Resource information
... The restitution of housing, land and property rights after conflicts
and periods of non-democratic governance are fundamental aspects of transitional justice which are
essential for the achievement of durable solutions to forced displacement, and to broader concerns
of peace, reconciliation and economic prosperity. The NRC Country Office in Myanmar considers it
necessary and positive to increase attention to raise public awareness on international standards on
the matter as well as national laws and available legal remedies. For these reasons, in partnership with
Displacement Solutions, the NRC has supported the publication by international restitution expert Scott
Leckie of this “An Introductory Guide to Understanding and Claiming Housing, Land and Property
Restitution Rights in Myanmar: Questions and Answers”.
The guide gives an overview on how restitution has been addressed thus far in Myanmar, the position
of international law on the question of restitution and some of the key existing obstacles and gaps. This
guide is designed for use by refugees and IDPs and their representatives, providing a simple, easy-tounderstand
written tool on the basic principles of restitution, where these measures have taken place
in other countries and various mechanisms that have been established to enable claims processes for
HLP losses. Clearly, at present there are essentially no effective HLP remedies available for refugees
and IDPs, hence their informed engagement in policy development on these matters will be crucial,
particularly in the context of the ongoing peace process...
