South Sudan imperiled by land-grabbing: report
March 23, 2011 (KHARTOUM) – Large-scale and rapidly growing farmland investments in South Sudan hold potential risks for the nascent state if not properly and transparently regulated, a new report has warned.
The oil-producing yet grossly-underdeveloped region of south Sudan voted almost unanimously in a referendum earlier this year to secede from the north as part of a 2005’s peace deal which ended more than two decades of north-south civil wars.
A high incidence of violence in different parts of the region has stoked fears about the viability of the new state and the future of its agriculture-based economy ahead of the region’s formal independence in July this year.
Prepared for the Norwegian People’s Aid (NPA), the report titled “the New Frontier, a baseline survey of large-scale investment in Southern-Sudan” presented data showing that during the last four years, 28 foreign companies sought or acquired a total of 2.64 million hectares of land (26,400 km2) in the agriculture, forestry and bio-fuel sectors alone.
Adding to the already existing domestic investment, the report said that the figure has risen to 5.74 million hectares (57,400 km2), or nine percent of Southern Sudan’s total land area.”
According to the report, one United Arab Emirates (UAE) company called Al Ain Wildlife has leased the entire area of Boma National Park at 22,800 sq km, while an American company, Nile Trading and Development, has leased 6,000 sq km of land outside the southern capital Juba.
Land disputes have fueled deadly communal clashes in the south and caused displacement of local population. The region’s government was urged to intervene in land disputes on more than one occasion.
The report cited “serious deficiencies” in the extent to which local communities were being consulted over land investment and said that lease amounts tended to be rather low compared with the value of the land.
It also cautioned against potential displacement of local population in view of the fact that most projects are based in densely populated areas.
However, it noted that so far there were no reports of forced evictions due to the projects.
Whereas the report acknowledges that this influx of land investment could, in theory, provide development opportunities for rural communities, it warned that “without the appropriate procedures in place there is a danger that it will serve to undermine livelihoods.”
The report puts forward a series of recommendations to the Government of Southern Sudan (GoSS), its international partners, civil society, companies, investors, and rural communities in the region to address potential risks of large-scale land-investment.
It includes disclosure of all documents associated with large-scale land investment projects and review existing contracts.
The report further asked the government to consider a temporary ban on all large-scale land acquisitions until government institutions are better established.
(ST)
Anti_Land_Grabbers.
South Sudan imperiled by land-grabbing: report
this is job guys,do not panic,i will do all my best to help poor southerners whoes land plots taken by gunpoint.
Jalinga
South Sudan imperiled by land-grabbing: report
South Sudan should not hurry and should not see the green land they have as big. otherwise we will be like somebody who was said to have cook food well but after eating and became satisfied, he decided to pour the rest to the dogs. In the following morning he became hungry again and when he came to where he poured the left over food, he found it was not there and he ended up looking at the place until he died.
Jalinga
Mapuor
South Sudan imperiled by land-grabbing: report
Who gave out Boma land to Arabs,Kiir,Assembly or is it Dr Riek Macar.Investigation should be done promptly & punish the culprit & get back the land to people of Jonglei State
marie
South Sudan imperiled by land-grabbing: report
NCP displaced a large number of population at gunpoints from their areas of residence when the oil exploration and exploitation started in the South. In the process a lot of people lost their livelihood simply because they have no one to stand up for them.
This act of dehumanization and grave human rights abuse and violations prompted South Sudanese, especially in Diaspora to stage world wide protests demanding an end to such acts. The outcome was the ousting of the Canadian Talisman oil company from South Sudan.
CPA restored faith and hope when SPLM took the helm of the government in the South. This is the movement to claimed to be fighting against the injustice and discrimantion that the people of South Sudan suffered under the successive regimes in the old Sudan.
Unfortunately, the liberators are now becoming the oppressors of the people of South Sudan. People are experiencing the same injustice they suffered under the Arabs. George Orwell in his famous book, “Animal Farm” portrayed how the pigs who suffered under Mr. Jones, with the rest of the animals, started to mistreat other animals when Mr. Jones was chased away from the farm.
History is in making now. Some people in GOSS, think they own South Sudan and are immune to do whatever they feel is right with the consultation of all stakeholders. This is a wrong conception that must stop. Otherwise the kleptocracy in the South would just generate disgrunting and rebellions.
amon
South Sudan imperiled by land-grabbing: report
Any land-grabbing effort or policy will be met with stiff resistance.
Martin Muong
South Sudan imperiled by land-grabbing: report
Hey Southerners have you forgotten?,allowing of Arabs traders to trade in Sudan is the problem we are now suffering from.How come you allow United Arab Emirate to take large piece of land.Anyway I’m not anti diplomacy but if you are interesting in trading with Arabs,trade with them cautiously.