Community ownership of land barrier to development - E. Equatoria speaker Article Comments (9) Email PrintSave --------------------------------------------------------------------------------
By Ijoo Bosco February 26, 2011 (TORIT) – The speaker of Eastern Equatoria state called on communities to offer land to the authorities to attract investors to the region. Ambrose Emmanuel Ocholimoi claimed that there are individuals who politicise the land issue placing the communities against the governments. He says that the government cannot operate without land. Speaking to Sudan Tribune the state speaker pointed out the issue of the large numbers of returnees to South Sudan is an issue. Four million people were displaced, during Sudan’s north-south civil war, to elsewhere in Sudan, the north and other countries. Ocholimoi added that the government of South Sudan is in dire need of land especially in major towns and state capitals. He said that investors need space to establish their businesses and execute their services for the benefit and development of the entire region. South Sudan is due to become independent in July after the region an overwhelming vote in favour of secession in a referendum agreed as part of a 2005 peace deal. Eastern Equatoria’s speaker said that if the citizens of South Sudan continue with such unwillingness to offer land it will bar away investors that will make development of the new country slower than what the people in South Sudan expect. South Sudan is one of the poorest regions of the world but has oil other minerals and fertile land. Ocholimoi said the constitutional provision that the land ownership rests in the hands of the people is making it difficult for the government to access land. He called on the communities in South Sudan to cooperate and share with the government. He added that the communities should willingly give some of their areas to the authorities for development. Ocholimoi explained that the constitution does not specify how governments get the much needed land for development.The speaker urged the communities to cooperate with governments from Boma, up to state level to demarcate areas for development purposes. He added that land issues are likely to discourage development in the new state of South Sudan if they are not addressed properly. (ST) -- You received this message because you are subscribed to the Google Groups "JFD info" group. To post to this group, send email to [email protected]. To unsubscribe from this group, send email to [email protected]. For more options, visit this group at http://groups.google.com/group/jfdinfo?hl=en.
