE 16
The communities were not adequately trained or prepared to take an active part in the
resettlement planning and implementation processes.
Levels of literacy and formal education are low in the project-affected areas. As such, PAPs do not
have the skills to become effective partners in the resettlement process. Often resettlement
options are presented to the community by the project agencies, but the PAPs are unable to make
effective decisions because of incomplete information or a lack of comprehension of the
ramifications of their choice.
Recommendation: Spend a greater amount of time training and organising the communities
before discussing and planning resettlement specifics.
In some cases, PAPs’ views are ignored or overruled.
For example, there appears to be a strong resistance to the idea of collectivisation among the
Castanhão PAPs that are being resettled by IDACE. Despite local opposition, collectivisation
continues to be the defining feature of IDACE dry land resettlements at Castanhão. It should be
noted here that PAPs at Pecem who are also being resettled in collective farms do not display an
aversion to collectivisation.
Recommendation: Build more flexibility into the resettlement plans and allow for more negotiation
on difficult issues, particularly those involving social organization and community management of
resources.
Communications tend to break down during moments of crisis.
While the process of resettlement is proceeding smoothly, there are regular and fruitful interactions
between the project agency personnel and the PAPs. However, when problems arise—such as
the delay in the construction of Nova Jaguaribara or when communities do not come to an
agreement with the project agencies on crucial aspects of their resettlement—there is disturbing
tendency for the project agency to withdraw and not respond to outside queries. It is at these
moments of conflict when greater communication and transparency is required that agencies
retreat to the historical modus operandi of top-down planning and stonewalling.
Recommendation: Pay special attention to communication on contentious issues. If necessary,
employ professional mediators and communications specialists.
Staff resources for community participation are being stretched thin and staff requires
more training in participatory methodologies.
Staffing resources are strained given the numbers of people being resettled, the dispersion of the
communities, and the number of different projects under which resettlement is being conducted.
Additional manpower is needed in order to maintain regularity, frequency, and quality in staff-PAP
interactions. In some cases, staff do not have sufficient formal knowledge of or training in
participatory methodologies. There is also a need for more exposure to international best practices
in resettlement. To rectify these gaps in knowledge, training sessions for staff members is
required.
Recommendation: Identify numbers and qualifications of staff members directly in charge of
resettlement and consult with World Bank and other officials on staffing resources. Provide a
period of intensive training for resettlement staff and, when required, contract consultants to
provide critical skills and additional manpower.