News on Land

A new report highlights the crisis facing unprotected, internally displaced populations.

ith tragic photos of bodies on beaches surfacing in the news, the refugee crisis seems to be concentrated at the borders of Europe and the United States. But the desperate exiles who have fled to the West actually represent a minority who have managed to make it across borders. Most of the world’s refugees are not even officially labeled as such by international standards.

Kenya's colonial wildlife conservation system is displacing native pastoralist communities from their historic lands.

Land Portal Foundation launches country portfolio in effort to showcase local voices 

 

Land has played a critical role in Tanzania’s development as a nation. Current land tenure frameworks, issues and conflicts in the country have historical roots dating back to the pre-colonial period.

For years, thousands of acres of land in Kerio Valley have been washed away by rain water from the highlands, this trend is set to be reversed thanks to the adoption of vetipher grass. For years, thousands of acres of land in Kerio Valley have been washed away by rain water from the highlands, creating huge gullies that have rendered the once fertile farms in Elgeyo Marakwet County waste lands

Hoedspruit - It was a hard-fought victory for South Africa's black community seeking to reclaim land, and for the Moletele ethnic group it has become a surprising model of wider racial cooperation.

After a 10-year legal battle, the Moletele have taken back the land from which they were evicted by members of the white minority nearly a century ago.

The area, a picturesque range at the foot of mountains near Hoedspruit is dotted with trees heavy with fruit.

Dignity restored

Aboriginal rights campaigners yesterday condemned the government for having not carried out a promise to reinstate traditional Aboriginal territories, and they demanded that an independent agency be established to restore Aboriginal rights to land and transitional justice.

President Tsai Ing-wen (蔡英文) on Aug. 1 last year delivered a landmark apology to Taiwan’s Aborigines for their deprivation of rights in the hundreds of years since the mass migration of Han people began.

Land Portal Foundation Rwanda Country Portfolio provides comprehensive understanding of post-conflict land governance

 

With tumultuous colonial occupation, civil war and genocide that led to the death of an estimated 500,000 to 1,000,000 Tutsis in 1994, Rwandans historically endured massive displacements and human rights abuse. Thus, in the 21^st century, the rectification of Rwanda’s previously untenable land governance system has become a major priority.

In spite of appearances, the piece of paper that Rakotoarimanana, 79 years of age, proudly clutches in his hand is very valuable. He has been waiting five years for this moment. He left home this morning at 6 a.m. to walk seven kilometers to the rural commune of Andriambilany to collect his land certificate. In front of the town hall in Andriambilany, located in the district of Ambatolampy in the Vakinankaratra region, a long line had already formed.  Many were hoping to receive their land certificates that Thursday morning. Rakotoarimanana is the first to be called and he steps up to the commune’s land tenure office window. He confirms his name in the register, enters his signature, and displays the land certificate that he has just been given for one of his five parcels of land. A victory to be savored.

What do you get from fighting for land rights in Thailand? You cannot ask Den Khamlae, 65, a prominent grassroots land rights activist. He mysteriously disappeared in a forest reserve near his rickety home in Chaiyaphum last year.

LAHORE: The Punjab government has decided to lease a total of 99,077 acres of land in 187 forest lots of various sizes in four districts of South Punjab to the investors for 15 years for commercial forestry.

This was revealed by Awais Leghari, Chairman, South Punjab Forest Company (SPFC), while addressing a press conference at the office of SPFC here Monday. He gave an overview of SPFC and its initiative to promote afforestation in South Punjab under Public Private Partnership (PPP) mode.

What do you get from fighting for land rights in Thailand? You cannot ask Den Khamlae, 65, a prominent grassroots land rights activist. He mysteriously disappeared in a forest reserve near his rickety home in Chaiyaphum last year.

The proposed amendment of article 26 of the Constitution to allow government take possession of private land without prior compensation continues to fiercely divide opinion in parliament.

Opponents of the draft legislation claim the amendment is a government ploy to grab people's land. But government argues that the amendment would stop the long delays in developing infrastructure projects, which also lead to escalation of costs.