Land administration strategy formulation in post conflict situations : the case of Hargeisa, Somaliland
Barry, Michael and Florian Bruyas
Somaliland unilaterally declared independence from Somalia in 1991, having been ravaged by years of civil war and internal conflict. The capital city, Hargeisa, was bombed during the civil war in the late 19800s and large numbers of people were killed. Most of the official land records were also destroyed in the bombing of Hargeisa by Siad Barrees forces. A sizeable proportion of the cityys population fled into exile into neighbouring countries, Europe and North America. Remittances from the diaspora are probably the major contributor to gross national product. At the same time a large number of people who have been displaced due to conflicts in other parts of Somalia have moved to Hargeisa, creating a sizeable internally displaced person (IDP) population. Land conflicts are the main cause of homicides in the City as vacant land is contested by extended families of people who fled the city, new comers to the city, and opportunists. The situation is complicated by the plural legal system in Somaliland. There are three formal systems of law, the customary law or Xeer, the Sharia, and written secular laws. There is also a form of common administrative law which is probably unique to post-conflict situations. Land administration practices are based on procedures initiated by the British prior to Somaliaas independence in 1960 which were modified under the Somali Republic regime up to 1993. However, written copies of the laws which should underpin these practices no longer exist, or they cannot be found.
Event: XXX FIG Working Week and General Assembly : Strategic Integration of Surveying Services
Only personal, non-commercial use of this document is allowed.