Supplementary Order on Resolving Banana Cultivation in Paddy Fields and Irrigation Zones in Bokeo Province

Article 1

Whereas: The meeting of the Provincial Party Standing Committee on July 10, 2015, reached an agreement on resolving the issue of banana cultivation in paddy fields and irrigation areas; Whereas: The results of on-site inspections by the specialized committee for resolving banana cultivation issues regarding non-compliant cultivation in five districts of Bokeo Province; Whereas: Government Notice No. 830/MAF (June 24, 2014) on resolving banana cultivation in paddy fields in northern provinces. In the previous period, some companies, individuals, and legal entities invested substantial capital in banana cultivation without following procedures under the Law on Domestic and Foreign Investment, causing increasing impacts on the natural environment and society, as well as disputes within localities, particularly affecting people who own paddy fields and use numerous irrigation water sources for rice and other crop cultivation. To bring banana cultivation in Bokeo Province into strict compliance with laws and regulations, while resolving various difficulties to ensure peace and enable people to timely engage in agricultural production for the season, the Governor of Bokeo Province issues the following order: 1. Assign relevant departments and districts to strictly and resolutely implement Order No. 679/Governor.Bokeo dated June 26, 2014, of the Governor of Bokeo Province. 2. Absolutely stop all banana cultivation by companies, individuals, and legal entities in paddy fields (including land where bananas have been previously planted, as well as land that has been cleared but not yet planted with bananas). 3. Absolutely stop all banana cultivation by companies, individuals, and legal entities in irrigation water sources, irrigation reservoirs, and using irrigation water sources (including both planted and unplanted quantities of bananas). 4. For companies that have placed obstacles in irrigation water sources and irrigation reservoirs, order such companies to remove the obstacles blocking waterways and repair them to restore normal conditions. 5. For companies whose excavation has caused damage or destruction to irrigation facilities, including irrigation dams, diversion channels, storage channels below diversion channels, and natural streams, they must repair them to a normal usable condition. 6. Cut off and remove power lines and water pipes located on the banana cultivation land listed in points 1 (a) and 2 (b) of this order. 7. Prohibit companies, individuals, legal entities, state officials, party committee members, village heads, and organizations at all levels from permitting any type of land for banana cultivation; violators shall be subject to criminal and civil liability under the Investment Law, Agriculture and Forestry Law, Land Law, and Environmental Protection Law, according to the nature of each violation. 8. Implementation measures: 1) Assign the committee appointed under Agreement No. 938/Governor.Bokeo dated May 25, 2015 (on establishing a responsible committee to inspect the area of banana cultivation by non-compliant companies in Bokeo Province), in coordination with relevant departments, the five district governors of Bokeo Province, the People’s Army and Police Commands, the Bokeo Branch of the Lao State Electric Power Enterprise, village government agencies, and relevant companies, individuals, legal entities, and related sectors, to strictly and effectively implement this order; 2) Assign the aforementioned committee to develop work plans, personnel plans, budget plans, and implementation timelines in accordance with all regulations, and regularly report implementation results to higher authorities; assign district governors to convene village heads of key villages within their districts to widely disseminate this order to village heads for their awareness and understanding; 3) Companies, individuals, legal entities, party committee members, village heads, and organizations at all levels, as well as all relevant departments, must comply with this order and Order No. 697/Governor.Bokeo dated June 26, 2014; violators shall be subject to criminal and civil liability under the laws and regulations of the Lao People’s Democratic Republic; assign the preparation of a summary report on the implementation results of this supplementary order to be submitted to the Provincial Party Standing Committee for acknowledgment and guidance at each stage. This order takes effect from the date of signing and shall become effective five days after publication in the Government Gazette. Governor of Bokeo Province (Sent to: Provincial Party Standing Committee, all departments, five district governors, Banana Cultivation Problem-Solving Subcommittee, Governor’s Office, Electric Power Branch, all banana cultivation companies, all village heads and village party secretaries, People’s Army and Police Commands, Bokeo Province Banana Cultivation Support and Management Group, and other relevant entities—one copy each).