Ambiguous Outcomes of Returnees’ Land Dispute Resolution and Restitution in War-Torn Burundi
Redressing land dispossession in the aftermath of violent conflicts is daunting and complex. While land dispute resolution and restitution are expected to promote return migration, this outcome is contingent upon the changing social, economic and political conditions under which return takes place....
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| Format: | Article |
| Language: | English |
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MDPI AG
2022-01-01
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| Series: | Land |
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| Online Access: | https://www.mdpi.com/2073-445X/11/2/191 |
| _version_ | 1797478757121916928 |
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| author | Rosine Tchatchoua-Djomo Han van Dijk |
| author_facet | Rosine Tchatchoua-Djomo Han van Dijk |
| author_sort | Rosine Tchatchoua-Djomo |
| collection | DOAJ |
| description | Redressing land dispossession in the aftermath of violent conflicts is daunting and complex. While land dispute resolution and restitution are expected to promote return migration, this outcome is contingent upon the changing social, economic and political conditions under which return takes place. Drawing on qualitative data from Makamba Province in southern Burundi, this case study highlights the politically and historically shaped challenges underlying the resolution of competing and overlapping claims on land following protracted displacement. These include the undocumented and fluid nature of customary land rights, institutional and legal pluralism and shifting land governance relations. This paper emphasises the centrality of the state in regulating returnees’ land dispute resolution and restitution processes. Violent conflicts and forced migration have enabled the state to expand its control over customary land tenure. The gradual exclusion or replacement of local authorities has shaped a competitive structure of jurisdictions and confused authority over land. National land restitution commissions have been used by the central government to shape land tenure and state–citizen relations and to exert pressure on land tenure institutions. Addressing competing claims on land following armed conflicts may fail if attendant struggles over public authority and changing political dynamics are insufficiently considered. |
| first_indexed | 2024-03-09T21:36:09Z |
| format | Article |
| id | doaj.art-3e1af3f22c5d4d18993b787b6beebc40 |
| institution | Directory Open Access Journal |
| issn | 2073-445X |
| language | English |
| last_indexed | 2024-03-09T21:36:09Z |
| publishDate | 2022-01-01 |
| publisher | MDPI AG |
| record_format | Article |
| series | Land |
| spelling | doaj.art-3e1af3f22c5d4d18993b787b6beebc402023-11-23T20:42:25ZengMDPI AGLand2073-445X2022-01-0111219110.3390/land11020191Ambiguous Outcomes of Returnees’ Land Dispute Resolution and Restitution in War-Torn BurundiRosine Tchatchoua-Djomo0Han van Dijk1African Studies Centre Leiden, Leiden University, 2333 AK Leiden, The NetherlandsSociology of Development and Change Group, Department of Social Sciences, Wageningen University & Research, 6700 EW Wageningen, The NetherlandsRedressing land dispossession in the aftermath of violent conflicts is daunting and complex. While land dispute resolution and restitution are expected to promote return migration, this outcome is contingent upon the changing social, economic and political conditions under which return takes place. Drawing on qualitative data from Makamba Province in southern Burundi, this case study highlights the politically and historically shaped challenges underlying the resolution of competing and overlapping claims on land following protracted displacement. These include the undocumented and fluid nature of customary land rights, institutional and legal pluralism and shifting land governance relations. This paper emphasises the centrality of the state in regulating returnees’ land dispute resolution and restitution processes. Violent conflicts and forced migration have enabled the state to expand its control over customary land tenure. The gradual exclusion or replacement of local authorities has shaped a competitive structure of jurisdictions and confused authority over land. National land restitution commissions have been used by the central government to shape land tenure and state–citizen relations and to exert pressure on land tenure institutions. Addressing competing claims on land following armed conflicts may fail if attendant struggles over public authority and changing political dynamics are insufficiently considered.https://www.mdpi.com/2073-445X/11/2/191Burundiland disputesdispute resolutionproperty restitutionstate formationpost-war |
| spellingShingle | Rosine Tchatchoua-Djomo Han van Dijk Ambiguous Outcomes of Returnees’ Land Dispute Resolution and Restitution in War-Torn Burundi Land Burundi land disputes dispute resolution property restitution state formation post-war |
| title | Ambiguous Outcomes of Returnees’ Land Dispute Resolution and Restitution in War-Torn Burundi |
| title_full | Ambiguous Outcomes of Returnees’ Land Dispute Resolution and Restitution in War-Torn Burundi |
| title_fullStr | Ambiguous Outcomes of Returnees’ Land Dispute Resolution and Restitution in War-Torn Burundi |
| title_full_unstemmed | Ambiguous Outcomes of Returnees’ Land Dispute Resolution and Restitution in War-Torn Burundi |
| title_short | Ambiguous Outcomes of Returnees’ Land Dispute Resolution and Restitution in War-Torn Burundi |
| title_sort | ambiguous outcomes of returnees land dispute resolution and restitution in war torn burundi |
| topic | Burundi land disputes dispute resolution property restitution state formation post-war |
| url | https://www.mdpi.com/2073-445X/11/2/191 |
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