Forced evictions-- towards solutions? : second report of the Advisory Group on Forced Evictions to the Executive Director of UN-HABITAT PDF
Preview Forced evictions-- towards solutions? : second report of the Advisory Group on Forced Evictions to the Executive Director of UN-HABITAT
Forced Evictions - Towards Solutions? SecondReportoftheAdvisoryGrouponForcedEvictions totheExecutiveDirectorofUN-HABITAT UN-HABITAT UN-HABITAT Forced Evictions- Towards Solutions? Second Report of theAdvisory Group on Forced Evictionsto the Executive Director UN-HABITAT of ForcedEvictions-TowardsSolutions? Copyright©AdvisoryGrouponForcedEvictions(AGFE),UN-HABITAT,2007 Excerptsfromthetextofthispublicationmaybereproducedwithoutauthorisation,on conditionthatthesourceisclearlyidentified. Copyright©ofanyphotographinthispublicationvestsinthephotographerandmaynotbe reproducedwithoutpriorauthorisation. CoverPhotoscourtesyofUrbanResourceCentre,Karachi,PakistanandUN-HABITAT AdvisoryGrouponForcedEvictions(AGFE) doUnitedNationsHousingRightsProgramme(UNHRP) P.O.Box30030,GPONairobi00100,Kenya Tel: +25420763141 Fax:+25420764265 Email:[email protected] ForinformationonAGFEseehttp:www.unhabitat.org AboutUs->GlobalCampaigns->GlobalCampaignforSecureTenure Disclaimer Theresponsibilityforopinionsexpressedintheanalysis,conclusionsandrecommendations of thispublication restssolelywiththeAdvisory Groupon Forced Evictions. Opinions expressedinthispublicationdonot necessarily reflecttheviewsof theUnited Nations HumanSettlementsProgramme(UN-HABITAT),theGoverningCouncilofUN-HABITAT oritsMemberStates. Thedesignationsemployedandthepresentationofthematerial inthispublicationdonot implytheexpressionofanyopinionwhatsoeveronthepartoftheSeaetariatoftheUnited Nationsconcerningthelegalstatusofanycountry,territory,cityorareaoritsauthorities,or concerningdelimitationofitsfrontiersorboundaries,orregardingitseconomicsystemor degreeofdevelopment. ThispublicationhasbeenreproducedwithoutformaleditingbytheUnitedNations TITLE:ForcedEvictions-TowardsSolutions?SecondReportoftheAdvisoryGroupon ForcedEvictionstotheExecutiveDirectorofUN-HABITAT HS^932/07E ISBN:978-92-113-1909-5 ii SecondReportofAGFEtotheExecutiveDirectorofUN-HABITAT ACKNOWLEDGEI\/IENTS ThispublicationisthesecondreportoftheAdvisoryGrouponForcedEvictions(AGFE)to theExecutiveDirectorof UN-HABITAT.Thispublicationwouldnot havebeenpossible withoutthecontributionsofAGFEMembersandanumberofindividualsandorganisations whoarepartofagrowingnetworkworkingtobringattentiontotheillegalandunjustpractice offorcedevictionandtopromotealternatives. SandraBaffoe-BonnieofUN-HABITATandDeannaFowleroftheCentreonHousingRights andEvictions(COHRE)wereresponsiblefortheoverallcoordinationandproductionofthis report.SelmanErgudenandRasmusPrecht(bothUN-HABITAT)contributedtotheupdating andfinalisationofthisreport. A numberof peopleandorganisations,includingAGFE Membersandpartners, provided informationand/ordraftedcasestudiesforChapters3,4,and5,includingMawuseAgyemfra (COHRE), Luis Araujo (SOS Habitat), Jockin Arputham (National Slum Dwellers Federation),SandraBaffoe-Bonnie(UN-HABITAT),FaroukBraimah(People'sDialogueon HumanSettlements,Ghana),JohnsonFalade(UN-HABITAT), DeannaFowler(COHRE), Pedro Franco (International Alliance of Inhabitants), Szilard Friscka(UN-HABITAT), MiloonKothari (Special Rapporteuronadequatehousing), MalcolmLangford(COHRE), HosakaMitsuhiko(AsianCoalitionforHousingRights),Rachael Mrabu(UN-HABITAT), LeticiaOsorio(COHRE),CesareOttolini (InternationalAllianceof Inhabitants),LuzMaria Sanchez (Estrategiaand the Huairou Commission), ChristinaSander (COHRE), Anna KajumuloTibaijuka(UN Special Envoyon HumanSettlement IssuesinZimbabweand ExecutiveDirector of UN-HABITAT), Amnesty International, theAnti-ApartheidWall CampaignandUrbanResourceCentre,Pakistan. Inaddition,wewouldIiketoexpressourthankstoJeanduRessisofCOHREforcontributing Chapter1,'ADecadeofEvictions'. AGFEwouldalsoliketoexpressitsappreciationto numerousphotographersandtheir organisationsforpermissiontousetheirphotographsatnocost.Theirnamesarelistedinthe report. WDiealwooguuel)daalnsdoISiaknedtroaacBkafnfoowel-eBdognenMieaw(uUsNe-AHgAyBeImTfArTa)(CbOoHthREf)o,rtFaakrionugkpBarratiimnahth(ePeAoGplFe'Es missiontoAccra, Ghanaandfordraftingthemissionreportwhichformedthebasisof sectionsofchapter4. WearealsogratefultoDominiLewisforherinvaluableandindefatigableeditorialassistance, andtoIreneJuma(UN-HABITAT)forthedesignandlayoutofthecoverofthepublication. Ourspecial thanksistoall ofthecommunitieswithwhomwework,andwhosharetheir problems,experiences,ideasandinsightswithus.Thisreportisdedicatedtothem,andtheir ongoingstruggletorealisetheirbasichumanrights. ForcedEvictions-TowardsSolutions? FOREWORDBYYVESCABANNES, CONVENOROFTHEADVISORYGROUPONFORCEDEVICTIONS ThreeyearshavepassedsincetheAdvisoryGrouponForcedEvictions(AGFE) heldits inaugural meeting in Nairobi. Since then, the Group has identified, monitored and documented30casesofforcedevictionandplayedamediatingandconciliatoryroleduring fourmissionstocitieswhereforcedevictionswherebeingcarriedoutorwheretherewasan imminentthreatof largescaleevictions. InadditiontoAGFE'sownactivities, several organisationsthatarelinkedtoAGFEandform aglobal network, areworkingtowards reducingandpreventingforcedevictionsinall partsoftheworld.AGFE Members,their respectiveorganisationsandthewiderAGFENetworkhavecontributedtotheinformation andexperienceexchangeandforputtingthisreporttogether. AfterthreeyearssincethelaunchofAGFE,therearebothgoodandbadnews.Thebadnews insutmhbaterfoarnceddienvitchteiolnesveolvoaftvhieolpeanscte.thrFeoercyeeadrsevhiacvtieoinnscraepapseeadrdtroamhaatvicealbleycionmfereaquceoncmym,oinn practiceinlieuofsustainableurbanplanningandinclusivesocial policies, bothinmany developedanddevelopingcountries.InformationgatheredbyAGFEshowsthatoverthelast threeyearsevictionshavebeentakingplaceoraretotakeplaceinatleast60countries. Unlawfulevictionsaffectthelivesofmillionsofchildren,men,womenandtheelderly,most ofthempoor.Againstthisdramaticreality,findingsolutionstothisunjustpracticeremainsa central challengetomeetingtheMillenniumDevelopmentGoalsandtoimplementingthe HabitatAgenda Thegoodnewsisthatdespitethecurrentscaleanddevastatingeffectsofforcedevictions, fIoocuanld.iniAtiGatFiEveshaastivdareintoiufsieIdevaenldsdaoncdubmyenditfefderceansteascwtohresrperpoevoeplteh,attahletierrnoartgiavneissaotliuotinosnasndcatnhebier governmentshavesuccessfullydevelopedpracticesandtoolstopreventevictionsandattain securityoftenure.Whenappropriatelysupportedandresourced,suchmulti-actorandmulti- dimensionalinitiativesareabletoconfrontthenegativeanddominantlocalandglobalforces. Thesecasesgiverealhopetohundredsofthousandsofchildren,womenandmenalloverthe worldwholiveinconstantthreatofevictions. AGFE'sSecondReporttotheExecutiveDirectorofUN-HABITATisanothercontributionto increasingawarenessandknowledgebothwithinUN-HABITATandthewiderUNSystem onhowtoaddressthechallengeofforcedevictionsinatimelyandeffectivemanner. By makingthisReportavailablealsotothewiderpublic,AGFEseekstofurtherdisseminate successful practicesinthefightagainstforcedevictionsthatcanbeappliedby relevant stakeholdersindifferentlocalandnationalcontexts. iv Copyrlghredmaterial SecondReportofAGFEtotheExecutiveDirectorofUN-HABITAT TABLEOFCONTENTS 1 INTRODUCTIONANDACTIVITIES 1 2 ADFCADFOFFORCEDEVICTIONS 3 3 CASEINFORMATIONUPDATE 23 CaseUpdde1:PomMdnakan,ThaiIand ^ CaseUpdate2:LyariExpresawa/,Pakistan 24 CaseUpdate3:Kiberaandothgareas,Kenya 26 CaseUpdate4:GypsiesandTra/dIersintheUK-DaleFarm ^ CaseUpdate5:PiqyaNationalPark,AframRains,Ghana ^ CaseUpdate6:AlcantaraQuiIomboCommunities,Brazil 37 CaseUpdate7:NorthRailwa/andothera/ictions,Philippines 43 4 AGFEMISSIONSREPORTS 4fi [JPDATFOFPnnfSMISRIDNS 46 1 CuritibaBrazil 46 2 SantoDomingo,DominicanRepublic 49 REPORTOF2006M1881ON 53 3 Aqbogblodiie,Accra,Ghana ^ 5 CASEINFORMATION 58 ReportedCase1:VilaUniao,l\/lunidpalitvofAmiranteTanandareBraziI 58 ReportedCase2:BairroAlto,CuritibaBrazil 59 ReportedCase3:Tatuquaa-CuritibaBraziI 61 ReportedCase4:LimaPeru <S2. ReportedCase5:AsodadondePobladoresSantisimaVirqenddCarmenyLoslncas,LimaPeru 65 ReportedCase6:AbuiaNigeria 67 ReportedCase7:Lagos,Nigeria 71 ReportedCase8:VariousAreasinKarachi,Pakistan 73 ReportedCase9:VariousAreasinZimbabwe 76 ReportedCase10:VariousAreasinMumbai,India 7^ ReportedCase11:LuandaAngola 81 ReportedCase12:Johannesburg.SouthAfrica ^ ReportedCase13:CentralKalahariGameReserve,Botswana ^ ReportedCase14:NagoyaandOsakaJapan 87 ReportedCase15:Palestine ^ V Copyrightedmalerlal ForcedEvictions-TowardsSolutions? ANNEXI:T.istofAGFRMembers 94 ANNEX2:LetterfromtheGovernorofBangkoktoCOHRE 95 ANNEX3:LetterfromthePresidentoftheDominicanRepublicParliament 96 ANNEX4:1.etterSenttoAGFEConvenorfromPedroFranco 9fi ANNEX TetterofInvitationtoAGFF.fromGovernmentofGhana IflQ ANNEX6:JointStatementofAmnestyInternational,theCentreonHousingRightsandEvictions (COHRE)andZimbabweLawyersforHumanRights,23June2005 103 ANNEX7:ExecutiveSummary-ReportoftheFact-EindingMissiontoZimbabwebytheSpecial EnvoyonHumanSettlementsIssuesinZimbabwe 108 ANNEX8:COHRECorrespondencewithGovemmentofBotswana 112 ANNEX9:ExcerptsofInterviewwithMiloonKotfaari 119 vi Copvrightedmaienal SecondReportofAGFEtotheExecutiveDirectorofUN-HABITAT INTRODUCTIONANDACTIVITIES 1 Forcedevictionsarecarriedoutinbotlidevelopedanddevelopingcountries,inallregionsof theworld.Oftenthesearelarge-scaleevictions,whereentirecommunitiesoftensoreven hundredsofthousandsofpeopleareremoved.Theyareusuallydirectedatthepoor,livingin informal settlements.Theeffectonthelivesofthoseevictediscatastrophic,leavingthem homeless and subject to deeper poverty, discrimination and social exclusion. Such communitiesareinvariably evicted againsttheir will, and in most cases, without any compensationoralternativehousing. Thetam'forcedeviction' referstotheremovalofpeoplefromtheirhomesorlandsagainst theirwill,directlyorindirectlyattributabletotheState.Itisawidespreadpracticeannually affectingmi11ionsofpersonsindevelopedanddevelopingcountries. Forcedevictionscanalwaysbeattributedtospecificdecisions, legislationorpoliciesof States,ortothefailureofStatestointervenetohaltforcedevictionsbythirdparties.Thus, Statesarealwayslegallyresponsibleforforcedevictionsoccurringonterritoryundertheir jurisdiction. Although international law hasrepeatedly declaredforced evictionsto beagrossand systematicviolationofhumanrights,governmentscontinuetouseforcedevictionasatoolof development.Partofthestruggleagainstthiswidespreadpracticeisclearlyaneedtochange themindset of such leadership. It iscrucially important togetthemess^eacrossto governmentsthatforcedevictionsareunjust, illegal andinvariablycounterproductiveto genuinehumandevelopment;andthatalternativestoevictionthereforeurgentlyneedtobe identifiedandpromoted. TheAdvisoryGrouponForcedEvictions TheAdvisoryGrouponForcedEvictions(AGFE)wasestablishedattherequestoftheUN- HABITATGoverningCouncilduringits19"^session,followingrecommendationsofthefirst WorldUrbanForumtopromotepolicyalternativestoforcedevictions. Itsmandateisto monitor,identifyand,ifsorequested,promotealternativestounlawfulevictions.Thegroupis composedofexpertsinthefieldsof urbandevelopment,communityparticipation, human rightsandforcedevictions(alistofcurrentmembersisattachedasAnnex1).Theseexperts havebeendrawnfromslumdwellerorganisations,governments,localauthorities,NGOsand privatesectorprofessionalorganizationsandserveontheAdvisoryGroupforaperiodoftwo years.ThefirstConvenoroftheGroupisYvesCabannes,ChairoftheDevelopmentRanning UnitatUniversityCollegeLondon.TheAdvisoryGroupissupportedbyaSecretariatandthis functionisundertakenbytheUnitedNationsHousingRightsProgramme(UNHRP)atUN- HABITATinNairobi. Inthetwoyearsof itsexistence,theGrouphasbeenengagedinseveral activities.The AdvisoryGrouporganizedadebateduringtheSecondSessionoftheWorldUrbanForumin September2004todiscusscasesofongoingorpendingevictionsthatAGFEMembershad documentedduringtheperiod. Inaddition,theGrouphadtheopportunitytointeractwith representativesofgovernments,local authoritiesandcivil society;andwelcomedpartners (Ministers,Mayors,NGOsandcommunityrepresentatives)fromKenya,GhanaandSenegal toenterintoapositivedialoguewithaviewtoavertingevictionsandidentifyingcountries andcitieswheresuchconciIiatorymissionsshouldbeundertaken. 1 Copyrlghredmaterial ForcedEvictions-TowardsSolutions? Inearly2005,theGroupundatooksuccessfulfactfindingmissionstoCuritiba,Brazil;Santo Domingo, DominicanRepublic;and Rome, Italyattherequestoftheauthoritiesinthose countries.Themissionshaveresulted,forexample,intheestablishmentofaCommissionin theDominicanRepublictodiscusstheenactmentofalawonforcedevictionsandsecure tenure.ThislawwassubsequentlyputbeforeParliamentfordebateandvote.Amoratorium onforcedevictionswasimposedfor 12monthsinRome. InCuritiba,CityHall requested AGFEtoassistintheanalysisoflocalhousinglegislationforfurtherimprovements. Duringthe20'^SessionoftheGoverningCouncil of UN-HABITATinApril 2005,AGFE presenteditsfirstreporttotheExecutiveDirectorofUN-HABITATwhichwasreceivedvery positively.Thereportdocumented15casesofthreatsofevictionandcaseswhereevictions hadtakenplace.ItalsoreportedonthemissionsundertakenbyAGFEMembers,inaddition toothermattersregardingforcedevictionsinternationally. InApril 2006,AGFEandUN-HABITATfieldedajointmissiontoAccrainGhanaatthe invitationoftheGhanaianGovernmenttodiscussthethreatenedevictionoftheresidentsof Agbogbloshie/OldFadamaanditsproposedrelocationplan.Thispublicationincludesareport ofthemission. AGFEMembershavebeenactivelyeng^edinmonitoringevictionsgloballyandproposing solutionstoaddressthisincreasinglyprevalentinfringementof humanrightsandtenure securityglobally.AGFEactivitieshavebeenfundedlargelybytheGlobal Campaignfor SecureTenure,butduetoashortageoffundssince2006,ithasnotbeenabletobeasactive ashadbeenhoped. 2 Copyrlghreamaterial ' SecondReportofAGFEtotheExecutiveDirectorofUN-HABITAT 2 A DECADE OFFORCED EVICTIONS Insearchofsolutionstoagrowingglobal problem^ Introduction Oneof thebestdefinitionstliat I liavelieardof tlieconceptof securityof tenureistlie 'freedomfromfearofforcedeviction'.Unfortunately,fartoomanypeopledonotexperience thisfreedom,andliveinsteadinconstantfearofeviction. Evayyearmillionsofpeoplearoundtheworldareforciblyevicted,leavingthemhomeless andsubjecttodeeperpoverty,discriminationandsocialexclusion.Oftenthesearelarge-scale massevictions,whereentirecommunitiesoftensorevenhundredsofthousandsofpeopleare removed.Suchcommunitiesareinvariablyevictedagainsttheirwill,inmostcaseswithout anycompensationoralternativehousing. Forcedevictionshavevariousandoftencomplexandinterconnectedcauses,including: • Tenureinsecurity/absenceofformalrights • Developmentandinfrastructureprojects • Largeinternationalevents,suchastheOlympicGames • Urbanredevelopmentand'beautification'initiatives • Propertymarketforcesand'gerttrification' • AbsenceofStatesupportforthepoor • Politicalconflict,ethniccleansingandwar Regardlessoftheactual cause,thosewhoimplementforcedevictionsgenerallyjustifythe evictioninthenameof'development' -and, byimplication,asintendedforthegeneral publicgood.Governmentsandotherimplementing^endesusecompelIing'developmental language,oftenbackedupbycomplicatedtechnicaljargon,inanattempttodefendactions whichare,inmostcases,totallyindefensible. Itmust,therefore,bemadeunambiguouslydearattheoutsetof anydiscussionofforced evictions, thatthepracticeof evictionwithout consultationor adequatealternativesand compensation is illegal intermsof international law. It isalsounjust, compromising fundamental human rightsprindples, withdevastatingconsequencesforthoseaffected. Moreover, in termsof international experienceand best practice, it isfundamentally counterproductivetothegoalofhumandevdopment. ^ThissectionwaspreparedbyJeanduPlessis,theActingExecutiveDirectorofCOHRE.Healsoco-ordinates theCOHREGlobal ForcedEvictionsProgramme.COHREisaninternational NGOwhichstrivesto promotetherighttoadequatehousing-includingtherighttoprotectionfromforcedeviction-for everyone,everywhere.COHREhasitsheadquartersinGeneva,andhasofficesinanumberofcountries, includingBrazil,theUnitedStates,Ghana,SouthAfrica,SriLankaandAustralia 3 Copyrlghredmaterial
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