The November 2011 edition of AEFJN's Forum for Action is now online. It contains articles on the ethical responsibility of the Church on the climate issue, on the clean up of the Ogoniland oil spills, which will take decades, on the spread of Libyan arms in the Sahel, on the production of medicines in Africa and on the EU's attempt to force African countries to sign EPAs.
The national election campaign officially started the 28th October in the Democratic Republic of Congo (DRC), exactly one month ahead of historic presidential and legislative elections, scheduled for November 28 2011. 41 humanitarian and human rights organizations, among them AEFJN, have expressed concern about the high political tension and deteriorating security situation. They have called upon all Congolese and international actors involved to take urgent measures to prevent electoral violence, better protect civilians and ensure credible, free and fair elections.DR Congo : a new law on agriculture, article 16 on land acquisition
Many agricultural associations, such as FOPAC / NK, the SYDIP and FAT, participated to the preparation of this new law enacted on December 24, 2011. It covers general principles relating to the agricultural sector in the DRC. It ensures coherence between various departments with overlapping jurisdictions on land management: agriculture, forestry, and environment. It will take effect by June 24, 2012.
Articles from 16 to 27 govern the conditions of purchasing and selling land.
Customary land rights exercised collectively or individually are recognized in Article 18. This includes the "reserves of cropland, fallow, pasture and pastoral land and woodland regularly used by the local community."
Article 19 states that "the exercise of collective or individual rights is not subject of a registration certificate. »
To read the law "Loi portant sur les principes fondamentaux relatifs à l'agriculture" (French) see: http://lavoixdupaysancongolais.files.wordpress.com/2012/01/rdc-loi-agriculture-principes-fondamentaux-24-12-2011.pdf