International Journal of the Commons Vol. 9, no 2 September 2015, pp. 619–647 Publisher: Uopen Journals URL:http://www.thecommonsjournal.org URN:NBN:NL:UI:10-1-117248 Copyright: content is licensed under a Creative Commons Attribution 3.0 License ISSN: 1875-0281 Land access and livelihoods in post-conflict Timor-Leste: no magic bullets Simon P.J. Batterbury School of Geography, University of Melbourne, Australia and Vrije Universiteit Brussel, Belgium
[email protected] Lisa R. Palmer School of Geography, University of Melbourne, Australia
[email protected] Thomas R. Reuter Asia Institute, University of Melbourne, Australia
[email protected] Demetrio do Amaral de Carvalho Universidade da Paz and Haburas Foundation, Timor-Leste
[email protected] Balthasar Kehi School of Geography, University of Melbourne, Australia
[email protected] Alex Cullen School of Geography, University of Melbourne, Australia
[email protected] Abstract: In Timor-Leste, customary institutions contribute to sustainable and equitable rural development and the establishment of improved access to and management of land, water and other natural resources. Drawing on multi-sited empirical research, we argue that the recognition and valorization of custom and common property management is a prerequisite for sustainable and equitable 620 Simon P.J. Batterbury et al. land tenure reform in Timor-Leste. In a four-community study of the relationship between land access and the practice of rural livelihoods in eastern and western districts of Timor-Leste, where customary management systems are dominant, we found different types of traditional dispute resolution, with deep roots in traditional forms of land management and with varying levels of conflict.