Intricate links: Displacement, ethno-political conflict, and claim-making to land in Burundi

Tchatchoua-Djomo, Rosine; Haar, G. van der; Dijk, J.W.M. van; Leeuwen, M. van

doi:10.1016/j.geoforum.2018.03.023

Cited by 16 publications

(16 citation statements)

References 31 publications

(42 reference statements)

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“…In other settings, return may be centrally orchestrated. In Burundi, we found that political pressure was put on refugees to return to their areas of origin in the Makamba region after having lived in Tanzania for more than thirty years [18].…”

Section: Introductionmentioning

confidence: 94%

“…Many end up in regional urban centres. Camps, however, do generate land claims of their own and affect land access and pressures on natural resources in the immediate vicinity of the camp and beyond [18,26].…”

Section: The Nature Of Competing Claims In Places Of Arrivalmentioning

confidence: 99%

“…It is clear that insisting on the principle of restitution, especially after an absence has been long lasting, would affect the entitlements of a range of more recent claimants and come at a high social cost. In Burundi, we found that the right to restitution of returnees clashed with the state-backed titles held by some of the later owners [17,18].…”

Section: The Lack Of Legal Yardsticks and Suitable Frameworkmentioning

confidence: 99%

“…Political intentions are read into what seem to be technical land governance interventions, making solutions highly sensitive. In Burundi, we found that the involvement of the national land commission (CNTB) on behalf of returnees from Tanzania got linked to ethno-political tensions and claims of citizenship and (ethnic) belonging [18].…”

Section: Unfavourable Conditions For Land Governancementioning

confidence: 99%

“…In their turn, the Tutsi were displaced and their political leaders identified the displaced Hutu as accomplices in the violence against the Tutsi people during past conflicts, while they viewed themselves as victims of a (hidden) political agenda of the current government to marginalise them and to dispossess them of their legitimate rights to land and safety. As local divisions hardened, the room for negotiated solutions diminished and earlier land sharing arrangements were revised to more exclusionary solutions favouring one party over the other [18].…”

Section: Striking a Balance Between Restoring Pre-war Rights And Acknmentioning

confidence: 99%

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War-Induced Displacement: Hard Choices in Land Governance

Haar

Leeuwen

2019

Land

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Civil war and violence often force large numbers of people to leave their lands. Multiple waves of displacement and (partial) return generate complex overlapping claims that are not easily solved. As people return to their regions of origin—sometimes after decades—they tend to find their land occupied by other settlers, some of whom hold legal entitlements. In the places of arrival, displaced people affect other people’s access as they seek to turn their temporary entitlements into more definite claims. The overlapping claims related to displacement pose serious dilemmas to land governance, which existing land laws and land governance institutions are not well-equipped to deal with. This paper outlines the main challenges for land governance as a first step to move the debate forward. The paper summarises the key challenges around three tensions: first, between short term conflict resolution and structural solutions; second, between state and customary/community-based governance; and finally, between principles (such as the right to return or restitution) and acknowledgement of the new situation.

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Section: Introductionmentioning

confidence: 94%

Section: The Nature Of Competing Claims In Places Of Arrivalmentioning

confidence: 99%

Section: The Lack Of Legal Yardsticks and Suitable Frameworkmentioning

confidence: 99%

Section: Unfavourable Conditions For Land Governancementioning

confidence: 99%

Section: Striking a Balance Between Restoring Pre-war Rights And Acknmentioning

confidence: 99%

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