Large-Scale Land Acquisition And Human Rights At The Crossroads: Quest For A Rights-Based Approach To Land Administration In Ethiopia

Abstract

Large-scale land investment through a form of forceful acquisition, dubbed
“land grabbing”, is a perennial concern for local community and
indigenous peoples in Africa, particularly in Ethiopia. This article explores
the human rights impacts of such large-scale land acquisition in Ethiopia
and discusses ways of ameliorating its effects. It demonstrates how largescale land acquisition in the country undermines substantive rights of
the local and indigenous peoples, including land rights, right to food,
development, culture, self-determination, labour rights, environmental
rights, as well as their procedural right to public participation, prior
informed consent, access to information and justice, all of which are
recognized under international instruments, and the constitution of the
Federal Democratic Republic of Ethiopia (FDRE). The article advocates
for a human rights-based approach to large-scale land acquisition regime
that respects and integrates the aforementioned substantive and
procedural rights of local and indigenous peoples. This also involves
government’s obligation to implement effective human right impact
assessment, efficient monitoring, evaluation, dispute resolution
mechanism, and empowering local community and other stakeholders
to safeguard the rights of affected community. By so doing, the country can mobilize the large-scale land investment for sustainable development
without compromising the rights of local and indigenous peoples.