Land Allocation in Returnee/Refugee Settlements: A Case Study of Two Settlement Schemes in Humera

Abstract

This Sll/{~\' examines {he different aspects of land allocation in fWD
re:urnee re.' ellleJ1lel1( si tes il1 HI/mern in the ligh! of efforts and s trategies aimed
af rehabilitating I:.'thiopinn ex-rejitgees repatriated f rom Eas/ern Sudan camps
since 1993. Data fiJ,. the sllIdy lI'ere collected from a total of 300 returnee
households il1 the ,Hai-Kndrn and ROIITa/1 resettlement schemes by lIsing the
survey mel hod Other sources (?lperlineni qualitative in/ormation on th e subject
(~/coJ1c:e"l1 inclllde local gOl'etl1l11enl cdlkials (Ind site administrators.
7Y1e lIIajor ohjecli l'e (~( the ':';III(~F is 10 determine whether planned land sel/lemen!
is a viable strategy fbI' re~ahilifafing re turnees whose background is essentially
rural and hm'c practised / arming as their major trade prior to flight. The study
has established that there are different pallem s oJ land allocation Jor different
categories of ac fors in the stl/((v area. Uniform policy packages were applied for
providing access to land resources concerning the resett led returnees regardless
0/ limitations in making use o/Iand resources, and land selflement in areas where
adequate public land is availahle could lead to effec tive rehabilitation provided
this is re i/~rorced hy proper plmll1 ing and coordination. 1/1 the light 0/ policy
changes regarding reselllement and land allocation that look effect since J 995,
the stU((v questions the wist/olll 0/ lending prill/acy to large scale f arms at the
expense (~lsJJ/al/·scale producliol1.