New Namati Report on Community Land Registration

Namati, in partnership with the International Development Law Organization, the Sustainable Development Institute, Centro Terro Viva, and the Land and Equity Movement in Uganda, has released ‘Protecting Community Lands and Resources: Evidence from Liberia, Mozambique and Uganda.’ The report documents the experiences of 58 communities supported by the Community Land Titling Initiative with their nations’ community land registration laws. 

Through the process, communities succeeded in addressing land disputes, improved local governance, enhanced local conservation of natural resources, and strengthened the rights of women and other marginalised groups. Based on these lessons, the report concludes that community land registration efforts should include three processes: the technical work of mapping and titling community land, the peace-building process of resolving land disputes, and the establishment or strengthening of local governance mechanisms. Moving forward, Namati will use these lessons in strengthening its Community Land Protection Program. 

The report’s executive summary can be found here, and the full report can be downloaded here. The press release for the report launch can be accessed here and the study’s homepage can be found here. Those interested in the work are encouraged to join the Global Legal Empowerment Network here.

Indiatimes|The Times of India|The Economic Times| More Facebook|Log In|Sign Up| ADVERTISEMENT Click Here! The Times of India Guwahati The Times of India Advanced Search » Home City India World Business Tech Sports Entertainment Life & Style Women Hot on the Web Spirituality NRI Euro 2012 Photos Times Now Videos LIVE TV Mumbai Delhi Bangalore Hyderabad Chennai Ahmedabad Allahabad Bhubaneswar Bhopal Chandigarh Coimbatore Goa Gurgaon Guwahati Hubli Indore Jaipur Kanpur Kolkata Kochi Kozhikode Lucknow Ludhiana Madurai Mangalore Mysore Nagpur Nashik Noida Patna Pune Rajkot Ranchi Thane Surat Thiruvananthapuram Vadodara Varanasi You are here: Home » City » Guwahati Meghalaya jubilant as Sangma files paper

SHILLONG: Meghalaya was jubilant on Thursday as 'son-of-the-soil' Purno A'gitok Sangma, a former MP and MLA from the Garo Hills, filed his nomination for the highest constitutional position in the largest democracy in the world.

"It is indeed a historic day as it is for the first time that a tribal candidate has entered the fray for presidential elections in the country," said a senior functionary of the Meghalaya unit of the Nationalist Congress Party (NCP), from which Sangma had recently resigned, as it had not backed his candidature for the presidential polls.

"This election is going to be fought on issues pertaining to the diversity in India and the tribal people of the country are keenly observing it," he said. He added that "there is nothing wrong" in Sangma appealing to the electoral college to vote for him as a representative of the minority tribals and Christians in the country.

"Though UPA nominee Pranab Mukherjee's numbers seem to be heavily weighed against NDA-backed Sangma at this point, there is all-round curiosity as to the outcome of this battle as it would also bring about political realignment in the country ahead of the next general elections in 2014," said a political observer.

"The fact that BJP, a major national political organization and several other strong regional parties, including the AIADMK, BJD, Shiva Sena, Akali Dal have come out in support of Sangma, a candidate, who is primarily harping on his tribal and Christian origins, goes to show that mainland political parties and people at large in the country are truly secular and accommodating enough," pointed out Biswajit Guha, a retired teacher and a keen observer of the run-up to presidential elections.

Political observers feel that Sangma, who appears to be the "dark horse' in the race to Raisina Hills, would be a "key figure" in bringing about a "total realignment" of political forces in the country ahead of the next general elections.

Volume of trade raised in border haats

SHILLONG: Following the success of the Mughal-era "haats" opened along the Indo-Bangladesh border in Meghalaya, the two countries have mutually agreed to raise the volume of trade from US $ 50 to US $ 100 for each trader, officials said on Wednesday.

The addendum to the agreement was made by joint secretary, ministry of commerce Arvind Mehta and additional secretary ministry of commerce, People's Republic of Bangladesh. Garments, melamine products, processed food items, fruit juice, toiletries, cosmetics, plastic products, aluminum products and cookeries produced in either of the countries, for bonafide family and personal consumption, were now allowed as additional commodities, Mehta said in the agreement.

The list of items allowed for trade in the designated border haats may be expanded/modified by mutual consent (of the respective Haat Management Committees (HMC)), he said. At these haats, two now running in Meghalaya, the regulations relating to foreign exchange has also been suspended through diplomatic channels, the commerce ministry official added.

At Balat, perishable agricultural produces like commonly available jack fruit, oranges and vegetables were the most sought after commodities, Wahlang said. The same is the case with the one at West Garo Hills district, officials said.

Meghalaya to tap its huge green energy potential in a big way

D Banjop Mukhim Shillong, June 25 (PTI) Taking cue from Tamil Nadu and Karnataka, power-deficit Meghalaya is going all out to tap green energy to bridge the widening demand-supply gap in the state. A preliminary investigation conducted by the Meghalaya Non-Conventional and Rural Energy Development Agency indicated that the state could generate about 3155 MW of electricity through non-conventional sources of energy such as bio-mass, solar and wind energy. A GIS mapping, conducted by the Chennai-based Centre for Wind Energy Technology (C-WET), an autonomous institution of the Government of India, said the state is capable of tapping between 40-90 MW of power from wind energy alone, MREDA director John Rodborne said. The government agency in collaboration with CWET is presently conducting a feasibility study in the entire state to install windmills in at least seven selected sites across the state. Three Wind Turbine Test Stations have been installed in the southern slope of Meghalaya and four more will be added by year end, he said. These stations have been installed in Ladrymbai in Jaintia Hills district, Laitdiengsai in East Khasi Hills district and Mawiawet in West Khasi Hills district respectively. The other four will be set up in Skhentalang in Jaintia Hills district, Laitkynsew and Mawkynrew in East Khasi Hills district and Phodjaut in West Khasi Hills district, the official said. The preliminary information received from the installed centres indicated that wind blowing up the cliffs in the southern slopes of the state could be essentially tapped for almost throughout the year. The reason behind the idea of having wind-power project is because it is one of the most environment friendly means to generate electricity, Rodborne said. The time taken to set up a wind power project is also shorter as compared to the time taken to set up a conventional thermal power plant.

People's Movement of Meghalaya to demonstrarte on June 30

Shillong, Jun 26 : The People's Movement, a group spearheading the fight to solve the long pending border dispute with neighbouring Assam, will stage a one-day demonstration on June 30 here.

This was announced by United Democratic Party (UDP) legislator Ardent Basaiawmoit here today after the end of the three-day sit-in demonstration held across Khasi and Jaintia Hills districts on the issue.

Incidentally, the proposed demonstration is to express solidarity with the fast-unto-death of Pynskhem Nongshlong, a youth from Rambrai village in West Khasi Hills.

Nongshlong has decided to go for an indefinite hunger strike at Langpih from June 30 to put pressure on the State government to solve the vexed boundary dispute with Assam.

The People's Movement, also today informed that the youth will fast under the umbrella of the movement.

A delegation of the People's Movement would also visit Langpih next month to join Nongshlong during his fast at Langpih.

Langpih is a village bordering Assam where frequent aggression by Assam government has been resented by Meghalaya public.

On May 15, 2010 four Khasi villagers of the Langpih were gunned down by Assam police personnel.

Meanwhile, addressing the gathering at the end of three day protest, the legislator said, "This generation will have to solve the 40 year old boundary dispute with Assam." Mr Basaiawmoit also said he cannot be a silent spectator while Assam creates fear psychosis among the border residents of Meghalaya.

There was no point in talking with the Assam Government since it has betrayed the people of Meghalaya over the years, Mr Basaiawmoit said.

"When the two siblings are quarreling, it is the mother that comes and pacifies. Similarly, when two neighbouring states are quarreling, it is the Central government that needs to intervene and solve the problem,' Mr Basaiawmoit said.

Meanwhile, the three-day sit-in protest which ended today was observed all over the four districts of the state.

Earlier on May 29, Mr Basaiawmoit along with some Members of District Council (MDCs) and concerned citizens held a ten-hour long hunger strike at the State Central Library premises here.

Melodious Gunfire

Zaira Arslan

One morning, while accompanying Lou Majaw — a guitarist and singer from Shillong — to a music store in Mumbai, Bidyut Kotoky got into conversation with the shop’s owner, who told him that a majority of his customers are from the Northeast. An Assamese writer and director himself, the bit of trivia found fancy with Kotoky and he began discussing with Majaw why this might be. Several odd statistics emerged. “Liquor stores in the Northeast stock some of the most expensive brands from around the world and guns are more easily available there than guitars,” points out Kotoky. The dichotomy fascinated the filmmaker, who then decided to make a film that would explore the impact of Northeast India’s socio-political scenario on the region’s music.

A travelogue of sorts, Guns and Guitars — still in production — follows Kotoky’s journey from state to state, talking to different musicians about the music they play. “We travel from one place to the next, trying to understand the socio-political situation and talk to one rock group in each state,” he says. The film ends with all of these different musicians coming together at the Bob Dylan tribute concert, organised by Majaw and held on May 24 — Dylan’s birthday. Shooting began in April last year, and so, the footage from last year’s and this year’s concerts will, most likely, be used. Although Majaw plays a large role in the film — it begins and ends with him — Kotoky says it isn’t predominantly about him.

“There is very little known about the Northeast and it usually finds itself in the news for negative things. So I wanted to make a film on the positive aspects of the area,” he explains.

The name, he believes, “reflects the soul of the film”. The word “gun” refers not only to an actual, physical gun, but “all the negative forces in the area, for instance, drugs and violence”. “The film is about people who picked up guitars over guns,” he says.

It also explores why musicians of this region play the music that they do, for instance, death metal in Manipur. The band he spoke to there told him they play death metal as a way of contending with their frustration. A state that’s been under seige more often than not, Kotoky says people here have to wait hours for something as simple as withdrawing money from an ATM machine.

A writer and director born in Assam, Kotoky has, in the last 10 years, made over 140 short films. His first feature film, As the River Flows, produced by National Film Development Corporation, is a true story based on events on the river island of Majuli in Assam. In 1997, social worker Sanjoy Ghosh was abducted from this island and the story follows the protagonist — a journalist — who travels to the island in search of his friend. The film has, however, not been released yet. Kotoky, however, hopes that he will be able to release Guns and Guitars by the end of this year.

Africa BCP Initiative Review in Wa, Ghana

Shea producers from Dafiama meeting with ABCPI
participants

The Natural Justice team was in Wa, Ghana for a review of the first phase of the Africa Biocultural Community Protocols Initiative (ABCPI) on 21-22 June. The meeting included a review of the lessons learned from the first year of the initiative. The review began with reflection by representatives from each of the communities who engaged in the Biocultural Community Protocol (BCP) process through the initiative. The representatives were also encouraged to reflect on the usefulness of ‘BCPs: A Toolkit for Community Facilitators’ and to propose amendments or additions. 

From Ghana, the community of Dafiama is preparing a BCP on Shea conservation and marketing and the community of Tanchara further developed and used for dialogue their BCP on local gold exploration and sacred sites. From Ethiopia, the community of Sheka Forest is developing a BCP asserting their right to steward the forest. In Kenya, the Maasai community of Ilkusemeti is preparing a BCP on land use, the Samburu community is extending their BCP on livestock keeping rights, and the communities of Lamu are demanding community inclusion in a major port development planning. In South Africa, the Kukula Traditional Health Practitioners of Bushbuckridge are using their BCP to consider an access and benefit sharing (ABS) agreement with a cosmetics company. In Namibia, the community residing in Bwabata National Park is contemplating using a BCP to establish their right to reside and conserve the park. 

From the review, the representatives identified key issues in BCP development. They included having clear objectives, effective and representative community governance structures, engaging facilitators with existing trust relationships with the community and the ability to translate community values and practices to external actors, the importance of proactively and productively engaging with governments, the importance of including documentation throughout the process, and the need for meaningful legal support. 

Moving forward, the ABS Capacity Development Initiative for Africa, a leading backer of the ABCPI, looked forward to supporting the communities represented and others in further developing and using BCPs. Natural Justice, and other participants, wish to thank the ABS Capacity Development Initative, the Open Society for Southern Africa, the Heinrich Böll Foundation, the Christensen Fund, and University of Cape Town's Open AIR project, for their generous support of the Initiative and its participant communities. Natural Justice also thanks the Centre for Indigenous Knowledge and Organisational Development (CIKOD), ETC COMPAS, and all other ABPCI participants.

Read about the Africa BCP Initiative here. Read the report on the inception meeting of the Initiative here.