By Francis H. Murray
A cross section of Civil Society Organizations working on land governance and land related issues in Sierra Leone have called for a dialogue with the Vice President of Sierra Leone, Dr. Mohamed Juldeh Jalloh.
The proposed meeting, according to five Civil Society Organizations who made the demand, is to chart the way forward in resolving the overdue land dispute in Sahn Malen Chiefdom, Pujehun District, which has caused many unrests in the region.
“We will be very honoured if you can accord us a small time in your busy schedule to discuss some pertinent issues relating to the matter at hand as a follow-up to our previous meeting with you,’’ the group noted in an open letter addressed to the Vice President.
The CSOs further noted that the report of the Technical Committee, which was put together to investigate the root causes of the land dispute in Sahn Malen, had been made public, adding that they were closely monitoring with keen interest the progress of the work of the Committee which had commenced investigations in August 2018, that would eventually lead to the mediation process.
The CSOs, which include the Network Movement for Justice and Development (NMJD), Human Rights Defenders Network-SL, and Green Scenery, lauded the report, referring to it as revealing, and noting that it is the aspiration of the government to improve the investment sector in the country.
They however noted that the report was silent on a number of issues which they wished to draw the VP’s attention to, while assuring the government of their continued support in the mediation process.
‘‘We assure you of our support as you plan to chart out the next steps for the dialogue involving all stakeholders to the land dispute in the chiefdom. We continue to caution that in 2018, your government inherited a drawn-out conflict spanning 8 years,’’ the statement reads.
It goes on: “Conflict has graduated from mere dispute to a track 2 case, for which a lot of efforts may need to be applied for mutual resolution. Already this case has witnessed the death of two civilians from gunshots and 18 human rights defenders (one of whom is already dead) facing prolonged trials in Freetown rather than in Pujehun or Bo city, the regional headquarters, South,’’ the letter adds.
In their highlights of the key issues they considered probably responsible for the unrest in Malen Chiefdom, they noted questionable land deals, the problem with family land surveys and mapping, and the issues with uniform lease payment irrespective of the size of land taken away from a landowning family, among others.
‘‘We encourage your government to take proactive steps in building the confidence and trust of your electorate by investing more time in resolving the conflict and prevent a future intractable conflict that will lead to insecurity and instability in the chiefdom and the district,’’ they noted.
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