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 />
peoples to compensation in <strong>the</strong> case <strong>of</strong> damages resulting from exploration <strong>and</strong><br />
exploitation programmes pertaining to <strong>the</strong>ir l<strong>and</strong>s, <strong>and</strong> in case <strong>of</strong> relocation <strong>of</strong><br />
indigenous peoples. The draft declaration on <strong>the</strong> rights <strong>of</strong> indigenous peoples [Article 27]<br />
recognizes <strong>the</strong> right to <strong>the</strong> restitution or, where this is not possible, to just <strong>and</strong> fair<br />
compensation for l<strong>and</strong>s <strong>and</strong> territories which have been confiscated, occupied, used or<br />
damaged without <strong>the</strong>ir free <strong>and</strong> informed consent. Compensation shall preferably take<br />
<strong>the</strong> form <strong>of</strong> l<strong>and</strong>s <strong>and</strong> territories <strong>of</strong> quality, quantity <strong>and</strong> legal status at least equal to<br />
those territories which were lost. 83<br />
Article 28 <strong>of</strong> <strong>the</strong> UN draft Declaration on <strong>the</strong> <strong>Rights</strong> <strong>of</strong> Indigenous <strong>Peoples</strong> states that:<br />
1. Indigenous peoples have <strong>the</strong> right to redress, by means that can include restitution<br />
or, when this is not possible, just, fair <strong>and</strong> equitable compensation, for <strong>the</strong> l<strong>and</strong>s,<br />
territories <strong>and</strong> resources which <strong>the</strong>y have traditionally owned or o<strong>the</strong>rwise occupied or<br />
used, <strong>and</strong> which have been confiscated, taken, occupied, used or damaged without <strong>the</strong>ir<br />
free, prior <strong>and</strong> informed consent.<br />
2. Unless o<strong>the</strong>rwise freely agreed upon by <strong>the</strong> peoples concerned, compensation shall<br />
take <strong>the</strong> form <strong>of</strong> l<strong>and</strong>s, territories <strong>and</strong> resources equal in quality, size <strong>and</strong> legal status or<br />
<strong>of</strong> monetary compensation or o<strong>the</strong>r appropriate redress.<br />
In 1997, <strong>the</strong> UN Committee on <strong>the</strong> Elimination <strong>of</strong> Racial Discrimination also addressed this<br />
issue in its General Recommendation XXIII called upon States parties:<br />
to recognize <strong>and</strong> protect <strong>the</strong> rights <strong>of</strong> indigenous peoples to own, develop, control <strong>and</strong><br />
use <strong>the</strong>ir communal l<strong>and</strong>s, territories <strong>and</strong> resources <strong>and</strong>, where <strong>the</strong>y have been deprived<br />
<strong>of</strong> <strong>the</strong>ir l<strong>and</strong>s <strong>and</strong> territories traditionally owned or o<strong>the</strong>rwise inhabited or used without<br />
<strong>the</strong>ir free <strong>and</strong> informed consent, to take steps to return those l<strong>and</strong>s <strong>and</strong> territories. Only<br />
when this is for factual reasons not possible, <strong>the</strong> right to restitution should be substituted<br />
by <strong>the</strong> right to just, fair <strong>and</strong> prompt compensation. Such compensation should as far as<br />
possible take <strong>the</strong> form <strong>of</strong> l<strong>and</strong>s <strong>and</strong> territories. 84<br />
Finally, Convention 169 <strong>of</strong> <strong>the</strong> International Labour Organization requires that indigenous<br />
peoples’ collective rights <strong>of</strong> ownership <strong>and</strong> possession over <strong>the</strong> l<strong>and</strong>s which <strong>the</strong>y traditionally<br />
occupy shall be recognised. 85 The term ‘traditionally occupy’ does not require a continued <strong>and</strong><br />
present occupation, but ra<strong>the</strong>r, according to <strong>the</strong> International Labour Organization, ‘<strong>the</strong>re<br />
should be some connection to <strong>the</strong> present’. 86 Consequently, under ILO 169 – <strong>and</strong> ILO 107,<br />
which uses <strong>the</strong> same language – indigenous peoples have <strong>the</strong> right to restitution <strong>and</strong><br />
recognition <strong>of</strong> <strong>the</strong>ir rights to l<strong>and</strong>s ‘traditionally occupied’ that <strong>the</strong>y have been expelled from<br />
or that <strong>the</strong>y have lost title to or possession <strong>of</strong> in <strong>the</strong> recent past, including those incorporated<br />
83<br />
Ibid., p 9.<br />
84<br />
UN Committee on <strong>the</strong> Elimination <strong>of</strong> Racial Discrimination, General Recommendation XXIII (51)<br />
concerning Indigenous <strong>Peoples</strong>, adopted at <strong>the</strong> 1235th meeting, 18 August 1997, UN Doc. CERD/C/51/Misc.<br />
13/Rev. 4, paragraph 5.<br />
85<br />
ILO 169, Article 14.<br />
86<br />
International Labour Office (2000), ILO Convention on Indigenous <strong>and</strong> Tribal <strong>Peoples</strong> 1989 (No. 169): A<br />
Manual, Project to Promote ILO Policy on Indigenous <strong>and</strong> Tribal <strong>Peoples</strong>, Geneva, p 18.<br />
Couillard & Gilbert 45<br />
March 2009