“Informal” Land Demarcation Systems: A Lifeline to De-Escalation of Land Conflicts and Promotion of Peace in Post-War Acholiland, Northern Uganda

This study examines how the re-emerging “informal” land demarcation systems contribute to the de-escalation of land conflicts and promotion of peace in post-war Northern Uganda. Although relative peace and normalcy have returned to Northern Uganda following the LRA war, the Acholi subregion continues to grapple with land conflicts, which have complicated the resettlement and development of rural communities. However, rural communities, which bear the heaviest brunt of land conflicts, are not merely spectators. This paper explores and theorises the ways in which communities mobilise a rich repertoire of “everyday resources” to counter and address the contestations over land. The initiatives “from below” include boundary-tree planting, engraving names of landowners on trees, and digging holes around the contested land as boundary demarcations and “identity” markers. By emphasising harmonious post-conflict co-existence, these initiatives contribute to a reduction in land conflicts and foster peacebuilding.