By Politico Staff writer
A Policy Brief by the Sierra Leone Land Alliance has called on the Government of Sierra Leone to undertake a comprehensive audit and retrospect to address historical injustice that has over the years clouded land rights.
The brief titled “Righting the wrong : historical injustices and Land reforms in Sierra Leone“ highlighted the need for a forensic audit into the resettlement programmes that have already been implemented since independence to establish the extent to which they benefited the landless.
“It is important that accurate data is collected on this, so that the actual status of those historically dispossessed of land is established. This is important because the goal of redressing historical injustices is to restore land and to provide other restitutionary remedies to those dispossessed, in such a way as to provide support to the vital process of reconciliation, reconstruction and compensation,” the brief reads in part.
It also cited Squatter Problem as a major historical issue that needs to be addressed, noting that resolution of genuine historical and current land injustices regarding squatters is one of the key foundations for land policy reform in Sierra Leone.
“The concept of indefeasible title remains and constitutional provisions are inefficient in addressing the problem. There has also not been efficient and accountable institutional framework for land ownership and management that has resulted in an increase in squatters,” it stated.
The group noted that the severity of the problem of historical injustices has repeatedly been articulated to the various forums established by the government, including the 1991 Constitution of Sierra Leone Review Commission, the Presidential Commission of Inquiry into the Land Law System of Sierra Leone and the Complaint Committee Report on land disputes in the Western Area of 2021 and the National Land Policy Formulation Process.
“The White Paper of the review of the 1991 Constitution of Sierra Leone which was rejected by the previous administration in 2017 and the White Paper on the Constitutional Committee Review of current President Bio recognized this problem of historical injustices and required the Government to effectively address them.”
This according to the Alliance is in recognition of the fact that equitable access to land is an essential precursor for economic development in Sierra Leone, as most primary and secondary economic activities- agriculture, tourism, mining, pastoralism and agro-based manufacturing sector -are dependent on land.
The brief noted that failure by successive governments to adequately deal with historical injustices has allowed the grievances to fester, and the problem to ferment into a national crisis.
“The Sierra Land Alliance and its member organisations have deliberated on these issues and have concluded that President Julius Maada Bio and Minister Dr. Turad Senessie must protect and guarantee the land rights of all the people of Sierra Leone,” it reads.
The brief highlighted major concerns leading to land rights issues such as the land tenure system in which the customary system of land acquisition and the English law, co-exist. It also noted land expropriation which covers the protection of land as a property owned by either an individual or a group, except on certain stated grounds.
“There is a provision in the law of Sierra Leone known as the ‘principle of first registration’. It protects persons whose names appear on title documents from being dispossessed of the land in question,” it stated.
It also mentioned land grabbing both by government officials and the public as a major concern.
Sierra Leone’s Parliament recently passed into law two land laws; the customary Land Rights Act and the National Land Commission Act aimed at addressing the land rights concerns.
Copyright © 2024 (Politico (22/01/24)
