An Ethical Legal Framework Towards Good Governance: A community-based Hima Appraoch

1. International Workshop: Towards an Implementation Strategy for the “HIMA” Governance System: Theories, Concepts, Methodologies, Case Studies and Action Plans An Ethical Legal Framework Towards Good Governance: A community-based HimaAppraoch MukhtarHashemi Associate Researcher, Newcastle Institute for Research on Sustainability, NIReS, Newcastle University, UK; 3-5 Dec 2012 Kuwait Institute for Scientific Research (KISR) State of Kuwait

2. Major problems in WANA: • Disunity • social unrest,social disintegration, • segregation and • uprooted people

3. Depletion of natural resources & Environmental destruction • destruction or depletion of the natural resources by concentrating on economic developments and leaving cultural, ethical and institutional aspects behind.

4. (الامام الشافعی): ترجو النجاة ولم تسلك مسالكها إن السفينة لا تجري على اليبس Imam Shaf’ei: You wishfully seek salvation and did not follow its paths Truly, the Ship can not navigate on the dry-land Plate1: Environmental catastrophe of Aral Sea, Middle Asia. (Image: Willaim C Tumley)

5. Regional disparity: wealth (Water, land, mineral and natural resources) Challenge: can we have a WANA-wide regional governance system? Supranational governance system? How to bridge the gap between tradition and modern day governance of land and water resources?

7. Dealing with factors of disparity Approach: inner-self assessment for better quality of mind and life ان الله لا یغیر ما بقوم حتی یغیرواما بانفسهم Methedology: Deal with factors of disunity and disparity

8. Rule of Law Index 2012 • 9 dimensions WJF (2012)

9. WANA

10. ( Source: WJF, 2012)

11. UAE ( Source: WJF, 2012)

12. Rule of Law, Lebonan ( Source: WJF, 2012)

13. Lebanon ( Source: WJF, 2012)

14. Importance of Informal rules

15. Value-laden Approach Aim of the Presentation

16. Mecca Madina Riyadh Vast human resources Natural resources Rich heritage Tehran Amman Cairo Damascus

17. Integrating holons within Complex Social-Ecological systems is a challenge

18. Integration: 7-Dimensional (Morrison et al 2004)

19. Hima Global Initiative Planning Cycle Initiation/ UNU/NIReS/ WANA Forum/ KISR Geo-database WANA-Wide Vision: social charter/ HIMA Principles / Situation Analysis Kuwait KISR Workshop Re-assessment/ monitoring Work Plan Multitier Supranational Institutions Implementation national organizations Choice of Strategy Integrated management Plan

20. Ethical legal framework Based on predominantly Islamic ethics Islam incorporated Persian, Roman and other legal codes i.e. Islam maintaining laws and customs of those nations

21. Empirical evidence • that community based approach to natural resources management has been effective in deal with common pool resources such as water and forests • e.g. Ostrom (2005) make a summary of tens of case studies that self-organising nested enterprises have been able to monitor resource use

22. presumption • cultural and ethical values together with respect for informal institutions can bring about change in attitudes and cultures

23. Main assumptions: • Stopping over-exploitation of natural resources cannot be achieved without the involvement of local communities and consideration for their cultural and belief systems; • There is an explicit relationship and strong inter-linkage between land and water management

24. Assumptions contines • Traditional practices, knowledge systems and institutions can offer a platform to establish a community based natural resources management (Hima) • Value-laden ethics including Islamic ethics can provide a coherent set of principles for community-based natural resources governance in the WANA region.

25. Main consideration for the legal framework In governance terms, Hima have the following characteristics: • Legitimate authority for monitoring environmental and socio-economic aspects • Common property with no exclusive rights to any one group

26. Hima in governance terms….. • Shared responsibility among the Hima community- i.e. it is CBNR system • Restriction of resource use if needed • Can be used as a conservation zone

27. Components of the legal Framework

28. Main questions • What are the main legal issues? • How to foster environmental ethics in legal terms based on community ethics? • What provisions for right to resource use in Hima zones? • What provisions for Land and water ownership in Hima zones?

29. Questions • What provisions for environmental protections in Hima zones? • What provisions for Hima zone management? • What provisions for socio-economic aspects? • What provisions for conflict resolution ?

30. Methodological approach

31. A- Historical analysis • To show how land and water governance system developed in the region

32. B- To show the relevance of the Hima concept to contemporary CBNR systems • zooming into the evolution of the Hima concept and its chances for revival

33. C- Maqasidmodel • as basis for ethical principles of Himagovernance • provide a vision and a strategic framework for Hima governance

34. D- Islamic legal theory (اصول الفقه) • as a mechanism for policy/law-making appraisal

35. Maqasid Model invigorating the Human self enrichment of faith enrichment of wealth Intellect /reason human development And Wellbeing Islamic Legal Theory enrichment of intellect/ reason safeguarding posterity sustainability science Revelation/ religion Experiences culture economic efficiency environmental sustainability Integrated Hima management plan good governance equity/ justice CBNRM Framework DPSIR Analytical Framework Drivers Pressures State/impact Responses

36. Results of historical analysis

37. Land and Water development strategies during 661-930 • Leasing state lands with free holdings on water courses to generate revenue for the treasury • Private ownership of lands through Ihyaul-amowat , revival of dead land, policy • Hima land use system for sustainable resource use

38. historical analysis • Haram sanctuaries for groundwater protection • Promotion of agriculture through land grants or Iqta’ (un-claimed land). • Provide loans for land regeneration and cultivation • Taxation system based on fertility of land, types of crops and irrigation system; e.g. 10% tax on irrigated lands from canals

39. historical analysis • Tax relief or ‘zero tax’ for ‘infertile’ lands, flooded or drought conditions. • Dams and water locks to be built by the state: tax for dam building projects are allowed if necessary. • Welfare tax is allowed to carry out social programmes according the economic climate. • Central treasury to pay for building canals and waterways • Central treasury to pay for embankments of rivers to avoid flooding

40. Considering the Maqasid model

41. Maqasid model as Human development model based on social and economic justice and environmental integrity: • Optimal utilisation of the resources based on thankfulness ‘shukr’, i.e. no excessive use. • Equitable use and distribution based on Justice ‘adl’. • Environmental integrity based on condemning disvalues of ‘kufr’ (denial or rejection of God’s blessings) and ‘zulm’ (aggression, harm, abuse) • Zulm is a set of acts that brings injustice and can vary within different contexts

42. Islamic Ethics for environmental sustainability • God as sustainer; Any damage to the Environment considered as going against God’s wil • Humans are trustee with responsibility • Humans are stewards and accountable • Holism of nature: All creatures (animal and plant species) are Nations like humans (possesses intrinsic value and rights for others in the ecosystem.

43. Islamic environmental ethics • Ecosystem equilibrium: “Creation is a balance and measured way” • No harm and Fassad principles • No excessive use • Hima(protected)zones for sustainable natural resource use and conservation

44. Islamic environmental ethics • Haram(boundary) and environmental protection • Wild and planted trees and vegetation need to be conserved should be protected from deliberate fire or cuts (pro-afforestatio) • Respect for rule of law: the principle of Maintenance of Order ‘hefz-e-al-nizam’

45. The Context and Challenges

46. Islamic legal theory main Legal maxims

47. Action situation • Acts are judged by its goal and objectives (i.e.Maqasid) • Original Allowance Rule: the foundation of all things is allowance ("الاصل فی الاشیاء الاباحه) • Certainty is not overruled by doubt (الیقین لا یزول بالشک) • Custom is the basis of judgment (العاده محکمه) • Necessities should not be exaggerated (i.e. limited by a proportion) (الضرورات تتقدر بقدرها) • Necessities permits prohibitions (الضرورات تبیح المحظورات) • other maxims: (اذا زال المانع عادالممنوع), (ما لا یدرک کله یترک کله)

48. Public interest or Masalaha • Masalaha : entrustment of governance power over the citizens to the Head of the State (Imam) is dependent on serving public interest • التصرف علی الرعیة منوط بالمصلحة

49. Repulsion of Harm • Harm must be eliminated (الضرر یزال) • Repulsion of harm(spoil, corruption, damage) takes precedence over the acquisition of benefit (درء المفاسد اولی من جلب المصالح) • A harm cannot be eliminated by conflicting another harm (الضرر لایزال بالضرر او لمثله ) • A greater harm can be avoided by accepting a smaller harm (الضرر الأشد یزال بالضرر الأخف) • Choosing the worst of two evils to avoid their full potentials (یتحمل الضرر الخاص لدفع الضرر العام)

50. Removal of difficulty • Hardship brings facilitation i.e. elimination of hardship brings satisfaction and wellbeing (المشقة تجلب التیسیر) • Discomfiture is lawfully removed (الحرج شرعا مرفوع) • آیه 78 سوره جمعه : • "و ما جعل عليکم في الدين من حرج