Community trainers from Phnom Penh and the northwest provinces participated in a week-long training programme about mining and the impact of extractive industries at the DPA offices during the week of August 2 – 6. 

It was attended by approximately 20 senior members of the Rattanakiri Mining Group along with members of the working group on mining in Mondulkiri as well as members of the Extractive Industries Social and Environment Impact (EISEI) network, who learned about the basics of mining and its implications. 

The training was organized and facilitated by staff of the Bridges Across Borders and Community Empowerment and Legal Awareness (CELA) programme along with staff from DPA and EISEI. 

The training focused on the effects of mining – both positive and negative – and how it may affect the environment and population of areas in which it was conducted, as well as strategies of what communities could do about impacts in their region. 

At Chevron's annual meeting, shareholders representing approximately 160 milliion shares-worth more than $10 billion-voted in favor of a proposal calling for a transparent payment disclosure policy.

Mam Sambath traveled more than 9,000 miles from Cambodia to Houston to share a simple message with Chevron: Tell us about the money you are spending in our country, so that we can use some of it to help lift our people out of poverty.

Sambath attended the Chevron Annual Shareholders’ meeting late last month as a proxy for Charles Schwab and Company, holding shares on behalf of an individual shareholder. But his day job is as chairperson of Cambodians for Resource Revenue Transparency, an organization that works to ensure that wealth generated from oil industry is managed in a socially responsible manner that is transparent, accountable, and participatory, in order to benefit all Cambodians.

“To date, we know nothing about payments that have been made to Cambodian governments upon signing contract,” Sambath said at the annual meeting.

Chevron announced in 2004 that it had made significant discoveries of oil offshore in Cambodian waters. The company is scheduled to start oil production there in 2012.

Sambath went on to explain that without transparency about payments made from Chevron to the governments of the countries where it operates, there’s no good way to hold those governments accountable.

“Access to information on revenues will empower us to hold our government accountable for using oil revenues for economic development and basic social services like education and healthcare,” he said.
Chevron shareholders heard the arguments from Sambath and Oxfam America’s own Ian Gary, senior policy manager for extractive industries, before voting in favor of the proposal, which requests that Chevron report its payments to foreign governments for extraction rights on an annual and country-by-country basis.

Gary said that:” Too often, these revenues increase the potential for government mismanagement, corruption, and economic and political instability. These risks ultimately affect Chevron’s core business and its reputation.”

But, if managed properly, these funds can contribute to broad-based economic growth.
The shareholder proposal was filed in December 2009 by Oxfam America and five institutions with Chevron holdings. Prior to the vote in late May, shareholders and their proxies spoke in favor of this proposal to help reduce instability and insecurity in oil-rich countries through a transparent and accountable payment disclosure policy in all countries where Chevron operates. Two other global oil companies, Statoil of Norway and Talisman Energy of Canada, already disclose this information to the public.

While shareholder resolutions are non-binding, support for them demonstrates the interests of shareholders and can influence company policies. To this end, Oxfam America will continue to raise concerns about revenue transparency with Chevron management and shareholders, and will consider re-filing the resolution again late this year.

Mr. Mam Sambath, Chairperson of Cambodians for Resource Revenue Transparency and Director of DPA, attended the annual general meeting of Chevron shareholders held in Houston on May 26, 2010. Chevron is scheduled to begin oil production in Cambodia in 2010.

At the meeting, Mr. Sambath seconded an Oxfam America proposal requesting that Chevron publish its payments to foreign governments in an effort to increase transparency throughout the industry.  The proposal was defeated, but can be raised again at next year’s meeting.

“We believe it’s important for both Chevron and our government to be transparent. Access to information on revenues will empower us to hold our government accountable for using oil revenues for economic development and basic social services like education and healthcare,” Mr. Sambath commented.

Nobel Peace Prize Laureate and President of Timor-Leste Dr José Ramos-Horta discussed ‘Transforming Natural Resource Wealth into a Source for Sustainable Growth and Democratic Development’ with His Excellency Dr. Phan Phalla, Deputy Secretary General of the Supreme National Economic Council. The dialogue was organized by the International Peace Foundation, ‘Cambodians for Resource Revenue Transparency (CRRT)’ & ‘The Heinrich Böll Foundation’ on the 23^rd April 2010. Mr. Mam Sambath, a chairperson of CRRT and Executive Director of Development and Partnership in Action (DPA), is the moderator during the dialogue.