-Wants contentious issues around boundary, deed issuance, and customary land protection resolved
The Southeast Regional Network of Community Land Development Management Committees (SRNCLDMC) has issued an urgent call to the Liberian Government through the Liberia Land Authority (LLA) to address critical land administration issues that have long plagued the southeastern region of Liberia.
At the forefront of these concerns are unresolved boundary disputes, delayed issuance of deeds, and the illegal sale of customary community lands. The SRNCLDMC argues that these challenges, if left unresolved, threaten the peace, stability, and socio-economic development of the region.
In a strongly worded petition issued recently, the SRNCLDMC highlighted the Liberia Land Authority’s failure to address boundary disputes affecting customary land-owning communities. According to the network, this inaction has led to rising tensions among communities, creating a volatile situation in the region.
“The failure of the LLA to resolve boundary disputes is undermining the peace and stability in the southeast,” the petition stated.
Another major concern raised by the SRNCLDMC is the lack of progress in issuing deeds to communities that have already undergone the Customary Land Formalization (CLF) process. Without these deeds, communities are left in limbo, their land rights unsecured.
“Communities that have completed the CLF process are still waiting for their deeds, which undermines land tenure security and hampers our socio-economic development,” the SRNCLDMC noted.
In addition, the long-awaited regulations for completing tribal certificates, a key component of formalizing land rights, remain unfinished. The lack of these regulations, the SRNCLDMC argues, has excluded local communities from securing their customary land tenure. “Without clear regulations on tribal certificates, local communities continue to be marginalized, which jeopardizes their access to and control over their ancestral lands,” the petition stated.
The illegal sale of customary lands by county land administrators is another pressing issue raised by the SRNCLDMC. This practice, they say, directly violates the 2018 Land Rights Act and further disenfranchises communities that rely on their lands for livelihood. “The illegal sale of our customary lands must be stopped immediately, as it violates the rights of our people as outlined in the Land Rights Act,” the SRNCLDMC said.
Another growing concern is the Liberian Government’s reported plan to take 100,000 hectares of customary land in the southeast for agricultural activities. The SRNCLDMC has warned that such actions, if carried out without the consent of local communities, will be seen as a violation of their land rights. “We depend on these lands for our survival. Any attempt by the government to seize these lands without our consent is unacceptable,” the SRNCLDMC warned.
The SRNCLDMC emphasized that the protection of land rights is critical for maintaining peace, security, and sustainable development in southeastern Liberia. They called on the government to ensure that their land rights are respected and protected, and that any policies related to customary lands are inclusive and transparent.
In response, Julius B. Kawa, the Director of Land Policy and planning at the LAA acknowledged the issues raised by the SRNCLDMC, stating that the LLA is aware of the challenges and is working to address them. He pointed out that the LLA has been constrained by limited resources, receiving only US$24,000 for operations in the past budget year, which he said was insufficient to cover basic operational costs.
“We are aware of the enormous challenges, especially in the southeast, and we are working with some communities in Grand Gedeh and other counties to address these issues. The LLA has been severely underfunded, but we are collaborating with donor partners, including the Swedish Government and the United Nations, to support our efforts,” Kawa said.
He also urged the communities to engage the Legislature and Executive branches, which are responsible for allocating resources to the LLA. “We ask that you also direct your concerns to the Legislature and Executive, as they control the funding. They need to see the importance of empowering the LLA to effectively manage land issues,” Kawa emphasized.
While acknowledging the issues raised by the SRNCLDMC, Kawa stressed that addressing Liberia’s land challenges would require a collective effort. “The land issues in our country cannot be resolved by the LLA alone. It requires all stakeholders, government, communities, and international partners working together,” he concluded.
Kawa promised to relay the SRNCLDMC’s concerns to the Chairman and Commissioners of the LLA, and assured that there would be an emergency meeting to develop a roadmap for resolving the ongoing land issues in the southeast.
As land issues continue to pose a threat to peace and development in Liberia, the SRNCLDMC remains committed to advocating for the rights of communities to their customary lands. With the LLA pledging to engage stakeholders and find solutions, there is hope that the longstanding land rights crisis in southeastern Liberia will be addressed.
However, the communities remain vigilant, insisting that their land rights must be protected and their voices heard in all discussions related to the future of their lands.
