Civil Society Coalition on Natural Resources (CSCNR) Hosts Public Discourse in Bentiu, Unity State

By Denilson Deneki

The Civil Society Coalition on Natural Resources (CSCNR) organized a one-day public discourse on Community Land Rights and Legal Land acquisition in Bentiu, Unity State.

The event, held on Tuesday 20th February, brought together various stakeholders including members of the State Transitional Legislative Assembly, Chiefs, Civil Society Organizations, leaders of People with Disabilities (PWD), Internally Displaced Persons (IDPs), Returnees, Youth, and Women.

During the opening session of the workshop, Gizam Moses, the Executive Director of Humanity & Community Empowerment Organization (HCEO) and Programme Officer of CSCNR, emphasized the importance of land as a precious resource that all inhabitants of the state have equal rights to own. He highlighted relevant provisions in the South Sudan Land Act and called for the protection of the land rights of vulnerable members of the community.

Participants at the workshop shared concerns about fraudulent land allocation and disputes, stressing the need for effective and integrity-driven land allocation processes.

They called upon the State Ministry of Physical Infrastructure and the Survey Department to ensure fair land allocation and safeguard the rights of vulnerable groups such as women, widows, PWDs, returnees, and the girl-child.

Hon. David Jany Yak, a Member of the Unity State Transitional Legislative Assembly, commended CSCNR for organizing the discourse and emphasized the importance of educating the public on land rights and legal land acquisition. He urged the government to register all lands in Unity State and conduct proper surveys to protect the rights of all residents.

Peter Chuong Duoth, Secretary General of Unity State Disable Union (USDU), praised the workshop for raising awareness among people with disabilities and emphasized the importance of supporting vulnerable groups in advocating for their rights.

The workshop was supported by the Norwegian People’s Aid (NPA) South Sudan and received positive feedback from participants representing diverse sectors of the community. CSCNR was encouraged to continue its advocacy efforts to empower the people of Unity State and protect the land rights of all residents, especially the most vulnerable.