Colombia: More Families Receive Title Deeds to Their Lands
Source: International Organization for Migration (IOM)
Date: 24 Sep 2010
As part of one of the land restitution pilot projects supported by IOM, 34 peasant farmer families in northwestern Colombia forced to abandon their lands because of the activities of illegal armed groups, this week received the title deeds for their lands.
The 34 families are part of a group of 712 families participating in a regional land restitution pilot project underway in Turbo, a municipality in northwestern Colombia, which has been seriously affected by the violence committed by paramilitary groups. IOM is providing technical assistance to the National Reparation and Reconciliation Commission (NRRC) with funding from US Agency for International Development (USAID).
So far, 158 families participating in this pilot project have received title deed to their lands. The remaining 554 participants have presented the necessary documents and are waiting for their title deeds to be issued.
The 34 families received their title deeds from the Minister of Agriculture, Juan Camilo Restrepo, who has expressed his commitment to support victims that have been uprooted from their property.
"The handing over of the title deeds to these families that were dispossessed and living in extreme uncertainty shows that by working together, partner institutions can pave the way towards recovery so those who had lost their lands can build new lives and improve their economic situation," said Marcelo Pisani, IOM Chief of Mission in Colombia.
IOM has provided support to other NRRC pilot projects, including in the municipalities of Mampuján and Chengue in northern Colombia, benefitting 518 peasant farmer victims of violence. So far 21 title deeds have been handed over and another 198 are scheduled to be ready in November.
As part of a cooperation agreement signed this month by IOM and the Colombian Ministry of Agriculture, IOM will provide technical assistance: for the drafting of a land restitution plan, and creation of a National Land Restitution System; for a programme to legalize rural land tenancies issues; supporting the implementation of the Land Reform Bill to be debated in Congress; and for the creation of a rural development programme for victims of violence.
To date, 1,230 individuals have been assisted with land restitution through three IOM pilot projects.
An estimated two million hectares of farm land have been abandoned by persons fleeing the violence.
http://www.reliefweb.int/rw/rwb.nsf/db900SID/LSGZ-89LCYT?OpenDocument