The human right to land in Zimbabwe : the legal and extra-legal resettlement processes

Abstract

"This dissertation will explore the socio-economic and political factors that have prevented the resumption of the human right to land by black Zimbabweans both during the colonial white minority rule and in independent Zimbabwe. It will also point out the international human rights instruments that justify government intervention in land tenure relations in Zimbabwe and conclude with recommendations. Chapter one is the introduction. It outlines the background of the research problem, the prolem itself, research questions, hypotheses, objectives and purpose of the research. It also outlines the theoretical framework, significance and the methodology. Chapter two is about the colonial land tenure relations in Zimbabwe. It discusses the foundations of the inequitable land tenure relations in Zimbabwe, together with the legal and extra-legal responses thereto during the colonial period. Chapter three is about legal responses in post-colonial Zimbabwe to land tenure imbalances. It examines legal responses Zimbabwe embarded upon after independence in 1980, the Lancaster Agreement and its Article 16 and the Land Acquisition Act from 1985-1992. Chapter four deals with the extra-legal resettlement processes in Zimbabwe and focuses on the non-legal resettlement processes including the squatter/war veterans' phenomenon. Chapter five looks at the available international human rights instruments relevant to Zimbabwe's resettlement processes. Chapter six sums up the key issues and illustrations raised in the research in relation to the objectives and hypotheses. It also offers recommendations towards viable policy options available to Zimbabwe." -- Chapter 1.