new trends of land related conflicts resolution in rwandan society: case study gishamvu sector (2014-2016)

Abstract

ABSTRACT Land related conflicts are the challenging worldwide problem to the sustainable development. Currently, the population growth and land scarcity followed by the spirit of capitalism has made human being selfish and thirsty for development that cause many families live in conflicts related to land. The laws and regulations also that abolish the inheritance and land distribution of parents to their children also increased tension of conflicts among family members. The objectives of this research wereto assess the problem associated with trends made on land laws and implementers that make land conflicts unresolved. To assess different conflicts that occur in Gishamvu sector and how land laws are applied to solve these conflicts. Gishamvu sector was taken as the case study though this problem does not be found only there, rather in the whole country. The researcher used questionnaires; interview and the quantitative research method were conducted to make the research more accurate. In the research findings, the study found out that the respondents mostly those from rural areas do not know their laws and rights of land. In rural areas, women are still victimized, where they are not allowed to ask for land at the place of birth, and are not allowed to be inherited. The illegal children countrywide according to the findings live in misery, homelessness and in cold condition because there are no clear laws and regulations that give them rights to protect them. It is also found out that young children who are about to land acquire are not for the new Rwandan law that favor parents to give land to their children willingly and parents also criticized it of not to be fair because it could cause conflicts among families in case parents give one children bigger land than others or in case one children are given land while other are rejected, while other the parents agreed with the laws. The researcher suggested some recommendations that can reduce the land conflicts within the community mostly in where the families are accusing each other and even those results in death. The government was recommended to taking part in land conflicts management; Gishamvu sector and Rwandan citizens also were recommended.