Community Empowerment in Conservation Work of Angkor Complex Keiko Miura, who is engaged in fieldwork in Cambodia, has been working or involved in Siem Reap for more than six years. She contributed this article on the efforts of the local and foreign community in the area of conservation Thibaud Lepage National and international framework of conservation of Angkor Following the two decades of war and instability, and prior to the UN-sponsored national elections in Cambodia of May, 1993, Angkor was inscribed on the World Heritage List in December, 1992, when it was also declared a World Heritage Site in Danger for the proba- tionary period of three years. This was the culmination of years of preparatory efforts made by the Cambodian authorities and the United Nations Educational, Scientific, and Cultural Organisation (UNESCO). Then, the World Heritage Committee (WHC) made an exceptional decision to temporarily lift normally required inscription conditions pertaining to national mechanisms for site protection.1 Further development concerning the conservation of Angkor heritage site was made through the Tokyo Declaration of October 1993, which led to the establishment of the International Co-ordinating Committee for the Safeguarding and Development of the Historic Site of Angkor or ICC. Japan and France co-chair ICC, with UNESCO in charge of its secretariat. Ever since, the international conservation work in Angkor has been co-ordinated, and a framework to examine on-going projects and new ones has been established.2 Meanwhile, the legal framework for the conservation of the Angkor heritage site has been established by the Government of Cambodia, in co-operation with UNESCO and other international organisations. The foremost important one is Royal Decree 001/NS issued in 28 May, 1994, providing protection of cultural zones in the Siem Reap/Angkor region and guidelines for their management. Another important one is Royal Decree NS/RKT/0295/ 12 issued in 19 February, 1995, establishing a national authority for the protection and man- agement of Angkor and the region of Siem Reap, named APSARA (Authority for the Protec- tion of the Site and the Development of the Region of Angkor). Other decrees concern the establishment of the Supreme Council on National Culture issued in 19 February, 1995 and the law on the protection of cultural heritage issued in 25 January, 1996. At the same time several sub-decrees have been issued: one specifies the Hotel Zone and the other one estab- lishes the special police corps for the protection of cultural heritage.3 SPAFA Journal Vol. 11 No. 1 23 Despite the the 'other' stake- tage is unclear to the concerned fact that all holders' welfare parties, many even unaware that the efforts to and the miscon- it is considered as such. fulfill condi- ception of the UNESCO's 1972 Conven- tions neces- World Heritage tion concerning the Protection sary for a values of the site. of the World Cultural and Natu- World Heri- The current trend ral Heritage only briefly men- tage have is also directly in tions in Article 1 the definition been steadily opposition to the of 'cultural heritage' and in Ar- made, Cam- Royal Decree ticle 5 (a) measures to be taken bodia's frag- 001/NS guide- for the protection of the cultural ile peace pro- lines for the man- and natural heritage. The fol- cess necessi- agement of pro- lowing are excerpts of relevant tated the du- tected cultural parts from these two Articles: ration of the zones in the Siem probationary Reap/Angkor Article 1: For the purposes of period to be region. The this Convention, the following further ex- APSARA Author- shall be considered as 'cultural tended. In ity is a relatively heritage': rd the 23 ses- Thibaud Lepage young institution monuments: sion of the whose policies are groups of buildings:.... World Heritage Committee yet to be defined and potential- Sites: works of man or the com- which was held from November ity to be proved with time while bined works of nature and of other authorities and concerned to December last year, it was man and areas including ar- parties do not fully respect the decided that Angkor would re- chaeological sites which are of new management framework main on the List of World Heri- outstanding universal value and tend to act without prior tage in Danger. The Commit- from the historical, aesthetic, consultation with the APSARA tee asked to be kept informed ethnological or anthropological Authority. of the state of conservation of points of view. the site and current measures Angkor is not only a World relating to public and private Heritage Site but also a national Article 5: To ensure that effec- works, "so as to ensure that and regional heritage site. tive and active measures are such undertakings necessary Moreover, for the local commu- taken for the protection, conser- for the social and economic nity it is a heritage site of their vation and presentation of the welfare of the communities do direct ancestors where their his- cultural and natural heritage not have any adverse impact on tory, religious and spiritual be- situated on its territory, each the world heritage values of the liefs, and emotions are entwined 4 State Party to this Convention site." with memory, and which deter- shall endeavour, in so far as pos- mine their socio-economic ac- sible, and as appropriate for What is happening in Angkor is tivities of today. The conserva- each country: alarming in a sense different tion and management of such a from the anxiety of the World vast 'Living Cultural Heritage (a) to adopt a general policy Heritage Committee: the social Site' as Angkor are no easy which aims to give the cultural and economic welfare of the lo- tasks. To start off with, even the and natural heritage a function cal community is threatened by definition of living cultural heri- in the life of the community and 24 SPAFA Journal Vol. 11 No. 1 to integrate the protection of tion of adversaries and positive When the French took that heritage into comprehen- efforts made towards commu- over Battambang and Siem sive planning programmes;5 nity empowerment. The analy- Reap from Thailand in the early sis here is mostly based on 20th century, approximately The International Centre extensive interviews conducted twenty families had been living for the Study of the Preservation in the local community around in Angkor Wat between the ex- and the Restoration of Cultural Angkor Thorn and Angkor Wat ternal wall and the moat from Property in Rome or ICCROM where the conservation work has the south side of the causeway states in Management Guide- been conducted intensively, as via south-west corner to the area lines for World Cultural Heritage well as the interviews with rel- around the south gate. At that Sites that one aim of conserva- evant authorities and interna- time, there were no monaster- tion is not to lower the living tional organisations. At the ies in Angkor Wat, and monks standards of the occupants of same time reference is made to were said to have been living on historic areas, and that the final ICC reports and other documents. the north and south side of Kda aim and the principles of conser- Baen (or the terrace in front of vation and restoration must be Traditional relationship the first gallery) and prayed in kept in mind; generally the mini- between the Angkor the Gallery of Thousand Bud- mum effective intervention has heritage site and local dhas. Then the French moved proved to be the best policy6 the monks from there to build community If the concerned parties monasteries within the com- recognise that community em- pound but further away from Angkor is foremost a spiritual the central building mass. powerment, the importance of and religious place for both the involving the local community in local community and Cambo- the conservation work, and dians as a whole. Angkor minimum effective intervention temples not only enshrine are the keys to successful con- Hindu or Buddhist icons but servation and management of a also house powerful guardian heritage site and manage the spirits called neak ta, at times site accordingly, Angkor still appropriating Hindu icons and has a chance to make an ideal other times natural objects, as model for the rest of the world well as bang bat or the owner to follow. spirit of ancient temples. Dur- ing war time in the early 1970s, To what extent the conservation large Angkor temples and work of the Angkor complex is Angkor Thorn became shelters Pun Phnom Ksach at the Khmer New Year, contributing to community em- for the local people who were 2000. Wat Tang Tok within Angkor Photn. powerment? The answer should fleeing from the fighting be- The sound mountains represent fire peaks of Mount contain, firstly, an understand- Meru. They are created to remove sins from tween the Khmer Rouge and the people and to receive good fortunes in return. ing of the traditional relation- army of the Lon Nol Govern- ship between the Angkor heri- ment. Angkor Wat, in particu- The people who were ex- tage site and local community; lar, represents the highest spiri- pelled from the compound of then, followed by examination of tual value as much as it is a na- Angkor Wat moved to live in the the conservation work and the tional symbol, but many also areas around it, most notably participation of the local com- recognise the universal value of South Teaksen village located to munity; and, thirdly, identifica- Angkorean legacy. the south of Angkor Wat and SPAFA Journal Vol. 11 No. 1 25 some in Trapeang Seh village to and fruit trees.