Experts concluded that formulation
of a comprehensive Land Act could solve land issues.
Speaking at a conference on
‘Post Conflict Land Issues and Land Management in the Emerging Political
Context’, jointly organised by International Organisation for Migration (IOM), United
Nations Development Programme (UNDP) and United Nations Human Settlements
Programme (UN Habitat) in conjunction with Ministry of Land and Reform
Management and Ministry of Peace and Reconstruction, here today, they said that
land issues have been entrenched in society – in Nepal – for centuries
and were one of the root causes of the ten-year armed conflict. "Land
reform is recognised as a crucial step in today’s peace building process, and
the progress that the county made last November with the successful Constituent Assembly (CA) election
has accelerated the public expectation that a solution benefitting all citizens
will be reached," they added.
"Along
with the peace building process, Nepal is also undertaking restructuring of its
governance system," officiating secretary of the Ministry of Land and Reform
Management Krishna Raj BC on the occasion said, adding that a suitable land act is the most
important component for providing efficient service delivery.
"Nepal is on the way to building a peace process and has many more
issues related to land that have to be addressed in this post conflict scenario,"
he said, adding that vision and commitment of the political parties is the most
essential element in reaching a resolution on land issues.
Likewise, International Organisation for Migration officials shared their global
experiences in land and property return mechanisms and programmes including the
restitution of property rights to vulnerable populations and their impact on
the peace process.
UNDP hosted a session in which political party
representatives, together with civil society leaders, shared their visions of
how the new government could address land issues, whereas UN Habitat
highlighted the nexus between conflict and land management.
The
conference – held as part of the project 'Catalytic Support on Land Issues'
implemented in partnership with IOM, UNDP and UN Habitat with funding from the
United Nations Peacebuilding Fund, a global UN multi-donor trust fund supported
by over 50 international donors – aims at supporting the formulation of a
comprehensive land act in Nepal.
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