Projects - R (Rosine) Tchatchoua Djomo

My research project is part of the Grounding Land Governance research program.

Project title:

Shifting Legitimacies: Decentralized Land Governance and Legal Pluralism in Burundi

Description:

Land is a multidimensional resource in Burundi, as it bears an economic, social, and political character and a highly symbolic cultural and identity-giving value. Since gaining independence in 1962, Burundi has experienced multiple civil wars and widespread violence, resulting in loss of life and forced displacement of rural and urban populations, leaving behind their land and properties. After the Arusha Peace and Reconciliation agreement in 2000, many displaced people and refugees returned to recover their land, leading to struggles over land due to redistribution and grabbing of deserted lands. In the post-conflict context, decentralization was expected to bring land services such as land dispute resolution and land tenure formalization closer to local populations. This research project intended to understand post-conflict land governance changes. It specifically focused on land dispute resolution, housing, land and property restitution, and land rights formalization and their impact on state-society relations and the state formation process.