How African Land Disputes Lead To War

Land scarcity is at the root of conflicts in Darfur. Reuters/FILE

Africa's Continental Divide: Land Disputes -- Christian Science Monitor

African land reform, plot by plot, may be the foundation for solving so much else – from famine to poverty to genocide.

The specialists know the warning signs. Analysts and scientists and field officers and academics spend years writing white papers, issuing reports and holding conferences, trying to provoke interest in issues that often seem arcane. Please, they have urged governments and the United Nations and activists, think about something that sounds boring – land disputes – before it turns into something that is not – war.

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My Comment: The lack of a proper legal system and legal organization in Africa .... especially on property and land rights .... has set back its development and growth on a continental scale. This should not be a surprise .... throughout history property rights have always been directly connected to personal and individual rights, economic freedom, and political liberty.

By not having a simple system for determining who owns what, the slide into an atmosphere of political interference and corruption, bribes, economic stagnation, and political instability are just a few steps away. The scary thing is that when you put this on a continental level, we then end up with countries that are just a step away from conflicts that usually run out of control and end up in either a civil war or worse.

Is there any hope in the future .... yes. Some African countries recognize this problem, and are taking the necessary steps to correct it. Unfortunately .... they are in a minority, and the conflicts and wars that land disputes bring about will probably be an African fact of life for a very long time.