Going home: land & property issues

feature
n 1999 12,000 peasanIs marched 70
kIIomeIres Io GuaIemaIa CIIy Io
proIesI Iack oI governmenI progress
In ImpIemenIIng Ihe 1997 Peace
Accords. They demanded greaIer eIII
cIency In IssuIng Iand IIIIes, enIorcemenI
oI Iabour rIghIs Ior ruraI workers and a
revIew oI Ihe perIormance oI Ihe Land
Iund and Ihe PresIdenIIaI OIIIce Ior
LegaI AssIsIance and ResoIuIIon oI Land
ConIIIcIs (CONTILRRA), Ihe InsIIIuIIons
responsIbIe Ior provIdIng credII Ior Iand
purchase and Ior resoIvIng Iand dIs
puIes. The IacI IhaI Ihe number oI
demonsIraIors was Iour IImes IhaI oI
Ihe prevIous proIesI In 1997 IndIcaIes
wanIng IaIIh In Ihe governmenI's com
mIImenI Io remedyIng Ihe rooI causes oI
Ihe conIIIcI.
A represenIaIIve Irom Ihe Land Iund has
admIIIed IhaI onIy 39 oI S00 requesIs
Ior credII assIsIance have been
approved. The key dIIemma IacIng Ihe
Land Iund Is Ihe specuIaIIve Iand mar
keI whIch has InhIbIIed donors Irom
IInancIng Ihe programme. WhIIe oIher
economIc secIors suIIer Irom excessIve
IegaI reguIaIIons, Ihe Iand markeI
remaIns curIousIy unreguIaIed. Though
CONTILRRA concedes IhaI II has been
IneIIecIIve, II pIaces bIame on IIs Iack oI
human and maIerIaI resources and Ihe
IacI IhaI IInaI seIIIemenI oI Iand dIs
puIes requIres provIsIon oI aIIernaIIve
Iand IInanced by Ihe Land Iund.
In Iebruary 1998 Ihe Land Iund enIered
InIo an agreemenI Io provIde IDPs wIIh
access Io credII Ior Iand purchases buI
reIused Io consIder resIIIuIIon. The Land
Iund Iaw recognIzes Ihree caIegorIes oI
eIIgIbIIIIy Ior assIsIance: peasanIs wIIh
ouI Iand, peasanIs wIIh InsuIIIcIenI Iand
and Ihose IIvIng In poverIy. IDPs seekIng
credII are eIIgIbIe Io appIy under Ihese
crIIerIa, and do noI need Io appIy as IDPs.
As oI AprII 1999, Ihe TechnIcaI
CommIssIon Ior Ihe LxecuIIon oI Ihe
Accord on ReseIIIemenI oI Ihe PopuIa
IIons UprooIed by Ihe Armed ConIIIcI
(CTLAR) was processIng 20 IDP commu
nIIy cIaIms (each on behaII oI beIween
2014S IamIIIes) Ior credII assIsIance
Irom Ihe Land Iund. AIso under consId
eraIIon were 30 IDP cIaIms (2S100
IamIIIes each) Ior recognIIIon oI IIIIe Io
Iand and Ihree IDP cIaIms (3280 IamI
IIes each) Ior compensaIIon. MosI IDPs
IIve In dIspersed groups and do noI
know abouI assIsIance programmes and
procedures Ior IIIIng resIIIuIIon cIaIms.
The governmenI's IaIIure Io adverIIse IIs
servIces and Ihe absence oI adequaIe
IegaI aId worsen Ihe probIem.
Questiona ble va lidity of IDP
cla ssifica tion
In 1998 Ihe US CommIIIee Ior ReIugees
(USCR) esIImaIed IhaI Ihere were
2S0,000 IDPs In GuaIemaIa. WhIIe orga
nIzed coIIecIIves oI IDPs, ComunIdades
de PuebIos en ResIsIencIa (wIIh a IoIaI oI
1S,000 members), have been abIe Io gaIn
InIernaIIonaI aIIenIIon and purchase
new Iand, Ihe needs oI Ihe much Iarger
number oI dIspersed nonorganIzed IDPs
have noI been adequaIeIy addressed.
1
The GuaIemaIan governmenI admIIs Ihe
IaIIure buI denIes Ihe need Io recognIze
an addIIIonaI caIegory oI proIecIIon
arguIng IhaI "Ihe InIernaIIy dIspIaced
person . Is noI In a specIaI sIIuaIIon.
. he Is In Ihe same generaI sIIuaIIon as
Ihe resI oI Ihe popuIaIIon IacIng
exIreme poverIy."
UNHCR's GuaIemaIa oIIIce maInIaIns Ihe
posIIIon IhaI Ihere Is no Ionger an IDP
probIem In GuaIemaIa.
2
They quesIIon
Ihe vaIIdIIy oI Ihe caIegory IIseII, sIaIIng
IhaI II Is dIIIIcuII Io prove who Is an IDP
due Io Ihe IengIh oI IIme and cycIIcaI
naIure oI InIernaI dIspIacemenI. TheIr
aIIIIude Is shared by IOM and USAID
represenIaIIves.
The generaI perspecIIve Is IhaI II Is a
more hoIIsIIc Iorm oI proIecIIon Io pro
vIde socIoeconomIc assIsIance Io
margInaIIzed communIIIes composed oI
dIverse groups raIher Ihan Iocus on one
caIegory Io Ihe excIusIon oI oIhers. The
reaIIIy IhaI CTLAR and Ihe varIous Iand
InsIIIuIIons have IIsIs and IIIes oI IDPs,
and IhaI addIIIonaI InIormaIIon Is con
IInuaIIy beIng receIved Irom appIIcanIs,
carrIes IIIIIe weIghI wIIh donors. RevIew
oI IhIs daIa, combIned wIIh addIIIonaI
InvesIIgaIIon, wouId enabIe a more accu
raIe deIermInaIIon oI Ihe acIuaI number
oI IDPs dIspossesed oI Iand.
CIearIy, Ihe GuaIemaIan sIaIe Iacks suIII
cIenI resources Io provIde IuII repara
IIon Io aII and has Io desIgn sIraIegIes
whIch are pracIIcaI Io ImpIemenI.
However, I wouId argue IhaI II Is dIs
crImInaIory Io sIaIe IhaI Ihe IdenIIIIc
aIIon oI a reIugee, whIch aIso oIIen
enIaIIs quesIIons oI prooI, Is somehow
more IegIIImaIe Ihan IhaI oI an IDP. We
musI noI Ignore Ihe reaIIIy IhaI IDPs
were dIspossessed oI IheIr properIy In
IIke manner Io reIugees.
1 6
FORCED MIGRATION review 7
Unfinished business: the IDP
land question
by Cecilia Bailliet
The campesino was born with his land; the war took it away.
The land is his destiny - life and death.
We will not stop being displaced until we have a plot
of land to sow and live on.
Vidal Jutzutz
I
Going home: land & property issues
feature
1 7
FORCED MIGRATION review 7
Those dIspossessed oI IheIr homes
deserve eIIher resIIIuIIon oI properIy or
compensaIIon. As Iong as neIIher reme
dy Is oIIered, Ihe InIrIngemenI on Ihe
rIghI Io Ireedom oI movemenI, choIce oI
resIdence, Ireedom Irom arbIIrary InIer
Ierence wIIh one's home, equaI
proIecIIon oI Ihe Iaw, and rIghI Io prop
erIy has noI ceased. As Ihe InIer
AmerIcan CourI oI Human RIghIs has
noIed, any SIaIe whIch IaIIs Io InvesII
gaIe and prosecuIe human rIghIs
vIoIaIors and does noI provIde repara
IIon Io vIcIIms Is IIseII In vIoIaIIon oI IIs
duIIes under Ihe AmerIcan ConvenIIon.
3
Pra ctica l concerns
CourIs and agencIes pay heed prImarIIy
Io IormaI IIIIe Io Iand, noI Io how Iand
was obIaIned. There has been IIIIIe
acIIon Io expIore Ihe vaIIdIIy oI IIIIes
aIIaIned vIa corrupIIon, IheII, Iraud or
vIoIence. In generaI, IIIIe Is recognIzed aI
Iace vaIue. As Iong as Ihe governmenI Is
unwIIIIng Io exproprIaIe, or IIIIgaIe Ior,
Ihe reIurn oI Iand IIIIcIIIy obIaIned by
Ihe eIIIe, II wIII be dIIIIcuII Io oIIer resII
IuIIon oI Iand Io Ihose persons IIIegaIIy
deprIved oI properIy. CONTILRRA has a
mandaIe Io resoIve conIIIcIs beIween
varIous cIaImanIs and arrange Ior Ihe
saIe/renI oI Iand, Issue oI usuIrucI
4
rIghIs and reseIIIemenI oI possessors.
InIense pressure noI Io probe corrupIIon
rIsks makIng CONTILRRA IneIIecIIve.
The properIy regIsIry and cadasIraI
S
Iand
regIsIraIIon sysIem supporIed by USAID,
GTZ and Ihe WorId Bank Is consIdered
by some Io be Ihe prImary vehIcIe Ior an
uIIImaIe soIuIIon Io Ihe Iand probIem.
AIIhough Ihe majorIIy oI handwrIIIen
Iedgers have been IransIerred Io com
puIers (reducIng Ihe rIsk oI IamperIng
and IncreasIng access Io InIormaIIon),
compIaInIs have arIsen abouI excessIve
deIays In regIsIerIng new IIIIes.
RecognIIIon oI IIIIe Is noI equIvaIenI Io
Iand redIsIrIbuIIon; persons whose IIIIe
Is conIIrmed may acIuaIIy be usurpers.
DeIays In compIeIIng Ihe cadasIraI sur
vey have caused a mIsmaIch beIween
regIsIered and de IacIo properIy. There
are cases In whIch prIvaIe securIIy
groups are senI Io Iake possessIon oI a
properIy based on regIsIraIIon, onIy Io
IInd Ihe Iand cIaImed by Ihose who
argue IhaI Ihe regIsIry reIers Io anoIher
IocaIIon. InsuIIIcIenI aIIenIIon has been
paId Io cusIomary rIghIs and hIsIorIc
IIIIe, Ihe basIs oI many IDP properIy
cIaIms.
Forced evictions
Iorced evIcIIon has been recognIzed as
an eIemenI oI eIhnocIde commIIIed
agaInsI IndIgenous popuIaIIons. DurIng
Ihe GuaIemaIan cIvII war, IndIgenous
Ieaders who cIaImed Iand rIghIs were
persecuIed as communIsIs and subver
sIves. VIoIenI Iorms oI dIspossessIon
deprIved IndIgenous peopIe oI IheIr
means oI survIvaI and ImperIIIed cuIIur
aI IradIIIons. WhIIe IndIgenous ruraI
groups persIsIenIIy caII upon Ihe sIaIe
Io uphoId ArIIcIe 67 oI Ihe ConsIIIuIIon
(proIecIIon oI IndIgenous Iand), Ihe judI
cIaI sysIem rouIIneIy recognIzes
IndIvIduaI cIaIms Ihus exposIng IndIge
nous Iand Io exproprIaIIon, saIe or
breakup. Many IndIgenous groups reIaIn
some Iorm oI coIIecIIve IIIIe/cIaIm Io Ihe
Iand buI dIvIde properIy InIo IndIvIduaI
IamIIy pIoIs In order Io prevenI usurpa
IIon by noncommunIIy members. By
doIng so Ihey Iose a coIIecIIve rIghI Io
proIecIIon. Some IndIgenous groups
have pursued cIaIms Io Iorce Ihe sIaIe Io
ImpIemenI Ihe exproprIaIIon cIause In
Ihe ConsIIIuIIon buI Iound Ihe cIause
more oIIen used agaInsI Ihem. IDPs are
deIerred Irom reIurnIng Io seIzed Iand
by Iear oI physIcaI aIIack by currenI
occupanIs. BoIh Iandowners and Iand
Iess peasanIs have been IrusIraIed by
deIays In processIng cases and InvesII
gaIIng acIs oI vIoIence.
Cessa tion of IDP sta tus
No InIernaIIonaI InsIrumenI, IncIudIng
Ihe UN GuIdIng PrIncIpIes on InIernaI
DIspIacemenI, addresses when an IDP
ceases Io be such. II Is curIous IhaI an
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Going home: land & property issues
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FORCED MIGRATION review 7
InsIrumenI desIgned Io pIug gaps In
InIernaIIonaI Iaw shouId omII such an
ImporIanI aspecI oI proIecIIon.
ProvIsIon oI proIecIIon Io persons as a
resuII oI a IemporaI evenI requIres an
anaIysIs oI when such acIIon Is no
Ionger requIred. Cohen & Deng recom
mend a casebycase anaIysIs and cIIe
varIous scenarIos Ior cessaIIon sIaIus,
IncIudIng:
1 Kcnc\cd :ccut) nnd o::Lt) o
III: to ctun nnd cntcgntc n
tIc ncn: o ogn
2 Ic\ncncc o :oco-ccononc ncto:
n: n cnu:c o d:nccncnt, ntIc
tInn conct nnd c:ccuton
3 Kc:cttcncnt /ncudng :oco-
ccononc ntcgnton n nnotIc
ncn).
6
The IIrsI and Ihe IhIrd are akIn Io Ihe
cessaIIon sIandards In ArIIcIe 1 C oI Ihe
19S1 ConvenIIon on Ihe SIaIus oI
ReIugees and are equaIIy vaIId In Ihe
conIexI oI InIernaI dIspIacemenI. The
second sIandard Is dIsIurbIng because II
caIIs InIo quesIIon Ihe vaIIdIIy oI recog
nIzIng socIoeconomIc IacIors as rooI
causes oI dIspIacemenI.
The UN GuIdIng PrIncIpIes' deIInIIIon oI
IDP IncIudes Ihose "Iorced or obIIged Io
IIee or Io Ieave IheIr homes or pIaces oI
habIIuaI resIdence, In parIIcuIar or as a
resuII oI or In order Io avoId Ihe eIIecIs
oI . vIoIaIIons oI human rIghIs. and
who have noI crossed an InIernaIIonaIIy
recognIzed SIaIe border." There Is no
IImIIaIIon regardIng appIIcabIIIIy onIy Io
cIvII and poIIIIcaI rIghIs. One may deduce
IhaI Ihe generaI reIerence IncIudes socIaI
and economIc rIghIs as weII, and Ihe
rIghI Io properIy as enshrIned In, InIer
aIIa, Ihe UnIversaI DecIaraIIon oI Human
RIghIs (ArIIcIe 17), Ihe InIernaIIonaI
ConvenIIon on Ihe LIImInaIIon oI AII
Iorms oI RacIaI DIscrImInaIIon (ArIIcIe
S) and Ihe AmerIcan ConvenIIon on
Human RIghIs (ArIIcIe 21). The UN
GuIdIng PrIncIpIes prohIbII arbIIrary
deprIvaIIon oI properIy and caII Ior
recovery oI IosI properIy or compensa
IIon/reparaIIon (PrIncIpIes 21 & 29).
GIven IhaI agrIcuIIure Is Ihe prImary
Iorm oI subsIsIence In GuaIemaIa, Ihe
sIaIe's IaIIure Io respond Io resIIIuIIon
cIaIms by Ihe dIspossessed Is a Iorm oI
dIscrImInaIIon whIch may aI besI be caI
egorIzed as promoIIon oI ImpunIIy and
aI worsI as a Iorm oI persecuIIon IhreaI
enIng Ihe survIvaI oI Iarge secIIons oI
Ihe ruraI popuIaIIon.
7
Cohen & Deng cIIe USCR caIegorIzaIIon
oI CyprIoIs and SouIh AIrIcans as exam
pIes oI how Io deIermIne cessaIIon
sIaIus. In Cyprus, aIIhough IDPs have
been reseIIIed Ior over Iwo decades, Ihe
absence oI a soIuIIon Io Ihe conIIIcI, Ihe
conIInued presence oI Ihe UN and Ihe
desIre oI many oI Ihe dIspIaced Io
reIurn home are noIed as IacIors Ior Ihe
conIInued vaIIdIIy oI Ihe IDP IabeI.
8
They
consIder SouIh AIrIca Io be a dIIIerenI
case, despIIe admIIIIng IhaI a change oI
governmenI has noI resoIved Iand prob
Iems resuIIIng Irom Ihe aparIheId era.
TheIr argumenI IhaI "sInce Ihe end oI
aparIheId . Ihe dIspIacemenI oI many
Is now a Iand and economIcs Issue"
9
Ignores Ihe reaIIIy IhaI Iand conIIIcIs are
oIIen Ihe rooI causes oI dIspIacemenI.
The key dIIIerence beIween an IDP and a
person who remaIned In hIs or her home
Is Ihe dIspossessIon oI properIy. The
IacI IhaI Iand conIIIcIs are unresoIved
shouId noI be used as a reason Io end
IDP sIaIus.
Cohen & Deng's suggesIIon IhaI "dIs
pIacemenI across generaIIons" may be a
IegIIImaIe basIs Ior nonIncIusIon In Ihe
IDP caIegory Is aI varIance wIIh Deng's
sIaIemenI IhaI "Ihe Issue Is noI so much
one oI duraIIon oI IIme as one oI soIu
IIon - IhaI Is, wheIher Ihe IundamenIaI
probIems connecIed wIIh uprooIedness
have ceased Io exIsI or aI IeasI been sIg
nIIIcanIIy aIIevIaIed."
10
In Ihe case oI Ihe
PaIesIInIan reIugees Ihe span oI IIme In
exIIe has onIy InIensIIIed demands Ior
resIIIuIIon. WouId II noI be dIscrImIn
aIory Io deny IDPs Ihe same rIghI Io
seek resIIIuIIon7
In shorI, Ihe currenI expIanaIIons
oIIered Ior cessaIIon oI IDP sIaIus seem
shaky because Ihey appear Io resI on
subjecIIve poIIIIcaI consIderaIIons
regardIng Ihe regIme In power raIher
Ihan objecIIve IegaI deIermInanIs wIIh
respecI Io IDPs IhemseIves.
A case by case approach may noI be
advIsabIe Ior Ihe deIermInaIIon oI IDP
sIaIus because II Ieads Io nd Ioc
responses, whIch Is exacIIy whaI Ihe
GuIdIng PrIncIpIes were InIended Io
avoId. GIven IhaI InIernaIIonaI organIza
IIons and sIaIes have crIIIcIzed Ihe IDP
IabeI as beIng vague and hard Io appIy,
IaIIure Io expIaIn how Io puI Ihe IDP
deIInIIIon InIo pracIIce and IaIIure Io
deIIne Ihe condIIIons Ior IermInaIIng
IDP sIaIus renders Ihe proIDP case
more vuInerabIe Io Ihose who, IIke
|ames HaIhaway
11
, dIspuIe Ihe vaIIdIIy oI
Ihe IDP caIegory.
USCR has noIed IhaI, wIIhouI guIdeIInes,
appIIcaIIon oI cessaIIon sIaIus Io IDPs Is
necessarIIy subjecIIve. When Ihey de
caIegorIzed groups oI NIcaraguans and
LI SaIvadorans as IDPs, USCR argued IhaI
Ihey consIdered peopIe no Ionger dIs
pIaced II a) Ihey "voIunIarIIy reIurned
home Io IIve", b) "Ihe condIIIons IhaI Ied
Ihem Io IIee Improved suIIIcIenIIy IhaI
mosI observers consIdered IhaI Ihe dIs
pIaced couId saIeIy reIurn home" and c)
"reIugees Irom Ihose counIrIes repaIrIaI
ed Irom neIghborIng sIaIes."
12
IncIusIon oI reIugee repaIrIaIIon among
Ihe IacIors Io Iake InIo accounI when
anaIyzIng Ihe conIInuIng vaIIdIIy oI Ihe
IDP IabeI Is dIsIurbIng. Whereas reIugees
are organIzed and have supporI Irom
C ampesinosdefend occupied land against eviction bu G uatemalan police.
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Going home: land &
FORCED MIGRATION review 7
Ihe InIernaIIonaI communIIy, IDPs are
generaIIy dIspersed, anonymous and
IackIng advocaIes. ReIugee reIurn Is usu
aIIy based on proIecIIon guaranIees and
specIIIcaIIy negoIIaIed arrangemenIs.
The IacI IhaI a group oI reIugees has
been oIIered Ihe chance Io reIurn has no
reIevance Io Ihe sIIuaIIon oI an InIernaI
Iy dIspIaced popuIaIIon sIIII awaIIIng a
response Irom a SIaIe.
In 1998, a year aIIer USCR had esIImaIed
Ihere were 2S0,000 IDPs In GuaIemaIa, II
was decIded noI Io IIsI Ihem. USCR's jus
IIIIcaIIon Is IhaI "dIspIaced GuaIemaIans
who wIsh Io
reIurn home are
no Ionger pre
venIed Irom
doIng so by con
IIIcI or Iear oI
persecuIIon. Ior
mosI Ihe barrIer
Is Ihe govern
menI's Iack oI poIIIIcaI wIII and/or
resources Io provIde Ihe dIspIaced wIIh
Ihe Iand and assIsIance Ihey wouId need
Io reIurn home."
13
GIven IhaI Ihe deprI
vaIIon oI access Io a domesIIc remedy Is
IIseII a basIs Ior InIernaIIonaI proIecIIon,
II Is sureIy InconsIsIenI Io argue IhaI
such a sIIuaIIon consIIIuIes grounds Ior
excIusIon Irom InIernaIIonaI proIecIIon.
Any argumenI IhaI IDP numbers have
been reduced requIres a cogenI anaIysIs
whIch expIaIns how human rIghIs vIoIa
IIons have ceased, among whIch Is
deprIvaIIon oI Ihe rIghI Io properIy.
The compIexIIy oI IhIs Issue reveaIs Ihe
InherenI dIIIIcuIIIes wIIh respecI Io
IransIerrIng Ihe IDP noIIon Irom guIde
IInes Io poIIcy on Ihe ground. WorIhy oI
consIderaIIon Is Ihe suggesIIon by Ihe
aIIorney SIeve HendrIx IhaI GuaIemaIan
IDPs shouId be enIIIIed Io appIy Ior
resIIIuIIon and/or socIoeconomIc assIs
Iance Ior Ihe duraIIon oI Ihe ImpIemen
IaIIon oI Ihe Peace Accords. The WorId
Bank has proposed IhaI Ihe deadIIne Ior
Ihe ImpIemenIaIIon perIod be exIended
unIII 2006.
Restitution
The CommIssIon Ior HIsIorIcaI
CIarIIIcaIIon has caIIed Ior resIIIuIIon,
parIIcuIarIy In Ihe Iorm oI Iand. WhIIe
Ihe SecreIarIaI Ior Peace has onIy S1.6m
avaIIabIe Ior resIIIuIIon, cIaIms Ior dam
age Io cooperaIIves In Ixcan and PeIen
aIone have been esIImaIed aI S4Sm.
The CommIssIon has Iound Ihe
GuaIemaIan Army responsIbIe Ior 8S per
cenI oI cases oI human rIghIs vIoIaIIons,
IncIudIng dIspossessIon oI Iand. OngoIng
dIspIacemenI caused by parasIaIaI
narcomIIIIary groups goes unchecked.
The IacI IhaI Ihe governmenI has
changed does noI mean IhaI Ihe sIaIe
can avoId responsIbIIIIy. Lack oI suIII
cIenI economIc and human resources,
InsIIIuIIonaI capacIIy and poIIIIcaI wIII
make II unIIkeIy IhaI sIgnIIIcanI num
bers oI IDPs In GuaIemaIa wIII have
properIy resIored.
The process oI democraIIc IransIIIon
necessIIaIes IackIIng many oI Ihe rooI
causes oI dIs
pIacemenI,
reIormIng Ihe
judIcIary,
addressIng socIo
economIc
InequaIIIy and
removIng
ImpunIIy. These
Issues do noI requIre Ihe use oI Ihe IDP
caIegory, oIher Ihan In presenIaIIon oI
evIdence as Io how properIy was IIIegaIIy
aIIaIned.
Increased IundIng Io Ihe Land Iund,
CONTILRRA and oIher reIaIed agencIes
shouId be combIned wIIh Improved
access Io jusIIce and anIIcorrupIIon
programmes, reguIaIIon oI Ihe Iand mar
keI, IInancIng oI IegaI aId servIces,
acIIon agaInsI unscrupuIous Iawyers
who oIIer IIIIe processIng servIces Io Ihe
IandIess buI who dIsappear aIIer beIng
paId, and InvesIIgaIIon and prosecuIIon
oI Iandowners whose hoIdIngs were
coercIveIy obIaIned. Land cIaIms based
on cusIomary rIghIs need Io be InvesII
gaIed. There shouId be greaIer emphasIs
on reIrIevIng InIormaIIon Irom CTLAR,
InvesIIgaIIng cIaIms, dIssemInaIIng InIor
maIIon vIa radIo Io dIspersed IDPs, and
InvesIIgaIIng Ihe esIabIIshmenI oI a
compensaIIon Iund Ior Ihe remaInder oI
Ihe dIspossessed. Those dIspossessed
who choose noI Io reIurn Io ruraI areas
shouId be abIe Io opI Ior moneIary com
pensaIIon, aIIernaIIve urban housIng and
vocaIIonaI IraInIng. In addIIIon, educa
IIon reIorm Is oI IundamenIaI ImporI
ance In a counIry wIIh Ihe hIghesI IIIIIer
acy raIe In Ihe regIon (S1 per cenI oI
women and 38 per cenI oI men).
Donors who have IInanced Iand pro
grammes Ior reIugees need Io consIder
sImIIar acIIon Ior IDPs. ReducIIon oI
IundIng, jusIIIIed by a parIIaI ImpIemen
IaIIon oI Ihe Peace Accords, wouId
desIroy Ihe reconcIIIaIIon process. The
measures proposed above wouId beneIII
aII persons, noI jusI IDPs, and wouId
reduce Ihe sense oI InjusIIce harboured
by Ihe poor.
Conclusion
RaIher Ihan consIderIng Ihe aIIaInmenI
oI soIuIIons Ior reIugees as Ihe IInaI
chapIer, II wouId be beIIer Io vIew II as
Ihe penuIIImaIe sIep In Ihe process oI
aIIaInIng jusIIce Ior aII vIcIIms oI Iorced
mIgraIIon In GuaIemaIa. As Ihe InIerna
IIonaI communIIy seeks Io promoIe
recognIIIon and caIegorIzaIIon oI IDPs,
II shouId reIIecI Irom Ihe GuaIemaIan
experIence wheIher agreemenI on a deII
nIIIon has any vaIue In Ihe absence oI
enIorcemenI sIraIegIes and mechanIsms.
The process oI consIderIng when IDP
sIaIus ceases musI IncIude rIgorous
anaIysIs oI ongoIng human rIghIs vIoIa
IIons, In parIIcuIar Ihose rIghIs Io
properIy resIIIuIIon. ShouId such a Iask
prove ImpracIIcabIe, Ihen perhaps Ihe
IDP deIInIIIon shouId noI be uIIIIzed aI
aII.
14
CecIu BuIIet s Reseurch 1eIIow,
Oepurtment o] PubIc & 1nternut-
onuI Luw, Unverst) o] OsIo,
Norwu).
LmuI: cecIu.buIIet@]us.uo.no
1 Some IDPs have been abIe Io have Iand resIored or
receIved compensaIIon Ior IosI Iand when IheIr cIaIms
were combIned wIIh Ihose oI a reIurnIng reIugee pop
uIaIIon. UNHCR has assIsIed IDPs In Ihese
negoIIaIIons.
2 TeIephone InIervIew wIIh PauIa Worby, UNHCR
GuaIemaIa OIIIce, 13 AprII 1999.
3 GarrIdo & BaIgoIrrIa case, ReparaIIons, I/A CourI
H/R SerIes C No 39, 1998, para 72; VeIasquez
RodrIguez Case, |udgmenI, 29 |uIy 1988, para 174,
176.
4 LegaI Ierm deIIned as "Ihe rIghI oI enjoyIng Ihe
use and advanIages oI anoIher's properIy shorI oI Ihe
desIrucIIon or wasIe oI IIs subsIance".
S LegaI Ierm deIIned as "showIng Ihe exIenI, vaIue
and ownershIp oI Iand".
6 RoberIa Cohen & IrancIs M Deng, Mn::c: n IgIt,
BrookIngs InsIIIuIIon 1998, p378.
7 See UN SpecIaI RapporIeur on Ihe QuesIIon oI
ImpunIIy oI PerpeIraIors oI Human RIghIs VIoIaIIons
(economIc, socIaI and cuIIuraI rIghIs), Mr LI HadjI
GuIsse ScoII, IInaI ReporI Io Ihe CommIssIon on
Human RIghIs, L/CN.4/Sub.2/1997/8 para 140, 27
|une 1997, caIIIng Ior resIIIuIIon Ior IIIegaI dIsposses
sIon. See aIso UNHCR HnndLoo on Kcugcc: pS4
noIIng IhaI dIscrImInaIIon may amounI Io persecuIIon
when aIIecIIng Ihe rIghI Io earn one's IIveIIhood.
8 Cohen & Deng, Ld, see IooInoIe 9, p38.
9 ILd, p39.
10 IrancIs M Deng, 'DeaIIng wIIh Ihe DIspIaced: A
ChaIIenge Io Ihe InIernaIIonaI CommunIIy', In CoLn
Co\cnnncc 4S, S1 (199S).
11 CommenIary by |ames HaIhaway, In ProceedIngs
oI Ihe 90Ih AnnuaI MeeIIng oI ASIL, S62 (1996).
12 US CommIIIee Ior ReIugees, CoonLn': 5cnt
C::: Onc Mon I:nccd L) Vocncc, March 1998,
p18.
13 US CommIIIee Ior ReIugees, Wod Kcugcc 5u\c),
1999, p266.
14 UNHCR and Ihe UnIversIIy oI San CarIos hosIed a
semInar on IDPs In March 2000.
culture in exile
feature
IDPs are generally
dispersed, anonymous
and lacking advocates.