Historically, land improvement schemes were based on encouraging, through financial incentives, land users to adopt specific soil management and conservation measures. Insufficient attention was paid to the constraints faced by farmers or to the policy, biophysical and socio-economic environment. In many cases such approaches have failed in restoring the natural resources and in increasing productivity in sustainable manner. For too long farmers have been the passive recipients of externally derived research and extension recommendations for soil management and conservation.

Roads, Relocations, and the Campaign for Control in Toungoo District. Based on interviews and field reports from KHRG field researchers in this northern Karen district, looks at the phenomenon of 'Peace Villages' under SPDC control and 'Hiding Villages' in the hills; while the 'Hiding Villages' are being systematically destroyed and their villagers hunted and captured, the 'Peace Villages' face so many demands for forced labour and extortion that many ofthem are fleeing to the hills.

Looks at the problems of creating a stratum of black commercial farmers in South Africa in the light of historical experiences in Kenya and Zimbabwe. Argues that this will be a daunting challenge since apartheid tried to destroy black commercial farmers. The double challenge will be to unlock historical structural constraints within the agrarian economy and to reorient the current macro-economic climate to be more responsive to the needs of small-scale black farmers.

A historical analysis of the current land invasion crisis, examining the chequered past of the white farmers. Contrasts the present situation with the eviction without compensation by whites of Chief Tangwenya and his followers. Examines the different interpretations by the British and Zimbabwean Governments of the agreement over land reached at Lancaster House in 1979. Argues that the present media coverage lacks historical perspective and is doing the country a disservice. There are more questions needing to be asked about Britain’s role

Examines international evidence on the relationship between asset ownership and growth and the impact of redistributive land reform, plus evidence of the impact of land reform in Zimbabwe. Asks why it appears that resettled farmers are among the poorest in the population. Concludes that asset redistribution can be a viable strategy to enhance growth, that the performance of resettled farmers in Zimbabwe is better than is conventionally believed, and that if a land reform programme is well designed, it can have a large impact on equity as well as productivity.

A short paper outlining the likely future impact of HIV/AIDS on land.

Mentions new food security programme, transfer of state land, land tenure, land reform grant, new approach, commonage, agricultural redistribution grants, integrated rural development planning. Will facilitate transfer of tribal land to tribes and communities. Extended deadline for labour tenant claims to March 2001. Previous overemphasis on market forces failed to produce desired effect and impact. Lifted last August’s moratorium on new land reform projects. Piloting a supply led system.

This document presents the findings, conclusions and recommendations of the People's Tribunal on Food Scarcity
and Militarization in Burma. The Tribunal’s work will appeal to all readers interested in human rights and social
justice, as well as anyone with a particular interest in Burma. The Asian Human Rights Commission presents this
report in order to stimulate discourse on human rights and democratization in Burma and around the world.