Housing, Land, and Property Restitution Rights of Refugees and Displaced Persons: Laws, Cases, and Materials »

Scott Leckie is an international human rights lawyer and advocate. He is active in many fields, including economic and social rights, housing rights, forced evictions, housing and property restitution rights for refugees and displaced persons, human rights issues in post-conflict and post-disaster situations, business, and human rights.

This book contains 240 laws and other regulations recognizing the property rights of refugees and displaced persons at the international, regional, and national levels.

Acknowledgments     xvii
Preface     xix
Housing and Property Restitution Standards - International     1
International Standards     1
International Humanitarian Law     1
Hague Convention (IV) Respecting the Laws and Customs of War on Land (1907)     1
Geneva Convention (IV) Relative to the Protection of Civilian Persons in Time of War (1949)     1
Protocol Additional to the Geneva Conventions of 12 August 1949, and Relating to the Protection of Victims of International Armed Conflicts (Protocol 1) (1977)     2
Protocol Additional to the Geneva Conventions of 12 August 1949, and Relating to the Protection of Victims of Non-International Armed Conflicts (Protocol II) (1977)     3
International Human Rights Law     3
Universal Declaration of Human Rights (1948)     3
International Convention on the Elimination of All Forms of Racial Discrimination (1965)     4
International Covenant on Economic, Social and Cultural Rights (1966)     4
International Covenant on Civil and Political Rights (1966)     4
Convention on the Rights of the Child (1989)     5
Convention (No. 169) Concerning Indigenous and Tribal Peoples in Independent Countries (1989)     6
International Criminal Law     6
Rome Statute of the InternationalCriminal Court (1998)     6
International Refugee Law     11
Convention Relating to the Status of Refugees (1951)     11
Protocol Relating to the Status of Refugees (1967)     11
The International Law of State Responsibility     12
International Law Commission's Draft Articles on Responsibility of States for Internationally Wrongful Acts (2001)     12
Specific Restitution Standards     13
'Pinheiro' Principles on Housing and Property Restitution for Refugees and Displaced Persons (2005)     13
Basic Principles and Guidelines on the Right to a Remedy and Reparation for Victims of Violations of International Human Rights and Humanitarian Law (2005)     20
Peace Agreements     25
Cambodia - Agreement on a Comprehensive Political Settlement on the Cambodia Conflict (1991)     25
El Salvador - Peace Agreement between the Government of El Salvador and the Frente Farabundo Marti para la Liberacion Nacional (1992)     28
Mozambique - The Rome Process: General Peace Agreement for Mozambique (1992)     30
Liberia - Cotonou Agreement (1993)     30
Rwanda - Arusha Peace Agreement (1993)     31
Bosnia-Herzegovina - General Framework Agreement on Peace in Bosnia-Herzegovina (Dayton Peace Agreement) - Annex 7: Agreement on Refugees and Displaced Persons (1995)      31
Guatemala - Agreement on Identity and Rights of Indigenous Peoples (1995)     34
Croatia - The Erdut Agreement (1995)     36
Tajikistan General Agreement on the Establishment of Peace and National Accord - Protocol on Refugee Issues (1997)     37
Sierra Leone - Lome Peace Agreement (1999)     38
Burundi - Arusha Peace and Reconciliation Agreement for Burundi (2000)     38
Ethiopia and Eritrea - Agreement between the Government of the Federal Democratic Republic of Ethiopia and the Government of the State of Eritrea (2000)     41
Liberia - Comprehensive Peace Agreement between the Government of Liberia and the Liberians United for Reconciliation and Democracy (LURD) and the Movement for Democracy in Liberia (MODEL) and Political Parties (2003)     43
Sudan - Comprehensive Peace Agreement - Agreement on Wealth Sharing during the Pre-Interim and Interim Period (2004)     43
Voluntary Repatriation Agreements     45
Socialist Republic of Vietnam and UNHCR (1988)     45
Republic of South Africa and UNHCR (1991)     46
Guatemala and UNHCR (1991)     46
United Republic of Tanzania, Democratic Republic of the Congo and UNHCR (1991)     46
Islamic State of Afghanistan, Republic of Iran and UNHCR (1992)     47
Republic of Mozambique, Zimbabwe and UNHCR (1993)     47
Union of Myanmar and UNHCR (1993)     47
Abkhazia, Georgia, Russian Federation and UNHCR (1994)     48
United Republic of Tanzania, Republic of Rwanda and UNHCR (1995)     51
Republic of Angola and UNHCR (1995)     51
Republic of Liberia and UNHCR (1996)     52
Republic of Burundi, United Republic of Tanzania and UNHCR (2001)     52
The French Republic, the Islamic Transitional State of Afghanistan and UNHCR (2002)     53
United Kingdom of Great Britain and Northern Ireland, the Transitional Administration of the Transitional Islamic State of Afghanistan and UNHCR (2002)     54
The Islamic Transitional State of Afghanistan, the Government of the Netherlands and UNHCR (2003)     54
Republic of Zambia, Republic of Rwanda and UNHCR (2003)     55
Islamic Republic of Iran, the Islamic Transitional State of Afghanistan and UNHCR (2003)     55
Republic of Rwanda, Republic of Uganda and UNHCR (2003)     55
Republic of Burundi, Republic of Rwanda and UNHCR (2005)     56
Republic of Sudan, Democratic Republic of Congo and UNHCR (2006)     56
United Nations High Commissioner for Refugees (UNHCR)     56
EXCOM Conclusion No. 18 - Voluntary Repatriation (1980)     56
EXCOM Conclusion No. 40 - Voluntary Repatriation (1985)     57
EXCOM Conclusion No. 101 - Legal Safety Issues in the Context of Voluntary Repatriation of Refugees (2004)     58
UNHCR Inter-Office Memorandum No. 104/2001, UNHCR Field Office Memorandum No. 101/2001 - Voluntary Repatriation and the Right to Adequate Housing     61
Global Consultations on International Protection (2002)     71
UN Security Council     73
Resolution 237 - The Situation in the Middle East (1967)     73
Resolution 242 - Middle East (1967)     74
Resolution 361 - Cyprus (1974)     74
Resolution 674 - Kuwait (1990)     74
Resolution 687 - Kuwait (1991)     74
Resolution 752 - Yugoslavia (1992)     75
Resolution 787 - Bosnia and Herzegovina (1992)     76
Resolution 820 - Yugoslavia (1993)     76
Resolution 853 - Azerbaijan (1993)     76
Resolution 876 - Georgia (1993)     76
Resolution 947 - Croatia (1994)     76
Resolution 971 - Georgia/Abkhazia (1995)     76
Resolution 999 - Tajikistan (1995)     77
Resolution 1009 - Croatia (1995)     77
Resolution 1019 - Croatia (1995)     77
Resolution 1036 - Georgia/Abkhazia (1996)     77
Resolution 1079 - Croatia (1996)     78
Resolution 1088 - Bosnia and Herzegovina (1996)      78
Resolution 1120 - Croatia (1997)     78
Resolution 1145 - Croatia (1997)     79
Resolution 1199 - Kosovo (1998)     79
Resolution 1244 - Kosovo (1999)     80
Resolution 1287 - Abkhazia and the Republic of Georgia (2000)     80
Resolution 1339 - Georgia (2001)     81
Resolution 1357 - Bosnia and Herzegovina (2001)     81
Resolution 1364 - Georgia (2001)     81
Resolution 1393 - Georgia (2002)     82
Resolution 1427 - Georgia (2002)     82
Resolution 1462 - Georgia (2003)     82
Resolution 1491 - Bosnia and Herzegovina (2003)     83
Resolution 1494 - Georgia (2003)     83
Resolution 1524 - Georgia (2004)     84
Resolution 1545 - Burundi (2004)     84
Resolution 1551 - Bosnia and Herzegovina (2004)     85
Resolution 1556 - Sudan (2004)     85
Resolution 1575 - Bosnia and Herzegovina (2004)     85
Resolution 1582 - Georgia (2005)     85
Resolution 1615 - Georgia (2005)     86
UN General Assembly     87
Resolution 8 - Question of Refugees (1946)     87
Resolution 194 - United Nations Conciliation Commission for Palestine, Protection and a Durable Solution for Palestinian Refugees (1948)      87
Resolution 894 - Palestine: Progress Report of the United Nations Conciliation Commission for Palestine; Repatriation or Resettlement of Palestine Refugees and Payment of Compensation Due to Them (1950)     89
Resolution 428 - Statute of the Office of the United Nations High Commissioner for Refugees (1950)     89
Addendum to Definition of a "Refugee" under Paragraph 11 of the General Assembly Resolution (11 December 1948) (1951)     89
Resolution 1388-Report of the United-Nations High Commissioner for Refugees (1959)     91
Resolution 1390 - World Refugee Year (1959)     91
Resolution 1672 - Refugees from Algeria in Morocco and Tunisia (1961)     91
Resolution 3212 - Question of Cyprus (1974)     92
Resolution 3236 - Question of Palestine (1974)     92
Resolution 35/124 - International Cooperation to Avert New Flows of Refugees (1980)     92
Resolution 36/146 - United Nations Relief and Works Agency for Palestine Refugees in the Near East (1981)     92
Resolution 36/148 - International Co-Operation to Avert New Flows of Refugees (1981)     93
Resolution 37/120 - United Nations Relief and Works Agency for Palestine Refugees in the Near East (1982)     95
Resolution 40/165 - United Nations Relief and Works Agency for Palestine Refugees in the Near East (1985)     95
Resolution 48/117 - International Conference on Central American Refugees (1993)     96
Resolution 48/118 - Assistance to Refugees, Returnees and Displaced Persons in Africa (1993)     96
Resolution 48/152 - Situation of Human Rights in Afghanistan (1993)     97
Resolution 49/23 - Emergency International Assistance for a Solution to the Problem of Refugees, the Restoration of Total Peace, Reconstruction and Socio-Economic Development in War-Stricken Rwanda (1994)     98
Resolution 49/43 - The Situation in the Occupied Territories of Croatia (1994)     98
Resolution 49/196 - Situation of Human Rights in the Republic of Bosnia and Herzegovina, the Republic of Croatia and the Federal Republic of Yugoslavia (Serbia and Montenegro) (1995)     98
Resolution 50/182 - Human Rights and Mass Exoduses (1995)     99
Resolution 51/114 - Situation of Human Rights in Rwanda (1996)     99
Resolution 51/126 - Persons Displaced as a Result of the June 1967 and Subsequent Hostilities (1996)     99
Resolution 55/153 - Nationality of Natural Persons in Relation to the Succession of States (2000)     100
Resolution 59/117 - Assistance to Palestine Refugees (2004)     100
Resolution 59/170 - Office of the United Nations High Commissioner for Refugees (2004)     100
Resolution 59/172 - Assistance to Refugees, Returnees and Displaced Persons in Africa (2004)     101
Resolution - 60/100 - Assistance to Palestinian Refugees (2005)     101
Resolution 60/101 - Persons Displaced as a Result of the June 1967 and Subsequent Hostilities (2005)     102
Resolution 60/103 - Palestine Refugees' Properties and Their Revenues (2005)     102
Resolution 60/147 - Basic Principles and Guidelines on the Right to a Remedy and Reparation for Victims of Gross Violations of International Human Rights Law and Serious Violations of International Humanitarian Law (2005)     103
Resolution 60/183 - Permanent Sovereignty of the Palestinian People in the Occupied Palestinian Territory, Including East Jerusalem, and of the Arab Population in the Occupied Syrian Golan over Their Natural Resources (2005)     104
UN Commission on Human Rights     105
Resolution 1993/77 - Forced Evictions (1993)     105
Resolution 1997/29 - The Right to Restitution, Compensation and Rehabilitation for Victims of Grave Violations of Human Rights and Fundamental Freedoms (1997)     107
The Guiding Principles on Internal Displacement (1998)     107
Resolution 1999/33 - The Right to Restitution, Compensation and Rehabilitation for Victims of Grave Violations of Human Rights and Fundamental Freedoms (1999)     108
Report of the Independent Expert on the Right to Restitution, Compensation and Rehabilitation for Victims of Grave Violations of Human Rights and Fundamental Freedoms, Mr. M. Cherif Bassiouni, Submitted Pursuant to Commission on Human Rights Resolution 1998/43 (1999) (Excerpts)     109
Resolution 2000/62 - Basic Principles and Guidelines on the Right to a Remedy and Reparation for Victims of Violations of International Human Rights and Humanitarian Law (2000)     112
Resolution 2003/34 - The Right to Restitution, Compensation and Rehabilitation for Victims of Grave Violations of Human Rights and Fundamental Freedoms (2003)     113
Resolution 2004/28 - Prohibition of Forced Evictions (2004)     114
Resolution 2004/34 - The Right to Restitution, Compensation and Rehabilitation for Victims of Grave Violations of Human Rights and Fundamental Freedoms (2004)     115
Resolution 2004/55 - Internally Displaced Persons (2004)     116
Resolution 2005/46 - Internally Displaced Persons (2005)     117
UN Sub-Commission on the Protection and Promotion of Human Rights     117
Study Concerning the Right to Restitution, Compensation and Rehabilitation for Victims of Gross Violations of Human Rights and Fundamental Freedoms - Final Report Submitted by Mr. Theo van Boven, Special Rapporteur (1993) (Excerpts)     117
Resolution 1994/24 - The Right to Freedom of Movement (1994)     119
Resolution 1995/13 - The Right to Freedom of Movement (1995)     120
Resolution 1997/31 - The Right to Return (1997)     120
Resolution 1998/9 - Forced Evictions (1998)     120
Resolution 1998/26 - Housing and Property Restitution in the Context of the Return of Refugees and Internally Displaced Persons (1998)     122
The Return of Refugees' or Displaced Persons' Property - Working Paper Submitted by Mr. Paulo Sergio Pinheiro (2002)     123
Resolution 2002/7 - Housing and Property Restitution in the Context of Refugees and Other Displaced Persons (2002)     132
Resolution 2002/30 - The Right to Return of Refugees and Internally Displaced Persons (2002)     133
Housing and Property Restitution in the Context of the Return of Refugees and Internally Displaced Persons - Preliminary Report of the Special Rapporteur, Paulo Sergio Pinheiro (2003)     135
Housing and Property Restitution in the Context of the Return of Refugees and Internally Displaced Persons - Progress Report of the Special Rapporteur, Paulo Sergio Pinheiro (2004)     147
Resolution 2004/2 - Housing and Property Restitution (2004)     157
Housing and Property Restitution in the Context of the Return of Refugees and Internally Displaced Persons - Final Report of the Special Rapporteur, Paulo Sergio Pinheiro (2005)     158
Resolution 2005/21 - Housing and Property Restitution for Refugees and Displaced Persons (2005)     160
UN Human Rights Treaty Bodies     160
Committee on Economic, Social and Cultural Rights     160
General Comment 4 - The Right to Adequate Housing (1991)     160
General Comment 7 - Forced Evictions and the Right to Adequate Housing (1997)     164
Committee on the Elimination of Racial Discrimination     168
General Recommendation 22 - Article 5 and Refugees and Displaced Persons (1996)     168
General Recommendation 23 - Rights of Indigenous Peoples (1997)     168
Human Rights Committee     169
General Comment 16 - The Right to Respect of Privacy, Family, Home and Correspondence, and Protection of Honour and Reputation (Art. 17)(1988)     169
General Comment 27 - Freedom of Movement (1999)     171
Additional Standards     174
The Cairo Declaration of Principles of International Law on Compensation to Refugees (1993)     174
The Practice of Forced Evictions: Comprehensive Human Rights Guidelines on Development-Based Displacement (1997)     176
Housing and Property Restitution Standards - Regional     181
Africa     181
OAU Convention Governing the Specific Aspects of Refugee Problems in Africa (1974)     181
Americas     181
American Convention on Human Rights (1969)     181
Cartagena Declaration on Refugees (1984)     182
Europe     182
European Convention for the Protection of Human Rights and Fundamental Freedoms (1950)     182
Middle East     183
The Cairo Declaration on Human Rights in Islam (1990)     183
Declaration on the Protection of Refugees and Displaced Persons in the Arab World (1992)     184
Arab Charter on Human Rights (1994)     186
Housing and Property Restitution Laws and Standards - National     187
Afghanistan     187
Decree on Dignified Return of Refugees (2001)     187
Decree 89 of the Head of the Transitional Islamic State of Afghanistan, Regarding the Creation of a Special Property Disputes Resolution Court (2003)     188
Albania     189
Law No. 9235 on Restitution and Compensation of Property (2004)     189
Armenia     197
On the Legal and Socio-economic Guarantees for the Persons Who Had Been Forcibly Displaced from the Republic of Azerbaijan in 1988-1992 and Have Acquired the Citizenship of the Republic of Armenia (2000)     197
Azerbaijan     197
Law on the Social Protection of Internally Displaced Persons and Persons with Equal Status (1999)     197
Bosnia-Herzegovina     198
Law on the Cessation of Application of the Law on the Use of Abandoned Property (Republika Srpska) (1996)     198
PIC Sintra Declaration (1997)     204
Office of the High Commissioner, Federation Forum, Chairman's Conclusions (1997)     205
Law on Implementation of the Decisions of the Commission for Real Property Claims of Displaced Persons and Refugees (Republika Srpska) (1999)     206
Law on Implementation of the Decisions of the Commission for Real Property Claims of Displaced Persons and Refugees (Federation BiH) (1999)     209
Property Law Implementation Plan (PLIP) Inter-Agency Framework Document (2000)     212
A New Strategic Direction: Proposed Ways Ahead for Property Law Implementation in a Time of Decreasing IC [International Community] Resources (2002)     222
PLIP Municipal Guidelines for Substantial Completion of Property Law Implementation (2003)     229
Law on the Cessation of the Application of the Law on Temporary Abandoned Real Property Owned by Citizens (Federation BiH) (2003)     230
Law on the Cessation of the Application of the Law on Abandoned Apartments (Federation BiH) (2003)     237
Law on the Cessation of Application of the Law on the Use of Abandoned Property (Republika Srpska) (2003)     247
Law on Implementation of the Decisions of the Commission for Real Property Claims of Displaced Persons and Refugees (Federation of BiH) (2003)     263
Law on Implementation of the Decisions of the Commission for Real Property Claims of Displaced Persons and Refugees (Republika Srpska) (2003)     266
Commission for Real Property Claims of Displaced Persons and Refugees - Book of Regulations on Confirmation of Occupancy Rights of Displaced Persons and Refugees (2003)     269
Commission for Real Property Claims of Displaced Persons and Refugees - Book of Regulations on the Conditions and Decision Making Procedure for Claims for Return of Real Property of Displaced Persons and Refugees (2003)     277
Bulgaria     288
Restitution of Nationalised Real Property Act (1992)     288
Decree No. 60 on Applying Article 1, Paragraph 2 of the Restitution of Nationalised Real Property Act (1992)     290
Colombia     291
Decree No. 2007 (2001)     291
Estonia     294
Republic of Estonia Principles of Ownership Reform Act (1991)     294
Georgia     306
Law of the Republic of Georgia Concerning Internally Displaced People (1996)     306
Law of Georgia on Property Restitution and Compensation on the Territory of Georgia for the Victims of Conflict in Former South Ossetia District (2006, Draft)     306
Germany     317
Joint Declaration by the Governments of the Federal Republic of Germany and the German Democratic Republic on the Settlement of Unresolved Property Issues (1990)     317
Iraq     318
Coalition Provisional Authority Order Number 6 - Eviction of Persons Illegally Occupying Public Buildings (2003)     318
Coalition Provisional Authority Regulation Number 4 - Establishment of the Iraqi Property Reconciliation Facility (2004)     319
Coalition Provisional Authority Regulation Number 12 - Iraqi Property Claims Commission (2004)     320
Statute of the Commission for the Resolution of Real Property Disputes (2006)     334
Kosovo     340
UNMIK Regulation 1999/10 on the Repeal of Discriminatory Legislation Affecting Housing and Rights in Property (1999)     340
UNMIK Regulation 1999/23 on the Establishment of the Housing and Property Directorate and the Housing and Property Claims Commission (1999)     341
UNMIK Regulation 2000/60 on Residential Property Claims and the Rules of Procedure and Evidence of the Housing and Property Directorate and the Housing and Property Claims Commission (2000)     342
Romania     353
Law No. 112 Regulating the Legal Status of Certain Residential Property (1995)     353
Rwanda     354
Ministerial Order No. 01 - Regarding the Temporary Management of Land Property (1996)     354
South Africa     355
Restitution of Land Rights Act 22 (1994)     355
South Africa Constitution (1996)     356
Tajikistan     357
The Law of the Republic of Tajikistan on Forced Migrants (1994)     357
Resolution No. 542 - Additional Measures Facilitating the Return of Refugees-Citizens of the Republic of Tajikistan and Forced Migrants to the Places of Permanent Residence and Their Social and Legal Protection (1995)      358
Housing and Property Restitution Case Law     359
Permanent International Court of Justice     359
The Factory at Chorzow (Indemnity) Case (1928)     359
International Court of Justice     361
Advisory Opinion on the Legal Consequences of the Construction of a Wall in the Occupied Palestinian Territory (2004)     361
Human Rights Committee     362
Simunek, Hastings, Tuzilova and Prochazka v. The Czech Republic (1995)     362
Dr. Karel Des Fours Walderode v. The Czech Republic (1996)     369
Josef Frank Adam v. The Czech Republic (1996)     373
Ms. Eliska Fabryova v. The Czech Republic (1997)     378
Robert Brok v. The Czech Republic (2001)     380
Miroslav Blazek, George A. Hartman and George Krizek v. The Czech Republic (2001)     384
European Court of Human Rights     388
Sporrong and Lonnroth v. Sweden (1982)     388
Lithgow and Others v. United Kingdom (1986)     394
Papamichalopoulos and Others v. Greece (1993)     407
Loizidou v. Turkey (1996) and Damages (1998)     412
Zubani v. Italy (1996)     423
Akdivar and Others v. Turkey (1996) and Damages (1998)     427
Guillemin v. France (1997)     434
Brumarescu v. Romania (1999)     437
Bilgin v. Turkey (2000)     441
Zwierzynski v. Poland (2001)     443
Cyprus v. Turkey (2001)     448
Dulas v. Turkey (2001)     458
Orhan v. Turkey (2002)     461
Zvolsky and Zvolska v. The Czech Republic (2003)     461
Jasiuniene v. Lithuania (2003)     466
Pincova and Pinc v. The Czech Republic (2003)     469
Wittek v. Germany (2003)     477
Jantner v. Slovakia (2003)     483
Valova, Slezak and Slezak v. Slovakia (2004)     486
Broniowski v. Poland (2004)     489
Dogan and Others v. Turkey (2004)     508
Strain and Others v. Romania (2005)     518
Xenides-Arestis v. Turkey (2006)     524
Blecic v. Croatia (2006)     529
Useful Resources on Housing and Property Restitution     537
General Resources     537
Country/Regional Resources     539
Useful Web Sites     545
Index     547