Customary Land Tenure in Liberia - Land Tenure and Property ...
Customary Land Tenure in Liberia - Land Tenure and Property ...
Customary Land Tenure in Liberia - Land Tenure and Property ...
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been serv<strong>in</strong>g s<strong>in</strong>ce the last election (held <strong>in</strong> 1987) or had been appo<strong>in</strong>ted to the position when the preced<strong>in</strong>g<br />
Clan Chief died.<br />
Paramount Chiefs<br />
Paramount Chiefs are the last category of chiefs <strong>in</strong> the clans who provide governance authority. They are the<br />
heads of Chiefdoms <strong>and</strong> oversee <strong>and</strong> are assisted by the Clan Chiefs with<strong>in</strong> their Chiefdom. The Paramount<br />
Chiefs work under the supervision of the District Commissioner <strong>and</strong> are assisted by a council of elders. The<br />
Paramount Chiefs oversee all the tribal authorities <strong>in</strong> their Chiefdom. Accord<strong>in</strong>g to the Rules Govern<strong>in</strong>g the<br />
H<strong>in</strong>terl<strong>and</strong>, the duties of the Paramount Chief are to:<br />
Supervise the adm<strong>in</strong>istration of the tribe; to carry out such lawful <strong>in</strong>structions given to him from time<br />
to time by the District Commissioner <strong>in</strong> relat<strong>in</strong>g to the collection of taxes; construction of roads <strong>and</strong><br />
bridges; improvement of agriculture, trade, <strong>and</strong> the sanitation of his tribal area <strong>and</strong> other matters<br />
affect<strong>in</strong>g the general welfare of his chiefdom or tribe (H<strong>in</strong>terl<strong>and</strong>s Rule, Article 22).<br />
Paramount Chiefs were widely reported to have the authority to resolve l<strong>and</strong> disputes that the Clan Chiefs fail<br />
to resolve. In Upper Workor, Saykleken, <strong>and</strong> Gbanshay, Paramount Chiefs are also reported to enforce <strong>and</strong><br />
uphold both government laws <strong>and</strong> customary laws.<br />
5.2.2 District Commissioners <strong>and</strong> Super<strong>in</strong>tendents<br />
District Commissioners (DC) are positioned at the highest tier of statutory, district-level governance. District<br />
Commissioners are appo<strong>in</strong>ted by <strong>and</strong> serve at the will <strong>and</strong> pleasure of the president. They generally oversee<br />
Paramount Chiefs, although <strong>in</strong> D<strong>in</strong>g <strong>and</strong> Saykleken Clans, we learned that they also oversee Township<br />
Commissioners. The District Commissioners <strong>and</strong> the District Super<strong>in</strong>tendents (DS) are responsible for<br />
meet<strong>in</strong>g the needs <strong>and</strong> concerns of local citizens <strong>in</strong> their jurisdictions <strong>and</strong> for ensur<strong>in</strong>g that they are made<br />
known to the legislature <strong>and</strong> the GOL. The DC <strong>and</strong> DS are based <strong>in</strong> the district headquarters, which might be<br />
located outside the clan. In areas where the DC was based <strong>in</strong> the clan, his role <strong>in</strong> l<strong>and</strong> <strong>and</strong> resource<br />
governance appeared to be much stronger than <strong>in</strong> areas where the DC was distant from the studied clan.<br />
The DC <strong>and</strong>/or DS are called upon when local authorities fail to address or resolve clan-level disputes. In the<br />
sites we visited, the DSs <strong>and</strong> DCs appeared to be well-respected by the clan members. In D<strong>in</strong>g Clan, the DC<br />
was accorded higher respect because he was seen to be actively seek<strong>in</strong>g to resolve l<strong>and</strong> disputes <strong>and</strong> to have<br />
clan residents‟ <strong>in</strong>terests at heart.<br />
5.3 OTHER GOVERNANCE AUTHORITIES<br />
5.3.1 Cultural Societies<br />
In many of the clans we visited, cultural societies – primarily Poro <strong>and</strong> S<strong>and</strong>e, but also Quee – play an<br />
important role <strong>in</strong> dispute resolution <strong>and</strong> sometimes <strong>in</strong> l<strong>and</strong> governance. Cultural societies are customary<br />
<strong>in</strong>stitutions whose authority is derived solely from local communities. The lore <strong>and</strong> practices of these societies<br />
are kept secret from nonmembers.<br />
In most of the studied clans, members reported that cultural societies are not directly <strong>in</strong>volved <strong>in</strong> l<strong>and</strong><br />
matters, <strong>in</strong>clud<strong>in</strong>g resolv<strong>in</strong>g l<strong>and</strong> disputes. Rather, the Family Heads <strong>and</strong> elders constitut<strong>in</strong>g these societies<br />
serve more generally as the first l<strong>in</strong>e of customary resolution for disputes that arise with<strong>in</strong> immediate <strong>and</strong><br />
extended families. This was true for Gbanshay, Upper Workor, Tengia, Little Kola, D<strong>in</strong>g, Saykleken, <strong>and</strong><br />
Ylan Clans <strong>and</strong> Nitrian Community. By contrast, <strong>in</strong> Dobli, Mana, <strong>and</strong> Motor Road Clans, secret societies do<br />
play a role <strong>in</strong> resolv<strong>in</strong>g l<strong>and</strong> disputes. For example, <strong>in</strong> Mana Clan, the Zoe are <strong>in</strong>volved at the highest levels of<br />
CUSTOMARY LAND TENURE IN LIBERIA