News on Land

Nairobi, 14 May 2020 – As COVID-19 spreads around the world, billions of people have been told to stay at home, practice physical distancing, wash their hands regularly and wear masks. However, these simple preventive public health measures are almost impossible to follow for those who are homeless, or who live in unsafe or overcrowded conditions.

Prospect of an average Nigerian owning land and houses is waning speedily following the unstable and harsh economic situations, which have greatly affected many businesses.

As a result of that, most companies can barely pay salaries, while salary increments are becoming a lot more difficult. Even as dysfunctional mortgage system and salaries increase rate are getting much slower, buying a property has become harder for most people.

Five Phnom Srok district officials were called before the Banteay Meanchey Provincial Administration to explain accusations that they were attempting to sell state land in the protected Ang Trapaing Thmar area that included land belonging to security offices and three armed forces units, a court spokesman said.

Deputy provincial governor Ly Sary identified the officials as Phnom Srok district deputy governor Sao Len, chief of land management office Phnom Srok district Tang Phan, and Poy Char commune chief Khouth Khoun. The other two officials are Sok Rithy and Thoun Lamhinh.

The Chief Executive Officer of COCOBOD, Joseph Boahen Aidoo, is appealing to the security agencies to intensify the fight against illegal miners whose activities are destroying acres of cocoa farms.

The Kampong Chhnang Provincial Court will summon officials from the provincial Department of Agriculture, Forestry and Fisheries, and Cholkiri district officials to clarify why three villagers were released on April 19 after they were arrested the same day for allegedly clearing flooded forest land in Peam Chhkork commune’s Kbal Anlong village in the district.

Provincial court spokesperson Chhuon Sivin told The Post on Monday that the arrest was made by deputy prosecutor Long Sitha and district police forces.

Fourteen people have been identified for inciting more than 70 villagers to burn down two ranger stations in Taveng commune, Taveng district, Ratanakkiri province. District officials will bring the case to court, said Ministry of Environment secretary of state and spokesman Neth Pheaktra.

Speaking to The Post on Monday, Pheaktra said some villagers grabbed land at a protected area and after the rangers intervened they set the stations on fire. “This is unacceptable, and the ringleaders must be held responsible for their action according to the law for destroying state property.

The Department of Agriculture (DA) and AgriNurture Inc. (ANI) will develop 20,000 hectares of land in Mindanao owned by indigenous peoples (IP) into corn farms for the commercialization of ANI’s rice-corn blend project.

In a recent news briefing, the DA said it will undertake the development of IP lands in partnership with the National Commission on Indigenous Peoples (NCIP) for ANI’s bigas-mais (rice-corn), or BigMa project.

The DA added that it will also shoulder the initial corn seed requirements to cover the target area.

A Twenty-hectare plot of land in Erap has been allocated by the Division of Agriculture and Livestock to address Covid-19 food security through partnerships with other stakeholders.

The project is in response to a call by the provincial emergency centre supported by the Australian High Commission Consulate, Lae Chamber of Commerce and Lae City Authority to provide planting materials to farmers in the province. 

JAKARTA — Two people have died in a series of land disputes between major companies and rural communities in Indonesia.

Activists have denounced the escalation in the conflicts, saying businesses shouldn’t be taking advantage of the country’s focus on dealing with the COVID-19 pandemic to further their own — often illegal — interests.

GLTN’s Social Tenure Domain Model (STDM) has acquired a surprising application in the identification of vulnerable households. A case in point is in Nepal where the GLTN in collaboration with UN-Habitat Nepal Country Office, and its local partner Community Self Reliance Centre (CSRC) have been implementing the “Support to Land Reform Initiatives in Nepal” project.

Environment rangers and community members patrolled the Prey Lang Wildlife Sanctuary 511 times within the first four months of the year and prevented 399 forest crimes in four provinces.

Ministry of Environment secretary of state and spokesman Neth Pheaktra said on Thursday that a report on the management and protection at Prey Lang showed that 32 cases of logging and land clearing had been sent to the courts for legal action.

In 42 cases involving nearly 100 people, cease and desist contracts had been signed.