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Land rights confusion is main obstacle hampering Haiti rebuilding efforts, warn agencies

by Christian Aid | Christian Aid - UK
Monday, 10 January 2011 12:57 GMT

* Any views expressed in this article are those of the author and not of Thomson Reuters Foundation.

Additional info:  Photographs/video available, Report here  It has been nearly a year since a 7.0 magnitude earthquake struck Haiti, killing more than 230,000 people and devastating the nation’s capital. As Haiti commemorates the dead, international attention is focused on the slow pace of reconstruction, with an estimated 1.3 million still forced to live in tents nearly a year after the disaster. The chief obstacle preventing more homes being built is the immense difficulty in proving land ownership, explains a report jointly commissioned by Christian Aid, Progressio, Tearfund and CAFOD. “Most people were living in rented accommodation before the earthquake.  It is likely that their landlord either did not have a title to land on which the house was built or their documents were lost in the earthquake,” explained Prospery Raymond, who is based in Port-au-Prince and manages Christian Aid’s Caribbean programme. It’s often impossible to determine who owns land, and if you get this wrong, the people you’re trying to help can end up homeless again. With little clarity over land ownership and severely limited private funds to rebuild, it is mostly NGOs both local and international, who have constructed new homes, so far on land made available by the state.  Most of the buildable land is owned by the state or private individuals.  Until much larger swathes are made available, it will be impossible to re-house the vast majority who are now homeless, warns the report: Haiti Must Build Back Better. It is also of paramount importance that Haitian people themselves are directly involved in reconstruction planning, says the report.   “If ordinary Haitians are not urgently given a greater role in the rebuilding process the solutions risk being inappropriate and ineffective,” says Lizzette Robleto, Progressio policy officer. It is not just lack of basic services and protection from the elements that makes the camps unacceptable. They are also very insecure. Women in the camps report living in a perpetual climate of fear. Sonia Pierre, who runs MUDHA, a women’s group supported by Christian Aid, reports: “Many women get sick with nervousness; their nightmare starts every time the sun sets and night falls. One of them told us that she sleeps with three pairs of jeans because this prevents would be attackers from acting too quickly. This gives them more time to scream for help.” To escape this insecurity and discomfort, many families who lost their homes in Port-au-Prince have returned to their villages in the countryside where they grew up. Most of the international aid has been centred in the capital. But Christian Aid, CAFOD, Progressio and Tearfund have been supporting people in the countryside with both new homes and the means of earning a living. This eases pressure on the limited land in Port-au-Prince and allows people to begin a new life sooner. ends If you would like further information please contact Sarah Wilson on 0207 523 2277 or 07930 341 525 or swilson@christian-aid.org 24 hour press duty phone – 07850 242950   Notes to Editors 1. Christian Aid works in some of the world's poorest communities in nearly 50 countries. We act where the need is greatest, regardless of religion, helping people build the lives they deserve. 2. Christian Aid has a vision, an end to global poverty, and we believe that vision can become a reality. Our report, Poverty Over, explains what we believe needs to be done – and can be done – to end poverty.  Details at http://www.christianaid.org.uk/Images/poverty-over-report.pdf 3. Christian Aid is a member of the ACT Alliance, a global coalition of 100 churches and church-related organisations that work together inhumanitarian assistance and development.  Further details at http://www.actalliance.org 4. Follow Christian Aid's newswire on Twitter: http://twitter.com/caid_newswire 5. For more information about the work of Christian Aid visit www.christianaid.org.uk 6. Progressio is an international charity that enables poor communities to solve their own problems through support from skilled workers. www.progressio.org.uk 7. CAFOD is the official aid agency of the Catholic Church in England and Wales, working in more than 50 countries worldwide with over 500 partners, tackling poverty and injustice. It has an established history of working in Haiti through its Caritas partnerships." www.cafod.org.uk   8. Tearfund is a Christian relief and development agency building a global network of local churches to help eradicate poverty. Tearfund is a member of the Disasters Emergency Committee. www.tearfund.org

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