News on Land

The Columbia Center on Sustainable Investment (CCSI) has recently published an outcome note from a roundtable focused on lessons learned from good governance initiatives for extractive industry investments and large land-based agricultural investments.

Source: BDLive
Author: Franny Rabkin

ALL land restitution claims made after December 1998 have been put on hold by the Constitutional Court, after the court found that Parliament did not properly consult the public before deciding to reopen the window for claims.

The Restitution of Land Rights Amendment Act — which reopened the window for claims — was rushed through Parliament in 2014 ahead of national and provincial elections.

State company Ecopetrol pulls out of drilling site in territories belonging to the indigenous U’wa people.

The indigenous U’wa people living in north-east Colombia have won what observers call an “historic” and “decisive” victory after state oil and gas company Ecopetrol dismantled a gas drilling site in their territories.

By: Paola Totaro

Date: August 9th 2016

Source: Thomson Reuters Foundation

The seven lowest scoring nations across all 10 indicators were in the Middle East including Iraq, Israel, Jordan, Oman, Saudi Arabia, Syria and Yemen

Does international law favor companies over people?

A new article by Lorenzo Cotula explores this question by examining human rights and land rights in the context of international investment law. The article, “Property in a shrinking planet: fault lines in international human rights and investment law” is published in the June 2015 issue of the International Journal of Law in Context.

Abstract

By: Sel San

Date: August 22nd 2016

Source: Radio Free Asia

Two land rights activists in Cambodia were convicted Monday of insulting a public official for their version of a “Black Monday” protest earlier this month.

Transparency International (TI) is the global civil society organisation leading the fight against corruption. Through more than 90 chapters worldwide and an international secretariat in Berlin, Germany, TI raises awareness of the damaging effects of corruption and works with partners in government, business and civil society to develop and implement effective measures to tackle it.

By: Siraje Lubwama
Date: August 31st 2016
Source: AllAfrica.com / The Observer

Capt Gertrude Njuba, the head of the State House Land department, wants the proposed amendments to the Land Act to include strict provisions that make it extremely difficult for courts of law and land agents to aid land grabbing.