Attachments
KEY MESSAGES
- Land and property are often central
issues in the build up to conflict, in the strategies pursued by combatants
and in post-conflict recovery
- Mine action organisations are
not neutral when it comes to land rights. Releasing land which was previously
contaminated with landmines and explosive
remnants of war (ERW) and making
it accessible changes its status. This inevitably involves land rights
issues, even if the intent is to avoid them.
- Trying to avoid land rights issues
can seriously compromise the return of displaced populations and affect
the effectiveness and developmental
outcomes of mine action.
- Be proactive and take these issues
into consideration. There are a range of actions that mine action organisations
can take to ensure they do no harm and
respond to the land issues they
encounter.
- Coordinate with humanitarian
and development organisations that deal with conflict affected populations,
and national and international organisations
dealing with land issues, as this
can limit land tensions related to mine action operations.