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04 Aug 10
The Melanesian Indigenous Land Defence Alliance (MILDA) issued the Mele Declaration today at a press conference held to coincide with the Pacific Islands Forum Leaders’ meeting in Port Vila, Vanuatu. The declaration calls for the defence of customary land in Melanesia, and a recognition of its social, cultural and economic value to Melanesian people and communities.
MILDA called upon the Forum leaders, and particularly the leaders of the Melanesian states, to reject all policies which require that customary land be registered as a precondition for business or development activities, and to cease all pressures for customary land registration, whether voluntary or involuntary.
Click here to view the Mele Declaration
Click here to view the press release
Click here for article, Vanuatu: Chiefs call on Forum leaders to protect custom land by Nic Maclellan, Islands Business, 5 August 2010
Click here for article, Mele Declaration opposes sale and leasehold inconsistent with custom, Vanuatu Daily Post, 10 August 2010
Click here for more MILDA-related information on AID/WATCH's site
