Values of customary law on land and land dispute resolution in the Central Highlands of Vietnam

Abstract

During the recent years, land conflicts have been going on with elevating complexity in the Central Highlands of Vietnam, in which many concern local ethnic minorities, the second largest population group in this region. The paper provides a perspective on the customary law of ethnic groups of the Central Highlands which regulate land relationships as well as traditional land dispute resolution mechanisms and draws some useful lessons to efffectively resolve land disputes involving ethnic people in the Central Highlands at present. Those useful lessons include: appreciation of the spirit of mediation between disputing parties; respect for reputation of the mediator; respect for reasoning and evidence during the course of dispute resolution; and the objectivity, honesity, transparency and publicity of the dipute resolution mechanisms.