Tuesday, March 04, 2008 MILF to see expert on ancestral domain
SEVERAL officials of the Moro Islamic Liberation Front (MILF) are expected on Tuesday in Davao City to meet with a foreign expert on land claims by indigenous people and possibly find solution on the ancestral domain issue.
In a report posted Monday by www.luwaran.com, the expert is said to be Justice Eddie Durie, a member of the Ngati Kauwhata and Rangitane Iwi tribes of New Zealand.
Expected to meet with Durie are lawyers Lanang Ali, Michael Mastura, Abdul Dataya, Jun Mantawil, Datu Antonio Kinoc, Muhajirin Ali and Amor Pendaliday.
Professor Abhoud Syed Lingga of the Institute of Bangsamoro Studies (IBS) will also attend the meeting at an undisclosed place in Davao city.
Durie is expected to discuss with the MILF and Bangsamoro Development Agency (BDA) representatives the New Zealand's experience on land resolution mechanism that proved very successful in his country.
"The former dealing on prevailing land conflict in Mindanao especially on the Bangsamoro people's claim to ancestral domain and on the structure of its organization and pursuit of its objectives, as the development arm of the
MILF will be presented," the report said.
The land expert will reportedly share his insights into different forms of land ownership, including collective ownership that has proven compatible with business development in New Zealand.
Justice Durie got his law degree in Wellington in 1965 and started general practice with a particular interest in the formation of trusts and incorporations for the development of the Maori land.
In 1974 he was appointed a judge of the Maori Land Court and was later involved in the reform of Maori land law as an adviser to the New Zealand Maori Council.
In 1980 he was made chief judge of the Maori Land Court. He was also appointed chairperson of the Waitangi Tribunal, a body to hear Maori claims against the Crown in respect of historic losses and current policies. This became the main focus of his work for the next 20 years. In that time he was also engaged as a resource person for the development of the Claims Court in the South African constitution and statute," the report added.
Durie will take part in the Liberty and Prosperity Forum being organized by Supreme Court (SC) Chief Justice Artemio Panganiban.
