In 2015, Renaissance Minerals Cambodia (RMC) was initially granted a license to explore gold resources in Phnom Prich Wildlife Sanctuary located in Chong Plas commune, Keo Seima district, of Mondulkiri province. As an initial study confirmed a viable gold mine in the area, known as O’kvao of Pu Tong village of the mentioned commune, the company began acquiring mining concession from the government (Ministry of Mining and Energy) in 2017 while initial social and environmental impact examinations were underway. Having understood the adverse impacts of the proposed mining pit on a settlement in Ou’Kvao (where many people have been there for some times for different commercial and livelihood purposes), the company deployed its consultant to conduct extensive socio-economic impacts, primarily to (1) identify the affected households (AHs) and structures; (2) to consult and determine replacement cost and compensation; (3) to strategically determinate how to relocate the AHs; and (4) to restore livelihoods of these AHs. The study produced an Ou’kvao Resettlement Action Plan (RAP) in October 2015, and planned to implement afterward. As the process of requesting gold mining license from the government was protracted, it was until 2018 the RAP implementation resumed. The RAP implementation was concluded in December 2018 when the identified AHs were compensated in cash, and left the proposed mining pit. To ensure the effectiveness of RAP implementation, and to comply with relevant Cambodian Laws, and especially the international standards of international investors, an external review of the work was commissioned by RMC.

Description of actual services for the assignment:

YDRC provide the service to review resettlement Action plan with following objectives, was conducted:  

1. To review of RAP implementation, including the compliance with applicable IFC Performance Standard 5 and relevant Cambodian Laws, and where there are gaps, identify these including rectification actions;
2. To valid how the cash compensation and relocation were implemented based on proper public consultations and participatory approaches;
3. To assess the extent to which the process of grievance redress was enforced to the satisfaction of the affect households, and stakeholders; and 
4. To identify any outstanding implementation issues in order to suggest actions to be taken.

Specific method and approaches:

• The study was through both auditing survey for 990 householders who was in the list of resettlement plan.
• Conduct field observation on new relocation plan for 900 households
• Reviewing the RAP implementation including the compliance with applicable IFC Performance Standard 5 and relevant Cambodian Laws, and where there are gaps, identify these including rectification actions