NGO adds spark to address land disputes

Ludovic Sibomana, a farmer in Kinyababa Sector, in his garden. RISD is seeking to curb land disputes. The New Times/ Timothy Kisambira.

The recently concluded land registration process was a great feat for the Rwandan people as they now have documents to prove the wealth they posses.

However, based on recent studies, there is a lot more that still needs to be done to address the disturbing number of land-related conflicts that have not only broken up families, but also led to violent crimes.

According to a report by a local NGO, the Rwanda Initiative for Sustainable Development, at least 85 per cent of the land disputes in the country involve land already registered under the Land Tenure Regularisation Programme (LTRP).

The study showed that the disputes are fuelled by land titles as residents become more aware of the market value of land.

“Nearly half (49 per cent) of these disputes are over land parcels that are one hectare or less. Less than 16 per cent of land under disputes was obtained through sale. Most disputed land is not obtained on the market because land remains deeply entrenched in other domains of life, namely the family,” the report said. Read More.....

http://www.newtimes.co.rw/news/index.php?i=15409&a=68401 

African MPs warn govts on land deals

African legislators meeting in Kigali have called for a cautious approach before dishing out land to international investors.

The lawmakers argue that though agricultural foreign direct investments (FDIs) are key to Africa’s food security, it must be properly harnessed to ensure that they deliver on associated benefits. 

The two-day meeting which opened yesterday drew members of the East African Legislative Assembly (EALA), the Pan African Parliament (PAP), and Rwanda’s lawmakers.

Under the them: Making Agricultural Investments work for Africa–a parliamentarian’s response to the land rush, lawmakers will identify priorities and make concrete suggestions for parliamentary initiatives at national, regional and African level.

Speaking at the opening ceremony, EALA Speaker Margaret Zziwa, said past trends of FDIs in African natural resources show that in many cases, they failed to deliver, leaving the continent grappling with risks and potentially severe negative consequences.

Zziwa said such consequences include loss of smaller holder farmers’ livelihoods; increased landlessness; 

Read more..... http://www.newtimes.co.rw/news/index.php?a=66359&i=15340 

PRESS RELEASE

Strengthening the Strategic Alliance on Land Reform in Rwanda:

RISD and RNRA extend their Memorandum of Understanding (MoU)

KIGALI – February 28, 2013. Rwanda Initiative for Sustainable Development (RISD) and the Rwanda Natural Resources Authority (RNRA) will today sign an extension of the Memorandum of Understanding (MoU) for another period of Four Years.  The event will take place at RNRA headquarters in Remera at 3:00pm.  RISD and RNRA have successfully completed implementation of a one year period MoU set out on a trial basis.  Evaluation on the impact of this trial period registered high impact, specifically in relation to clear appreciation of the specific role of each stake holder towards the successful implementation of fair and just Land Tenure Regularization Program (LTRP) in Rwanda towards poverty reduction and sustainable peace and the effective implementation of the Africa Land Policy Framework and Guidelines (ALPFG), as the key objective of this MoU.

Rwanda is going through a very dynamic period of Land Reform implementation, through a Land Tenure Regularisation Program (LTRP) that requires combined efforts of different stake holders given the land related challenges that face the country, mainly: land scarcity; a fast growing population; and a post-conflict situation that has created a problem of multiple land claims that has increased land ownership related disputes. Given these challenges, and the long standing collaboration between RISD and RNRA (formally NLC), over the past one year, the two institutions made a decision to enter the MoU for better coordinated and structured collaboration.  Key registered achievement from this MoU, is clarity on priority focus of each actor, i.e. the roles and responsibilities of government and that of civil society.  The outcome of the MoU confirms the best role of government as that of technical and policy orientation, while that of civil society as that of monitoring, raising awareness of the land rights and obligations, research and documentation of lessons learned for policy improvement.

 The chairperson of the Board of Directors of RISD, His Lordship, Bishop Nathan Kamussime Gasatura, remarks that, “since 2008, RISD made a decision to support the LTRP process by focusing on the area of land related disputes, given the high level of land related claims that may affect the smooth implementation of the program....indeed, through a structured MoU, this support continues to make a realization impact”.   Like in many other countries implementing land reform, RISD experience reveals that, in recent years in Rwanda, more intra-family land related disputes are registered, as the population becomes aware of their rights.  Such disputes require quick intervention to avoid any possible escalation to conflict and any interference of the good progress made towards sustainable peace process in the country.  This is the main objective of the MoU between RISD and the RNRA.  Given the importance of this need, this MoU is extended to even a longer period of Four years so that RISD can support the population in the management of land related disputes that may come about at the end of the LTRP at the end this year of 2013.    

‘The Government of Rwanda (GoR) is a signatory to regional and global land related initiatives and programs, like the Africa Land Policy Framework and Guidelines (ALPFG), signed by the African Union (AU) Heads of State and launched on 27^th October 2010 in Lilongwe Malawi, of which Rwanda has been identified as the Pilot Country’, Reminds the Director General of the RNRA, Dr. Emmanuel Nkurunziza.  Further, The Director General states that, “RNRA is committed to joint monitoring efforts and documenting lessons learnt from the regional initiatives in relation to national land policies which require tripartite partnership of government, civil society and donors, to ensure good governance and sustainable development process”.

For further information, please contact:

Ms. Annie Kairaba, Director of RISD on 0788302452

        email: kairabaa@risdrwanda.org                                                

Mr. Evode Ngombwa, RNRA Communications Officer on 0788448633

CONTRIBUTION OF CIVIL SOCIETY IN RWANDA’S LAND REFORM PROCESS

“The success of Rwanda Land Reform Process is rooted in the successful partnership between the Government and the Civil Society since the start of the process in 1999”, proudly states Ms. Annie Kairaba, the Director of Rwanda Initiative for Sustainable Development (RISD).  RISD is local Non-Government Organization and is the lead in land reform process in Rwanda, which has consistently engaged in the process since 1999 at the inception phase till now at implementation and monitoring phase.

The strength of RISD is her capacity to network and engage other civil society organizations as well as government institutions and donors.  Since 1^st March 2012, RISD in partnership with Collectif des Ligues et Associations de Défense des Droits de l’Homme” (CLADHO), is implementing a project on “Securing Land Rights” as a continued but unique civil society contribution to the sustainability of the Rwandan Land Reform Process. This is a three year project that is scheduled to end on the 28^th February 2015.

Rwanda Land Reform is implemented through a government program known as the “Land Tenure Regularization Program” (LTRP). Hence, RISD project’s main objective is to contribute to the effective implementation of the LTRP towards poverty reduction and sustainable peace.

This objective will be achieved through the capability of Abunzi to document and resolve pending land related disputes as follow-up to the LTRP. The Project is implemented in 10 districts on a pilot basis during the first year of the project, 2012, and is scheduled to expand to a total of 15 districts during the year 2013, with a vision of covering all 30 Districts by end of the project in 2015.

The 10 project districts for 2012 are: Gasabo and Kicukiro (Kigali Province); Kirehe and Kayonza (Eastern Province); Musanze and Muhanga (Nothern Provice); Kamonyi and Nyaruguru (Southern Province); Rubavu and Karongi (Western Province). The 5 districts the project will expand to in 2013 are: Nyarugenge, Nyagatare, Gicumbi, Nyabihu, and Gisagara.                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                         

“If implemented as planned, I am convinced that, by the end of this project in 2015, land related pending cases will have reduced by between 75% - 80%”, asserts, Mr. Anastase Balinda, the Executive Secretary of the Mediators Secretariat in the Ministry of Justice. 

Although RISD has implemented other land related programs, this particular project demonstrates an effective engagement of stakeholders. The project is implemented by civil society in partnership with the Natural Resource Authority Office and the MINIJUST, through the Mediators Secretariat; and is funded by the Kingdom of the Netherlands with technical expertise contributions from Deutsche Gesellschaft fuer Internationale Zusammenarbeit (GIZ) and the Inter Church Organization for Development Cooperation (ICCO).    

“A Community with no disputes related to land is a strong indicator sustainable poverty reduction strategy and sustainable peace in the Country, and this is the biggest commitment of RISD contribution as we rebuild our nation”, states, the Right Rev. Bishop, Nathan Gasatura, the Chairperson of RISD’s Board of Directors.

                                                                             ###

Gender Equality: It’s smart and it’s right

The current inequities in land access also raise a human rights issue. The Universal Declaration of Human Rights recognises the right to property for all. This includes the right to land, which is the most important physical asset in poor agrarian economies. The Convention on the Elimination of all Forms of Discrimination Against Women (CEDAW) calls for equal rights of both spouses in terms of the ownership, acquisition, management, administration, enjoyment, and disposition of household property (Article 16).

A number of promising innovations for improving women’s access to land are being tested. For example, Ethiopia, Rwanda, Colombia, Peru, and Nicaragua have introduced joint land titling for spouses. In Nepal, a tax exemption (of 10 per cent in 2008, subsequently increased to 25–40 per cent) helped raise the number of households reporting women’s access to land ownership from 11 per cent in 2001 to 35 per cent in 2009.

http://blogs.oxfam.org/sites/blogs.oxfam.org/files/gender-equality-smart-right-niasse-dec2012.pdf