We need more solution-oriented discourse on land ownership

The South Sudan Land Alliance, a non-governmental civil body active in the field of solving land problems, said in a statement, “The misinterpretation of land ownership and the failure to implement laws have led to the development of land plundering problems in the country.”

This makes it clear that the issue of ownership and use of land in South Sudan requires more discussions, and informing the public of what the law stipulates, and the explanation on the use of land as a natural resource to sustainable development and moving the country towards new horizons.

For a long time, lands have been subject to dispute between communities and individuals—on t one hand and the government on the other. The prevailing understanding among societies is that land ownership is a historical right of the tribe, although this notion has some validity, given that the tribe is a social component that preceded the founding of the modern state. But in our current time, the tribe must be subject to the authorities of the state that takes into account the interests of the nation and the people as a whole.

There are plans related to sustainable development that benefit future generations. These plans are government-sponsored and related to land use, and they require that society cooperate with the government for the benefit of all.

Certainly, there are complex issues that require explanation, clarification, and organized awareness campaigns.

It is the task of the government itself, with civil society organizations, to work first to reach a common and agreed-upon formula regarding the use and ownership of the land, then to formulate it into law and policies, and to educate society about its content and goals.