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WITNESS RADIO MILESTONES

Indigenous communities lost over 9 square miles; coerced to accommodate refugees

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By Witnessradio.org Team

As the entire world praises Uganda for having the best refugee settlement model, in the process a lot of violations and forceful land acquisition goes on unreported. Over 35000 indigenous families in Rwentuha sub county, Kyegegwa district have been forced by Ugandan government to accept losing more than 50% of their land in order to accommodate refugees. Kyegegwa district is found in the South Western region of Uganda and its one of the districts that have been curved out Fort portal district.

Rwentuha Sub County is estimated to be sitting on over 15 square miles with majority families surviving on farming. The Witnessradio.org investigations reveal that two out of three parishes that make Rwentuha namely Rutaraka and Ngangi have been designated for refugees, leaving the indigenous land owners struggling to find food to feed their families and to generate enough money to meet daily basic needs including sending their children to school.

Affected villages include; Kijanamiganda Lc1, Rushaumbe LC1, Kashasha LC1, Buhembe LC1, Karubajimba LC1, Kabaraba LC1, Sooba Lc1, Ngangi LC1, Rutaraka LC 1 A and B, Rwentuha LC1, Rusorora LC 1, Kisororola LC1 , Akasomoro LC1, Kazinga A LC1, Kazinga B LC 1, Kazinga Central LC1, Ekyeliso LC1, Kabuvuma LC1, Kanyinteka LC1  and Kitemba LC 1

Government’s exercise of securing land for refugees lasted for six months and was manned by the Office of the Prime Minister with support from security agencies including the army and police. According to sources, the exercise sidelined all elected leaders at the district.

Well as the indigenous opposed the exercise, the police and army are being accused of using excessive force where a number of community members were arrested and detained and later released after part of their land had been forcefully taken.

Yorakimu Tulyahabwe, 57, told witnessradio.org that about 20 police officers led by the DPC for Kyegegwa district Mr Tubanone Jorum invaded Kazinga trading centre, begun beating up people, a police officer flogged him several times on the head, hands and at the back that he was seriously hurt later on forcefully dragged to police patrol car before being admitted at Kyegegwa health centre IV. “It’s a pity that we were being beaten to this extent because of fighting for our own land, we are also Ugandans that need protection but its seemed government is more interested in refugees” Said Tulyahabwe

A one Sarah Tukamuhebwa explained that; before her land was taken, they had several developments on their land like huge banana plantations, coffee plantations, cattle farms and used them as collateral to obtain money from various banks that they used to pay off school fees for their children but they were left with nothing but with a burden to pay off the pending loans.

Officials at the Office of the Prime Minister told the Witnessradio.org that the land in question is part of Kyaka One (1) refugee settlement. However, the indigenous communities possess land ownership documentations.

Since February 2017, more than 8000 refugees have been settled on the land competing for the existing little clean water with the indigenous communities. Other basic needs being struggled for include; no medicine in health facilities and limited school space among others.

According to Nimpamya Daniel Muhango, the vice chairman, Kyegegwa district, natives have faced government’s mistreatment at the expense of refugees. “How do you expect refugees and locals to live in harmony when those who are supposed to look after the refugees on arrival are subjected to different forms of mistreatment” wondered Nimpamya.

He added that even after locals lost their land, there’s no plan for compensation or expecting direct support from government after losing their source of livelihood.

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WITNESS RADIO MILESTONES

Uganda: Land-grab victim communities will join counterparts in commemorating the 2024 International Day of Struggle Against Industrial Plantations.

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By Witness Radio team.

On September 21, 2024, land-grabs communities under their group, the Informal Alliance for communities affected by irresponsible land-based investments in Uganda for the first will join fellow victims in commemorating the International Day of Struggle Against Industrial Plantations, highlighting the growing threat posed by large-scale monoculture plantations.

These industrial plantations have led to the forced eviction of millions of people across Uganda, displacing indigenous communities and stripping them of their land rights and livelihoods. Driven by multinational companies and government-backed investors, with the support of government and private security entities, these evictions prioritize profits over people.

Among the many Ugandan communities still suffering the devastating impact of monoculture plantations are over 30,000 people who were violently displaced from the Namwasa and Luwunga forest reserves between 2006 and 2010 to make way for the New Forests Company’s pine and eucalyptus plantations. In addition, thousands of local and indigenous communities were illegally evicted to make way for palm oil plantations in Kalangala district. Nearly 4,000 people had their land grabbed by the Formosa tree planting company in the Mubende district, and over 35,000 were displaced in Kiryandongo to make way for industrial agriculture to grow maize, soybean, and sugarcane plantations, among others. These and other affected communities united and formed the Informal Alliance for Victims affected by irresponsible land-based investments to defend their rights in early 2019.

The International Day of Struggle Against Industrial Plantations was first celebrated on September 21, 2004, during a community network meeting fighting against industrial tree plantations in Brazil. Since then, it has become a day when organizations, communities, and movements worldwide come together to celebrate resistance and raise their voices, demanding an end to the relentless expansion of industrial tree plantations.

In Uganda, on Saturday, September 21, the 2024 commemoration will start with a radio program in a local dilect (Luganda) purposely to highlight weird experiences faced by communities displaced by large-scale monoculture plantations, struggles for justice, and holding companies and financiers accountable. A one-hour radio program starting at 10 a.m. EAT will feature leaders of the loose alliance. Listen to the radio program on Witness Radio platforms on the website www.witnessradio.org or download the Witness Radio App on playstore.

Later, land-grab victims in Uganda will join their colleagues from Africa and other countries around the globe in a webinar meeting aimed at fostering organizations’ and rural communities’ connection across member countries and communities to build confidence, share experiences, strengthen our campaign to reignite hopes and forge a bond of understanding between the Informal Alliance and victim communities shattered by destructive plantations as well as deterring future plantations expansion.

The Webinar will start at 3PM EAT and will be aired live on Witness Radio platforms on the website www.witnessradio.org or download the Witness Radio App on playstore.

Please note: Both the radio show and Webinar will be live on Witness Radio on www.witnessradio.org or download the witness radio app on playstore to listen live.

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WITNESS RADIO MILESTONES

Uganda: CSOs claim Agilis Partners forcibly evicting local communities to pave way for agribusiness; company did not respond

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Witness Radio and its partners have alleged that thousands of people from local and Indigenous communities have been forcefully evicted from their land to make way for Agilis Partners Limited’s large-scale farming operations, in violation of international human rights law.

They have raised concerns about severe human rights abuses including forced evictions and lack of prompt, fair, and adequate compensation; violations of Indigenous peoples’ right to free, prior, and informed consent; abduction, arrest, torture, and judicial harassment of human rights defenders, and alleged sexual violence against women and girls, as well as other negative social and environmental impacts.

Witness Radio and its partners representing PAPs have written to Agilis Partners on several occasions seeking a dialogue between the company and people who have been harmed however, the company has not responded to their communications.

In a letter to Agilis Partners in June 2024, 36 civil society organizations called on Agilis Partners and its financial backers to take immediate action to stop the human rights abuses and harassment committed against community members, engage in dialogue with the communities, and restore the lands to the people that have been displaced.

We invited Agilis Partners to respond to the letter, the company did not respond.

Company Responses

Agilis Partners. No Response.

Source: business-humanrights.org

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DEFENDING LAND AND ENVIRONMENTAL RIGHTS

Breaking: Witness Radio and Partners to Launch Human Rights Monitoring, Documentation, and Advocacy Project Tomorrow.

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By Witness Radio Team.

Witness Radio, in collaboration with Dan Church Aid (DCA) and the National Coalition for Human Rights Defenders (NCHRD), is set to launch the Monitoring, Documentation, and Advocacy for Human Rights in Uganda (MDA-HRU) project tomorrow, 22nd February 2024, at Kabalega Resort Hotel in Hoima District.

The project, funded by the European Union, aims to promote the protection and respect for human rights, and enable access to remedy where violations occur especially in the Mid-Western and Karamoja sub-regions where private sector actors are increasingly involved in land-based investments (LBIs) through improved documentation, and evidence-based advocacy.

The three-year project, which commenced in October 2023, focuses its activities in the Mid-Western sub-region, covering Bulisa, Hoima, Masindi, Kiryandongo, Kikuube, Kagadi, Kibale, and Mubende districts, and Karamoja sub-region, covering Moroto, Napak, Nakapiripirit, Amudat, Nabilatuk, Abim, Kaabong, Kotido, and Karenga districts.

The project targets individuals and groups at high risk of human rights violations, including Human Rights Defenders (HRDs) and Land and Environmental Defenders (LEDs). It also engages government duty bearers such as policymakers and implementers in relevant ministries and local governments, recognizing their crucial role in securing land and environmental rights. Additionally, the project involves officials from institutional duty bearers including the Uganda Human Rights Commission (UHRC), Equal Opportunities Commission, and courts, among others.

Representatives from the international community, faith leaders, and business actors are also included in the project’s scope, particularly those involved in land-based investments (LBIs) impacting the environment.

The project was initially launched in Moroto for the Karamoja region on the 19th of this month with the leadership of the National Coalition for Human Rights Defenders (NCHRD).

According to the project implementors,  the action is organized into four activity packages aimed at; enhancing the capacity and skills of Human Rights Defenders (HRDs) and Land and Environmental Defenders (LEDs) in monitoring, documentation, reporting (MDR), and protection, establishing and reinforcing reporting and documentation mechanisms for advocacy and demand for corporate and government accountability;  providing response and support to HRDs and marginalized communities; and lastly facilitating collaboration and multi-stakeholder engagements that link local and national issues to national and international frameworks and spaces.

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