Report: Regional Consultative Meetings on Land - Land Commission

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8 Governance Commisssion - Liberia Executive Summary
EXECUTIVE SUMMARY Background In 2006, the Governance Commission (GC) was given the mandate to consider and investigate i s s u e s s u r r o u n d i n g land tenure and rights in Liberia that were recognized as being contentious and potentiallyvolatile and which had their origins in the early history of Liberia. In pursuit of this mandate, the GC in early 2007 initiated a process that brought together a broad range of stakeholders, including government ministries and agencies, the private sector, civil society, and the international community, to discuss the way forward on land issues. A Land Issues Steering Committee, working under the GC, was established and functioned throughout 2007 – 2008. The Steering Committee recommended that consultations be held at the local level to obtain the perspectives of the population. Six regional consultative meetings were held between March and May, 2008, involving nearly one thousand participants from all fifteen counties. Participants included local government and community leaders, elders and traditional authorities, ordinary citizens, women and youth, business and religious leaders, NGOs and international partners, government ministries and agencies. The consultations were held in 1) Harper (Grand Kru, Maryland, and River Gee), 2) Zwedru (Sinoe and Grand Gedeh), 3) Gbargna (Lofa, Bong, and Nimba), ) 4) Tubmanburg (Grand Cape Mount, Gbarpolu, and Bomi), 5) Buchanan (Grand Bassa, Rivercess, and Margibi), and 6) Paynesville (Montserrado). The consultative meetings were held in order to hear the views of Liberians about land and land matters. These consultations provided a forum for open discussions with and among ordinary people from both urban and rural communities, and other stakeholders, around a common set of land related issues. Their discussions generated information, exposed ambiguities and knowledge gaps, and provided insights into their perceptions on land issues; all of which will be useful to the Land Commission as it proceeds “to promote, advocate and coordinate reform of land policy, laws and programs in Liberia”. “The next war will be over this land business if nobody does something to solve this problem” Statement made by an elder during the consultations The consultations which took place over two days were divided into plenary sessions and discussion groups. Men from each county formed a discussion group while the women participants were brought together in a separate group except for the Montserrado consultation. Discussions during the consultations focused on a number of important land related issues of concern, provided insights and raised questions, which will require further investigation and study. Participants identified and discussed pressing issues which demand immediate action, and made recommendations This report presents the views and ideas from the participants themselves. As such, the report does not attempt to analyze the responses. Similar concerns were expressed by participants at each of the regional consultative meetings on many of the issues discussed, with minor nuanced differences reflecting regional, locations (i.e. urban/rural), or specific ethnic/cultural peculiarities. Governance Commission - Liberia 9
Page 1 and 2: Report: Re
Page 3 and 4: Acronyms ADR Alternative Dispute Re
Page 5 and 6: Foreword On behalf of the Governanc
Page 7: The consultations that are summariz
Page 11 and 12: security of tenure. Strangers or ou
Page 13 and 14: BACKGROUND Following the inaugurati
Page 15 and 16: The Consultations Governance Commis
Page 17 and 18: loss of confidence is due to a numb
Page 19 and 20: ty to educate participants on land
Page 21 and 22: punitive taxation, as a deterrent t
Page 23 and 24: Key recommendations were made by th
Page 25 and 26: SUMMARY OF RESPONSES FROM MEN’S G
Page 27 and 28: • For strangers, especially forei
Page 29 and 30: Private Land: • Private land is l
Page 31 and 32: the resources be allotted to the co
Page 33 and 34: • One hundred fifty (150) acres;
Page 35 and 36: communities; • Local communities
Page 37 and 38: SUMMARY OF RESPONSES FROM WOMEN’S
Page 39 and 40: • • sus on what the limit shoul
Page 41 and 42: • By mutually agreeing on means o
Page 43 and 44: In order to promote investment and
Page 45 and 46: Annex III: Montserrado Discussions
Page 47 and 48: • • • munity Urban: (insuffic
Page 49 and 50: • Government should impose fine o
Page 51 and 52: LAND CONSULTATION DISCUSSION QUESTI
Page 53 and 54: Annex V: Existing Land Disputes Gov
Page 55 and 56: • • • • • • • • •
Page 57 and 58: Lofa County Land Disputes Summary
Page 59 and 60:
Annex VI: Excerpts from Opening Sta
Page 61 and 62:
There is also an acute shortage of
Page 63 and 64:
Regional Breakdown
Page 65 and 66:
Annex VIII: Land Issues Steering Co
Page 67 and 68:
Fole Sherman UN-Habitat Darlington
Page 69 and 70:
Land and Property Rights Issue Issu
Page 71 and 72:
• cial holdings and smallholder f
Page 73 and 74:
• • • • • • • try of
Page 75 and 76:
Copyright (C) 2009 Governance Commi
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Report: Regional Consultative Meetings on Land - Land Commission

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