Land Disputes and Settlement Mechanisms in Nepal's Terai
Publisher: The Asia Foundation, the Justice and Security Research Programme
Author(s): Danielle Stein and Bert Suykens
Date: 2014
Topics: Dispute Resolution/Mediation, Governance, Land, Renewable Resources
Countries: Nepal
Land has long been among the most politically contentious issues in Nepal. This stems from historical patterns of land tenure which, by concentrating land ownership the wealthy and those close to the monarchy, were the primary channels through which authority was
established and expressed. Though these patterns have evolved over time, access to land remains a key determinant of both social and economic status for rural Nepalis.
An examination of land relations in Nepal is a useful lens through which to explore complex patterns of local governance and authority. Indeed, since the 1960s land reform has been an important area of contestation between political parties. From 1996 and 2006, these issues were also central Nepal’s civil conflict, as Maoists targeted large landowners as a symbol Nepal’s exclusionary, patronage-based state. Now in the post-conflict period, land reform remains contentious, attracting attention from politicians, academics, NGOs and advocacy
organizations.