Land Rights and the Forest Peoples of Africa
Land Rights and the Forest Peoples of Africa
Land Rights and the Forest Peoples of Africa
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<strong>L<strong>and</strong></strong> rights <strong>and</strong> <strong>the</strong> forest peoples <strong>of</strong> <strong>Africa</strong> – Part II<br />
were evicted <strong>and</strong> relocated without compensation. They brought an action in <strong>the</strong> domestic<br />
courts but <strong>the</strong>ir claim was rejected. They have <strong>the</strong>refore submitted a complaint to <strong>the</strong> <strong>Africa</strong>n<br />
Commission. The Commission has scheduled to adopt a decision on this case at its 45 th<br />
Ordinary Session to be held in May 2009. The decision should thus be made public soon<br />
afterwards <strong>and</strong> is expected to set a precedent on this issue at <strong>the</strong> regional level.<br />
At <strong>the</strong> international level, indigenous peoples’ rights to l<strong>and</strong> is clearly affirmed by <strong>the</strong> United<br />
Nations Declaration on <strong>the</strong> <strong>Rights</strong> <strong>of</strong> Indigenous <strong>Peoples</strong> (UNDRIP) <strong>of</strong> 2007, which states<br />
that indigenous peoples have <strong>the</strong> ‘right to <strong>the</strong> l<strong>and</strong>s, territories <strong>and</strong> resources which <strong>the</strong>y have<br />
traditionally owned, occupied or o<strong>the</strong>rwise used or acquired.’ 31 This also comprises ‘<strong>the</strong> right<br />
to own, use, develop <strong>and</strong> control <strong>the</strong> l<strong>and</strong>s, territories <strong>and</strong> resources that <strong>the</strong>y possess by<br />
reason <strong>of</strong> traditional ownership or o<strong>the</strong>r traditional occupation or use, as well as those which<br />
<strong>the</strong>y have o<strong>the</strong>rwise acquired.’ 32 Fur<strong>the</strong>rmore, UNDRIP affirms that states’ duty to guarantee<br />
<strong>the</strong> right to l<strong>and</strong> must be realised in respect <strong>of</strong> tradition <strong>and</strong> l<strong>and</strong> tenure systems <strong>of</strong><br />
indigenous peoples. The UN declaration establishes guiding principles; <strong>the</strong> vast majority <strong>of</strong><br />
UN member states voted in favour <strong>of</strong> its adoption, <strong>and</strong> no <strong>Africa</strong>n country voted against it. 33<br />
<strong>Africa</strong>n indigenous peoples’ right to l<strong>and</strong> also stems from binding international treaties. The<br />
International Covenant on Civil <strong>and</strong> Political <strong>Rights</strong> (ICCPR) <strong>of</strong> 1966 protects <strong>the</strong> right <strong>of</strong><br />
ethnic, religious <strong>and</strong> linguistic minorities to enjoy in community <strong>the</strong>ir own culture, practices,<br />
religion <strong>and</strong> language. 34 The Covenant also affirms <strong>the</strong> right <strong>of</strong> all peoples to selfdetermination<br />
<strong>and</strong> freely to dispose <strong>of</strong> <strong>the</strong>ir natural wealth. 35 This Covenant was ratified by 50<br />
<strong>Africa</strong>n Union member states, including Burundi, Cameroon, DRC, Ug<strong>and</strong>a <strong>and</strong> Rw<strong>and</strong>a. The<br />
UN Human <strong>Rights</strong> Committee, <strong>the</strong> body monitoring <strong>the</strong> implementation <strong>of</strong> <strong>the</strong> ICCPR, linked<br />
cultural rights guaranteed in <strong>the</strong> Covenant to <strong>the</strong> right to l<strong>and</strong>, <strong>and</strong> advised that measures be<br />
taken to restore <strong>the</strong>ir native l<strong>and</strong>s to indigenous people. 36<br />
Fur<strong>the</strong>rmore, <strong>the</strong> International Labour Organization has adopted two Conventions pertaining<br />
to indigenous peoples’ rights: Convention 107 (ILO 107) <strong>of</strong> 1957 <strong>and</strong> Convention 169 (ILO<br />
169) <strong>of</strong> 1989. 37 Their content is, however, only partially applicable in <strong>Africa</strong>, as <strong>Africa</strong>n states<br />
have not yet broadly ratified <strong>the</strong>se instruments. 38 Yet <strong>the</strong> two Conventions are part <strong>of</strong> <strong>the</strong><br />
31<br />
UNDRIP, Article 26 (1).<br />
32<br />
Ibid., Article 26 (2).<br />
33<br />
The <strong>Africa</strong>n Group submitted an ‘Aide mémoire’ to <strong>the</strong> United Nations session in November 2006 in New<br />
York. Namibia <strong>and</strong> Botswana led this group, which raised several concerns concerning <strong>the</strong> adoption <strong>of</strong> <strong>the</strong><br />
Declaration. However, <strong>the</strong>se concerns were responded to by expert NGOs <strong>and</strong> <strong>the</strong> <strong>Africa</strong>n Commission’<br />
Working Group on Indigenous <strong>Peoples</strong>/Communities. The Declaration was adopted without any <strong>Africa</strong>n<br />
vote against in 2007. See <strong>the</strong> Advisory Opinion <strong>of</strong> <strong>the</strong> <strong>Africa</strong>n Commission on Human <strong>and</strong> <strong>Peoples</strong> <strong>Rights</strong><br />
Concerning <strong>the</strong> United Nations Declaration on <strong>the</strong> <strong>Rights</strong> <strong>of</strong> Indigenous <strong>Peoples</strong>, adopted at <strong>the</strong> 40 th<br />
Ordinary session <strong>of</strong> ACHPR, May 2007, Accra, Ghana.<br />
34<br />
ICCPR, Article 27.<br />
35<br />
Ibid., Article 1.<br />
36<br />
Concluding observations by <strong>the</strong> Committee on <strong>the</strong> Elimination <strong>of</strong> Racial Discrimination, Australia, 24<br />
March 2000, CERD/C/56/Misc. 42/rev. 3.<br />
37<br />
ILO 169 came into force in 1991.<br />
38<br />
ILO 107 is ratified by only a few <strong>and</strong> ILO 169 by none. Angola, Egypt, Ghana, Guinea-Bissau, Malawi <strong>and</strong><br />
Tunisia have ratified ILO 107. However, both <strong>the</strong> Central <strong>Africa</strong>n Republic <strong>and</strong> Cameroon have actively<br />
started a process <strong>of</strong> negotiation towards <strong>the</strong> potential adoption <strong>of</strong> ILO 169; see ILO Programme to Promote<br />
ILO Convention No. 169 (PRO 169).<br />
Couillard & Gilbert 37<br />
March 2009