Prime
Leaders condemn forceful eviction
Hopeless. Some of stranded evictees in Apaa Village wait for help last Friday. PHOTO BY JULIUS OCUNGI
What you need to know:
- In his remarks, Rwot Acana II said for long the people of Apaa have suffered oppression from government agents without a proper solution to their problems.
Leaders in Acholi Sub-region have condemned the manner in which government is forcefully evicting locals from the disputed Apaa land claimed by both Amuru and Adjumani districts. This follows the ongoing eviction being carried out by Uganda Wildlife Authority (UWA) rangers backed by the Uganda People’s Defence Forces (UPDF) soldiers.
The authority says more than 15,000 locals have illegally settled on the protected East Madi Wildlife Game Reserve.
At least one person was shot dead, more than 600 huts torched and hundreds have been left homeless within areas of Gaji, Pwunu Dyang and Acholi Ber villages since March when government forces started pushing out locals from the area.
Gross violations
During a Joint Acholi Leaders meeting at the Acholi Cultural Institution palace in Gulu Town on Sunday, the leaders described the ongoing eviction as a gross violation of rights of the people settled on the land.
The meeting convened by Acholi Paramount Chief David Onen Acana II and attended by civil society actors, politicians, religious and traditional leaders, was aimed at finding a lasting solution to the plight of Acholi people settled in Apaa.
In his remarks, Rwot Acana II said for long the people of Apaa have suffered oppression from government agents without a proper solution to their problems.
“There is pain, death, hopelessness and intimidation on our people in Apaa yet we cannot help them out. We have had several attempts with various stakeholders and the government but this has not yielded any fruits,” Rwot Acana said.
He urged the government to stop forthwith what he described as “the inhuman attacks by the state security agents” and called for the immediate withdrawal of UPDF, police, and game rangers from Apaa land.
He asked President Museveni to give assurances of the government’s commitment to resolve the Apaa land impasse by peacefully taking into consideration the rights of these people.
The Gulu Archdiocese Bishop, Rt Rev John Baptist Odama, noted that several people are currently sleeping out of their homes for fear of the ongoing forceful eviction while many have lost their properties.
“All we want the government to do is find a lasting solution to the impasse in Apaa land; several other interventions have been sought but failed,” Archbishop Odama said.
In a joint communication, the leaders listed down several demands to the government including, among others, compensation of people affected by the forceful eviction.
