MONROVIA – In 2020, family members from three separate quarters in the Kundy community in Senjeh District, Bomi County were involved in an emotional conflict triggered by long-term property and boundary disputes, which resulted in the indiscriminate feud, a social estrangement that led one of the parties going to Court.
This conflict lasted for more than one year after emotional and unresolved tensions that led to total disunity and lack of development in the community to which women and other family members of the same household endue hatred and animosity that led to huge intra-conflict among women and youths of the community.
This conflict undermined the social cohesion and local productivity of the Kundy Community.
In 2021, Forumciv and the Swedish embassy in Liberia visited the conflict scene after this story was reported by Women Care Initiatives, a local Women-rights organization and regional co-convener and member of MAP-Liberia, working with women, youth, and persons with disability to reduce land conflict and contribute to inclusive land governance and safe environment in Bomi County.
In 2022, as a result of WOCI’s intervention through awareness, public consultation, and capacity-building training on Land Rights and Land Alternative Dispute Resolution supported by Forumcuv Liberia, all parties to the conflict have demonstrated knowledge of Land ADR by withdrawing and resolving the land dispute from the court.
These Community members comprising women, youth men, traditional leaders, and persons with disability were directly involved in peace negotiation and mediation processes, they are now peacefully coexisting and carrying out economic activities through Village Saving Loan as a means of reuniting the community and sustaining the peace locally.
These Community members are currently seeking the support of Forumciv and other partners including the LLA for the resurvey of their customary/Community land to obtain a statutory deed that reflects the general name and ownership of the community. Currently, women and youth groups of the community have organized themselves into corporative to undertake peanut farming on the then-disputed land, and are now seeking the assistance of partners to provide seeding and materials including working tools (cutlasses, hooks, seeds) in support of their farming pursuit. Meanwhile, community members comprising traditional leaders have also embarked on a local initiative to construct a peace hut where land disputes arising from Customary land could be resolved independently involving all members of the community without going to court.
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