News on Land

ONE year ago, on July 27, 2020, three tribes who live around the border between Indonesia’s Kampung Naga area in Boven Digoel, Papua, and Kampung Kuem in Papua New Guinea, sent a claim letter to Tunas Timber Lestari. Representatives of the Kuranop, Ekogi, and Gembenop tribes protested against operations carried out by the subsidiary of the Korindo Group, as it infringed their customary land.

Dr Franklin Obeng-Odoom, Associate Professor in the Discipline of Global Development Studies at the University of Helsinki  has recently reviewed a new book by one of South Africa's leading legal minds and land analysts Tembeka Ngcukaitobi . His review of Land Mattters: South Africa's Failed Land Reforms and the Road Ahead appears in the LSE Review of Books.

According to Obeng-Odoom Land Matters is outstanding. Some extracts from his review appear below.

President Joko Widodo claimed that deforestation in Indonesia is at its lowest point in the past 20 years. Indonesia’s Nationally Determined Contribution emissions reduction report to the United Nations said that there were only 39,285 hectares of deforested areas in 2013 to 2020. A Tempo investigation in Papua found otherwise: The area of deforestation from 2019 to 2020 alone covered 19,807 hectares. Timber companies have violated some regulations about forest conservation management and have illegally produced wood.

Madagascar is one of the countries that contributes the least to climate crisis yet is the fourth most affected by it according to the 2020 Global Climate Risk Index. The country is also a biodiversity hotspot.

embers of parliament have called for a full forensic audit of the Ingonyama Trust Board (ITB) and for the entity to be placed under administration by the land reform ministry over its history of “delinquency” in failing to meet public finance management standards.

MANILA – The Department of Agrarian Reform (DAR) is hoping its proposed budget for 2022 for its land titling project will be restored during the bicameral committee deliberation of the Senate and the House of Representatives.

In an interview with the Philippine News Agency on Wednesday, DAR Secretary Bernie Cruz appealed to the House members to heed the call of the senators pushing for the restoration of the Support to Parcelization of Lands for Individual Titling (SPLIT) Project to its original amount.

Indigenous communities facing an upsurge in land grabs, water shortages and human rights violations as a result of the Cop26 deal have accused world leaders of sacrificing them in order to postpone meaningful climate action and shield corporate profits.

Over the last two weeks, world leaders gathered in Glasgow, Scotland – home of the first industrial revolution – to find a tangible solution to growing climate change issues. The 26th United Nations Global Climate Change Conference (COP26) urged both developed and developing countries to shift from coal-based energy to clean energy by rewiring investments from fossil fuel to environmentally friendly solutions. As a result of this significant pledge, Mongolia and other coal-dependent countries’ long-term economic strategies will be deeply affected.

After two decades of independence, development in Timor-Leste is exemplified by growing economic activity in Dili, the country’s capital city. Businesses are emerging on various corners, new infrastructure and public buildings are being constructed, and much improved information and communication technology has opened doors for the service sector and private enterprises to grow.

“Gold mining is one (of the) most destructive industries in the world. It can displace communities, contaminate drinking water, hurt workers, and destroy pristine environments. It pollutes water and land with mercury and cyanide, endangering the health of people and ecosystems.”

Land disputes are one of the contested issues inherited the tribal districts, but after the merger, it has been constantly erupting into violence due to the government’s inactiveness. These disputes could be broadly categorized as 1) between individuals, 2) between tribes, 3) and government and the locals. Meanwhile, the lack of government interest in establishing a land record is not only the reason behind the violence, but an impediment to the progress of the tribal society.

Government has introduced the new securitised A2 Model Settlement Permit with advanced security features to curb fake offer letters.

This follows the emergence of land ownership disputes countrywide with people in some cases vying for occupation of farms using different offer letters.

Lands, Agriculture, Fisheries, Water and Rural Development Minister Dr Anxious Masuka yesterday said holders of valid old offer letters would be advised on where and when to collect their new securitised settlement permits.