BY: SHALLON S. GONLOR / shallonsgonlor@gmail.com
NIMBA COUNTY – The legal consultant of the Nimba County Administration has embarked on a sensitive legal journey – Land Rights Act and Conflict Resolution Mechanism as part of its commitment to strengthen access to justice for all. The Nimba County Local Government Administration through its legal consultant over the weekend held a day-long high-level series of lectures at the Sanniquellie City Hall with a key focus
on Land Right Act, Criminal Conveyance Act; Sellers, Buyers, Surveyors, Government Officials, Acquisition of Customary Land, and Amicable Resolution of Land Dispute (void of violence).
The high-level panel discussion brought together legal luminaries, city mayors, magistrates, city solicitors, police officers land surveyors, commissioners, women representatives, youth representatives, media practitioners, civil society actors, local government officials, and others. Giving a brief overview of the lecture series, the Legal Consultant of the county, Cllr. Lawrence Sua said the important initiative undertaken by the county administration, supported by Superintendent Kou Meapeh Gono stems from raising awareness on land and conflict and how conflict-sensitive development contributes to sustaining peace.
Cllr. Sua emphasized the county’s unwavering commitment to support and sustain dialogue – engagement on land and conflict resolution mechanisms with community dwellers. Land conflict is a social phenomenon involving at least two parties with roots in differing interests over land property rights.
Cllr. Sua argues that land continued to be potentially subject to conflict due to the absence of clear titles.
“Long-standing land issues continue to hamper poverty-reduction initiatives,” he asserted.
The high-levelpanel gathering highlighted how development gains are reversed by violent conflicts and the pivotal importance of addressing the land and conflict nexus to ensure peace, in support of all SDGs.
“I as a lawyer and then legal actor, including those of you who are city mayors, who are magistrates, who are town chiefs, know that it is a fact that land dispute in Liberia is a serious matter and Nimba is no excuse. To the extent that there can be conflict or interference in land business from the town chief and then the court,” he added.
The Legal Consultant of Nimba County Administration further pointed out the importance of having this lecture series – a way to ensure a sustained engagement that can overcome land as a root cause of conflict and bottleneck to development.
Cllr. Sua said “there are times when land battle is before the court, the town chief is sitting in halt; he wants to take siege of the matter, whereas the matters are in the court. And when such thing happens, the court now will take it as a contemptuous issue. I being the legal consultant for the county and the county council, to the superintendent, and then we got to get involved.”
He noted that land-related conflicts are key root causes of conflict and bottlenecks to recovery, but if managed correctly land can be an engine for growth and development. “So the superintendent, knowing that land matters are critical and key, has the propensity to bring up violence and many times they have brought violence…,” the Nimba County Administration Legal Consultant highlighted.
He stressed the county’s leadership readiness to consistently engage citizens and local leaders that further address land and conflict nexus, including the advancement of practical tools, key to achieving stabilization and recovery. “The county administration is taking bold step in undertaking this initiative to have a training session for actors that play a role within the land dispute matter,” Cllr. Sua stated.
The legal counsel further noted that land is a crucial issue to be addressed to prevent violent conflicts, the vast majority of which have competition over land as a root cause, to support fragile peace, and ensure dignity. “And of course, the Criminal Conveyance Act is very close to this issue. So the county administration said that we need to shoulder this so that the issue of land violence, land dispute minimized…,” he added.
Cllr. Sua highlighted the key land challenges faced and the importance of protecting the land rights of indigenous peoples, whose identity, livelihood and very existence is related to land. “When we go back to our respective areas, our respective courts, our respective towns; we learn a lot so that when land matter comes down, we know that this one constitutes this crime and these are the punishments that are attached there too,” he concluded.
