Nevertheless, mistakes are being made by government and civil society' that will have
a lasting adverse affect on economic growth and political stability. Despite numerous land-
related problems reported in the daily press, 2 by rural Mozambican's,' private investors,
nongovernmental4 and other civil organizations operating in rural areas, the government has
been largely silent on the issue of land tenure reform. A recent report prepared jointly by the
government and the United Nations on the transition from emergency assistance to
reconstruction fails even to mention land issues (Mozambique and United Nations 1993). In
a recent meeting of the Coordinating Council of the Ministry of Agriculture—designed to
develop agricultural strategies for the next five years—the government announced that it was
unwilling to discuss the issue.' The new political parties have also neglected the issue.
On the other hand, some recommendations regarding land-policy reform that have been
proposed are too simplistic, uninformed, and fail to reflect the present political reality in
Mozambique. For example, it was recommend that chiefs "resume" political responsibility
for their communities and control over natural resources within their jurisdictions.' While
this is a positive step forward.8 , it will not by itself resolve the current problems of land access
and tenure security in Mozambique. Others have suggested that there are no problems with
the current land laws and that reform is unnecessary; they suggest that the problem lies in the
administration of the law.' Still others have blamed traditional authorities and customary
laws.'
1. In this paper, the term "civil society" is used broadly in reference to social, economic, political, cultural,
and religious organizations outside the "formal" and "customary" governmental structures. This includes
educational, trade, and credit organizations not directly tied to government. The concept of civil society in Africa
has been discussed more fully elsewhere; see, for example, Bratton (1989); Hyden and Bratton (1992);
LeMarchand (1992); Migdal (1988); and Molutsi (1991).
2. See, for example, Noticias (10 April 1993, 3 May 1993, 9 December 1993); MediaFax (3 May 1993, 30
September 1993, and 27 October 1993); Domingo (13 March 1994); and Savana (20 May 1994). In the period
between January and June 1994, there have also been numerous reports of land disputes and other land-related
issues broadcast on Radio Mozambique and the two national television stations.
3. See Weiss and Myers (1994), particularly comments by Srs. Timotio, Macuacua, Tembe, Jambo, Mugavo,
and Muchanga.
4. National and expatriate staff working for several nongovernmental organizations reported numerous cases
of land grabbing and disputes at the local level. These organizations include CARE-Mozambique, Food for the
Hungry International, World Lutheran Federation, OXFAM, World Vision, and the Mozambican NGO
KULIMA. In addition, staff from the United Nations High Commission for Refugees have described land
conflicts and disputes to the LTCIMOA research team. Mozambican church groups, the National General Union
for Cooperatives, and other local social organizations have also recounted land-related problems.
Representatives of the National General Union for Cooperatives reported "very serious problems with high-
ranking government officials in Maputo Province over land," saying that government officials were refusing to
resolve disputes involving smallholder farmers. They suggested that some of these officials were responsible for
some of the worst land disputes. A representative of KULIMA recently stated that large joint-venture enterprises
were taking land from smallholder farmers with government complicity (see Weiss and Myers 1994).
5. Ministry of Agriculture, Maputo, 25-29 March 1994.
6. See, for example, Lundin (1992a, 1992b, 1993); Irae Lundin, personal communication, November 1993.
7. Joao Carrilho, personal communication, September 1994; and televised interview, Maputo, August 1994.
See Weiss and Myers (1994).
8. See the debate presented in Weiss and Myers (1994).