BANDUNG, Indonesia — Land rights activist, educator, and former ANGOC Chairperson, Antonio Quizon, shared his reflections on the achievements and challenges of agrarian reforms in Asia during the first day of the Global Land Forum 2018, held in Bandung, Indonesia, last 27 September 2018.
Speaking to a diverse audience of activists,researchers, members of civil society, and representatives from the Indonesian government, Quizon discussed the history and trends of agrarian reforms in several Asian countries.
Land reforms played a crucial role innation-state-building, by addressing rural poverty and social exclusion. Inmost cases, these reforms were the state’s political response to mass dissent and agrarian revolts. Different states have utilized both capitalist and socialist approaches to agrarian reform, eventually converging into the principle of strengthening small, family-run farms.
Past and ongoing land reforms have produced uneven results ranging from more egalitarian and inclusive land distribution to a reversion of gains. For their part, social movements and civil society would have to continue exerting political pressure on governments and continue the monitoring of agrarian reform implementation.
As per Quizon, “Land rights are integral for achieving peace. Redistributing land and delivering justice to all victims of land-related violence is the first step towards lasting peace. For there can be no PEACE without JUSTICE and LAND RIGHTS.”
The full speech may be accessed here
