Mediation under Mango Trees: Local Attempts at Settling Land Disputes Arising from Mining and Plantation Projects among the Wampar of Papua New Guinea

With the advent of mining and plantation projects, and the prospect of earning significant rents from the control over land, disputes over boundaries and ownership of land in the villages of Dzifasing and Tararan in the Markham Valley of Papua New Guinea have increased almost exponentially. With state courts unable to handle this increased caseload efficiently, local authorities and village leaders have started to hold mediation meetings to settle at least some of the conflicts peacefully. In this presentation, I will delve into the historical development of property rights among the Wampar, explain why land disputes are so prevalent, give an account of these mediation meetings, and assess the possibilities and limits of finding workable solutions to land disputes on a local level in Papua New Guinea.