The advocacy mission for the granting of securement documents for the mapped lands of the Pygmy indigenous peoples and communities in the BOMBWANZA groupment, Bokatola sector, Ingende territory in the province of Équateur has achieved significant results.
The efforts deployed in this region have led to the effective validation of maps of the 15 villages developed by expert cartographers, as well as the granting of two land securement documents for PAP and COLO. One notable result of this mission is the validation of the maps of the 15 villages developed by expert cartographers. This crucial step helps to consolidate the recognition of lands traditionally occupied by the Pygmy indigenous peoples and local communities in the BOMBWANZA region.
Another major accomplishment of this mission is the granting of the two land securement documents for PAP and COLO. These documents are of paramount importance, including an act of recognition of the lands traditionally occupied by the PAP and COLO in the aforementioned 15 villages, as well as a certificate of collective customary land occupation of the lands of the Pygmy indigenous peoples and local communities. These actions have been taken in strict compliance with the current legislation, thus reinforcing the legitimacy of land rights of local communities.
It is important to highlight the essential contribution of RRI (Rights and Resources Initiative) for its technical and financial support in the realization of these crucial activities for the communities of BOMBWANZA. The commitment of RRI has been decisive in achieving these major advances in land securement and recognition of the rights of Pygmy indigenous peoples and local communities.
These achievements demonstrate tangible progress towards the protection of lands and rights of indigenous communities, while emphasizing the importance of partnerships such as that with RRI to achieve concrete results.
By Franck Zongwe Lukama