environmental degradation as a cause of conflict in - Steiner Graphics
environmental degradation as a cause of conflict in - Steiner Graphics environmental degradation as a cause of conflict in - Steiner Graphics
ural conditions in the country. They advance the following arguments:• Difficulty of keeping and sticking to one piece of agricultural land withoutshifting in cases of dwindling soil fertility. This point is particularly valid insandy soils and qoz lands;• Limiting the mobility of individuals and groups, particularly the landless andnomads. Traditionally, customary procedures and communal ownership of theland accommodate and cater for such mobility;• In case of permanent ownership of the land through formal registration, thenative administration powers will be weakened and will lose the respect andcommitment of the people;• Complication and cost of formal land registration may impose unnecessaryburden on the rural poor.However, there are some arguments in favour of land registration. Supporters ofland registration in rural areas usually consider the following:• Due to increasing trend of land commercialization in agricultural areas, particularlyalluvial soils, owners and transactions should be supported by formalland registration documents.• Land registration documents are often officially required for eligibility forcredit and agricultural facilities.• Small-holders will be protected from any future displacement in case of largedevelopment projects.• Permanently-secured ownership of land is more likely to induce and encouragerational use of land by the farmer.• Modern statuary legal system is more consistent, fair and free from any tribalbias than the native more or less tribal administration.These points of argument in favour of land registration are more suitable to be consideredin cases of water harvesting and water spreading schemes in Darfur.RecommendationsGeneralThis paper asserted that the traditional tenure and land use forms has been considerablymodified and adjusted according to social and economic changes takingplace at the local level. Conflicts arise as the result of outside intervention contraryto the traditional systems. It is found that both formal and informal institutions64
co-exist at the local level where each performs roles and functions related to usufructrights.• It is clear that the existing traditional institutions are still viable. By notrelying on existing rules and bodies (be they informal, traditional, or customaryauthorities), we will be in danger of undermining ways of controllingresources rather than strengthening them. By not being concerned with legitimateways of exercising power by existing land management institutionsand resorting to the creation of new structures, which, if their objectives arenot shared by the local people, may be incapable of playing their intendedrole efficiently.• Rural communities in Darfur, continue to operate through institutions andresource management systems which are capable of reconciling social needswith ecological conditions.• Land tenure conflicts and user rights are often resolved at village level withthe help of customary institutions.• The intercommunity relationship as used to be practised through precautionaryconferences, where all stakeholders (leaders) meet to discuss possibleemerging issues and affirm previous decisions, is an important approach andforum for the settlement and prevention of conflicts.• Decentralization policies and the federal system are expected to introducenew dimensions to land management. It is important to look for ways tomake smooth transition through negotiated management of natural resources.Pastoralists (nomads)• Pastoralists, although they have less security of tenure, still exercise rightsof use over certain areas which are controlled by several authorities. Becauseof this, there is need to coordinate their movements with communitiesthat have rights of access to resources.• Right of access to forage changes over the course of the year (rainy and dryseasons). Assigning particular areas for nomads may have a negative impacton mobility and need to cope with variations in fodder production and tomake the best use of pasture land.• In order to meet the needs of the herders, it is important not to opposetraditional rules and local strategies and allow the smooth evolution of indigenousland management systems.• The land commission to be established – after final peace agreements – mustfollow an open approach and consultation with actors in order to find sustainablesolution to the problems of land management.65
- Page 13 and 14: the theme of the conference, outlin
- Page 15 and 16: • The question of warrior culture
- Page 17 and 18: Deryke Belshaw, University of East
- Page 19 and 20: area in West Darfur of 1.5m feddans
- Page 21 and 22: on the interaction between conflict
- Page 23 and 24: Conflict In DarfurHistorical andCon
- Page 25 and 26: distributive centre and where the r
- Page 28 and 29: sues quite separate. Evidence for t
- Page 30 and 31: FOOTNOTES1It is not my purpose here
- Page 32 and 33: 20On other emerging ethnically-base
- Page 34 and 35: IntroductionTHE Greater Darfur regi
- Page 36 and 37: 2. Agriculture (Farming)Crop farmin
- Page 38 and 39: Secondly, the demand for mutton and
- Page 40 and 41: groundnut and sesame as sources of
- Page 42 and 43: The situation of drinking water in
- Page 44 and 45: ReferencesConference, Meleet, North
- Page 46 and 47: IntroductionTHE residents of the Um
- Page 48 and 49: Phase Two:This phase was a monitori
- Page 50 and 51: zone southward — and to use these
- Page 52 and 53: • Some water points in places lik
- Page 54 and 55: This study and the seminar organize
- Page 57 and 58: Land Tenure,Land Use andConflicts i
- Page 59 and 60: tain innovations called hakura (pl.
- Page 61 and 62: mands for food production. All thes
- Page 63: Hashab Tenure SystemHashab ownershi
- Page 67 and 68: IndigenousInstitutions andPractices
- Page 69 and 70: abs. In the past they had been invo
- Page 71 and 72: Sufi OrderSufi orders are religious
- Page 73 and 74: Native Administration, i.e. Tribal
- Page 75 and 76: Rizayqat homeland is at the extreme
- Page 77 and 78: esearchers and statesmen. A bigger
- Page 79: ReferencesBakheit, Jaafar M.Ali. 19
- Page 82 and 83: IntroductionWHILE in the Sudan prot
- Page 84 and 85: ReferencesHarir, S. 1993. ‘Arab B
- Page 86 and 87: IntroductionTHE Darfur Region lies
- Page 88 and 89: Table (1)Water program for Darfur 2
- Page 90 and 91: anging from 150mm the north and 450
- Page 92 and 93: ReferencesIbrahim, Abdel Rahman Abb
- Page 94 and 95: CONCLUSIONTHE collection of papers
- Page 96 and 97: GLOSSARYAjawidArdaBaqqaraDarDukhnFa
- Page 99 and 100: A Darfur Timeline99
- Page 101 and 102: 1898 On the eve of the battle of Om
- Page 103 and 104: Bibliography103
- Page 105 and 106: El Mahdi S. Mohamed. 1979. Introduc
- Page 107 and 108: Tothill, J.D. 1948. Agriculture in
- Page 109 and 110: Biographical Sketch: Rex Sean O’F
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co-exist at the local level where each performs roles and functions related to usufructrights.• It is clear that the exist<strong>in</strong>g traditional <strong>in</strong>stitutions are still viable. By notrely<strong>in</strong>g on exist<strong>in</strong>g rules and bodies (be they <strong>in</strong>formal, traditional, or customaryauthorities), we will be <strong>in</strong> danger <strong>of</strong> underm<strong>in</strong><strong>in</strong>g ways <strong>of</strong> controll<strong>in</strong>gresources rather than strengthen<strong>in</strong>g them. By not be<strong>in</strong>g concerned with legitimateways <strong>of</strong> exercis<strong>in</strong>g power by exist<strong>in</strong>g land management <strong>in</strong>stitutionsand resort<strong>in</strong>g to the creation <strong>of</strong> new structures, which, if their objectives arenot shared by the local people, may be <strong>in</strong>capable <strong>of</strong> play<strong>in</strong>g their <strong>in</strong>tendedrole efficiently.• Rural communities <strong>in</strong> Darfur, cont<strong>in</strong>ue to operate through <strong>in</strong>stitutions andresource management systems which are capable <strong>of</strong> reconcil<strong>in</strong>g social needswith ecological conditions.• Land tenure <strong>conflict</strong>s and user rights are <strong>of</strong>ten resolved at village level withthe help <strong>of</strong> customary <strong>in</strong>stitutions.• The <strong>in</strong>tercommunity relationship <strong>as</strong> used to be practised through precautionaryconferences, where all stakeholders (leaders) meet to discuss possibleemerg<strong>in</strong>g issues and affirm previous decisions, is an important approach andforum for the settlement and prevention <strong>of</strong> <strong>conflict</strong>s.• Decentralization policies and the federal system are expected to <strong>in</strong>troducenew dimensions to land management. It is important to look for ways tomake smooth transition through negotiated management <strong>of</strong> natural resources.P<strong>as</strong>toralists (nomads)• P<strong>as</strong>toralists, although they have less security <strong>of</strong> tenure, still exercise rights<strong>of</strong> use over certa<strong>in</strong> are<strong>as</strong> which are controlled by several authorities. Be<strong>cause</strong><strong>of</strong> this, there is need to coord<strong>in</strong>ate their movements with communitiesthat have rights <strong>of</strong> access to resources.• Right <strong>of</strong> access to forage changes over the course <strong>of</strong> the year (ra<strong>in</strong>y and dryse<strong>as</strong>ons). Assign<strong>in</strong>g particular are<strong>as</strong> for nomads may have a negative impacton mobility and need to cope with variations <strong>in</strong> fodder production and tomake the best use <strong>of</strong> p<strong>as</strong>ture land.• In order to meet the needs <strong>of</strong> the herders, it is important not to opposetraditional rules and local strategies and allow the smooth evolution <strong>of</strong> <strong>in</strong>digenousland management systems.• The land commission to be established – after f<strong>in</strong>al peace agreements – mustfollow an open approach and consultation with actors <strong>in</strong> order to f<strong>in</strong>d susta<strong>in</strong>ablesolution to the problems <strong>of</strong> land management.65
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