L’accaparement des terres par des élites en territoire de Kalehe, DRC

This chapter analyses land conflicts and cases of land grabbing in Kalehe (Eastern DRC), a context in which competition for land is rooted in an atmosphere of violence and ethnic cleavages. By using three case-studies, we illustrate how, in a context of plurality of norms and rules in the land arena, the rights of the ‘strongest’ often prevail. Success or failure in acquiring land rights depends upon actors’ capacity to efficiently instrumentalise the legitimacy of the Congolese army, of official state agents, and/or of local customary authorities. In its conclusion, the chapter puts into perspective the dominant conception of land grabbing, currently highly debated on the international agenda, by analysing how land conflicts are anchored in a broader context of political competition.