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Lao PDR - Rural life - village relocation

The remains of the recently relocated Mouchi ethnic minority village of Ban Mouchee Kao, Phongsaly province, Lao PDR. The villagers have returned to remove any useful materials such as wood for construction on their new homes by the road. Rural communities are being impelled to move from swidden to sedentary cultivation and farmers are being exhorted to produce for markets rather than for family consumption. Forests are being logged, rivers are being dammed, large tracts of land are being given over to largely foreign investors, and mining is on the rise. Many villages have been forcibly displaced or moved or have voluntarily relocated in search of better conditions. Proponents argue these movements and consolidations increase the access of rural populations to roads, health and education services. Others might argue that it is to keep an eye on their activities and to foster or impel their incorporation into the emerging market economy.

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A0016947cc_1.jpg
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Tessa Bunney
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Contained in galleries
Lao PDR - Rural Life
The remains of the recently relocated Mouchi ethnic minority village of Ban Mouchee Kao, Phongsaly province, Lao PDR. The villagers have returned to remove any useful materials such as wood for construction on their new homes by the road. Rural communities are being impelled to move from swidden to sedentary cultivation and farmers are being exhorted to produce for markets rather than for family consumption. Forests are being logged, rivers are being dammed, large tracts of land are being given over to largely foreign investors, and mining is on the rise. Many villages have been forcibly displaced or moved or have voluntarily relocated in search of better conditions. Proponents argue these movements and consolidations increase the access of rural populations to roads, health and education services. Others might argue that it is to keep an eye on their activities and to foster or impel their incorporation into the emerging market economy.
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