The rationale of land tension between Refugee Host Community: a case of South Sudanese refugees in Palabek Settlement Camp, Lamwo District in Northern Uganda

Land is considered a central asset and a major source of livelihood among the rural commu-nity. As the population increases, there is too much pressure exerted on land and other nat-ural resources. Also, the form of land tenure sometimes can generate tension among the inhabitant. With over 41, 000 people seeking refuge as refugees at Palabek settlement camp in Lamwo district, Northern Uganda as a result of civil war in South Sudan, disputes are bound to happen which is understandable in instances where there is a huge influx of new people. The situation usually worsens as most refugees opt for community hosting compared to living in the camps. This implies that they would need land for settlement, farming, fire-wood and other sources of livelihood. Tension usually creep in as both refugees and the host begin to struggle for the limited resources straining their relationship and affecting their sur-vival strategies. This paper focuses on how the unclear government refugee land policy has brought disgruntlement among land owners which is steadily escalating into a bigger dispute between refugees and the members of the local community in Palabek settlement camp, straining the relationship between the two and other impact arising as a result of the integra-tion.