Human Rights Watch was able to sit in on several hearings at the land committee overseen by the Duékoué sub-prefect. In general, Human Rights Watch found those on the committee to hold strong convictions about the importance of resolving land conflicts. They spend much of their personal time dealing with these complaints. But the Guiglo activist’s concerns were borne out in what Human Rights Watch witnessed. In one case— not related to the Ivorian crisis—a party left in frustration after the committee ruled that the land should be shared, even while acknowledging that the other party had no valid legal claim.243 During deliberations, a member of the committee said, “This is what the law would tell us to do, but … let’s find a solution from our customs.”244 In another case deliberated before Human Rights Watch, the committee had ruled previously, but the parties were back because one refused to accept the committee’s ruling to divide the land—claiming that the entire parcel was rightfully his.245 The committee members put strong pressure on him to accept their decision, with one concluding the discussion by saying, “There is no miracle solution, there is the division of the parcel.”246 The man continued to protest, saying that the way the land was currently constituted, “the division [of the parcel] would create disorder.”247 The morning of deliberations that Human Rights Watch witnessed appeared to represent a broader problem. A UNOCI representative in Duékoué, who has monitored other cases before the sub-prefect’s land committee, voiced concern about the implementation of the committee’s decisions: “The committee tries to come to a consensual decision. A problem I see is that, when it’s before the committee, the situation looks resolved. But when the case goes back to the community, the conflict often restarts. I’ve seen a number of cases come back to the committee.”248 In both cases witnessed by Human Rights Watch, the land committee appeared to act in good faith in trying to find a solution. Land disputes in western Côte d’Ivoire are often complicated, and the division of land or the sharing of profits may indeed satisfy both parties in many instances. As one sub-prefect told Human Rights Watch, it is difficult to 243 Human Rights Watch observations of case #1 before the Duékoué land committee, Duékoué, February 8, 2013. 244 Ibid. 245 Human Rights Watch observations of case #2 before the Duékoué land committee, Duékoué, February 8, 2013. 246 Ibid. 247 Ibid. 248 Human Rights Watch interview with UNOCI representative, Duékoué, February 4, 2013. 81 HUMAN RIGHTS WATCH | OCTOBER 2013