Acholi youth ask Museveni to intervene in Apaa land dispute
GULU– A section of youth leaders from Acholi Sub-region yesterday called upon President Museveni to intervene and end what they referred to as the continuous attacks and violence as the Apaa land dispute remains unsettled.
In recent days, reports of fresh attacks have been reported by some members of the communities living on the contested land. Several houses and properties are said to have been destroyed as the land dispute remains unsettled.
Addressing a press conference on Tuesday at the Northern Uganda Media Club [ NUMEC ], the youth leaders claimed the leaders in the region and in the country have intentionally turned a death ear to dispute and the suffering of the local people living on the over 40 square miles land claimed by both the Acholi and Madi.
According to the government, the contested land is a protected area under East Madi Wildlife Reserve, located in Adjumani district. It was gazetted in 2002, but the locals and a section of regional leaders dismiss it.
Denis Kilama, the LCV Youth Councilor, Amuru district said several commissions of inquiry were set up to investigate and come up with a solution to the land dispute, but none has proposed a long-term solution.
Kilama cited commissions of inquiry headed by Minister Hillary Onek, the Late Speaker of Parliament Jacob Oulanyah and former Prime Minister Ruhakanda Rugunda, among others.
There was also a team of students from Gulu University who were funded by ActionAid international to reconcile the two community members of Acholi and Madi, Kilima said.
Richard Okwera, the Deputy Speaker of Amuru district council, who doubles as LCV Councilor for Guru guru Subcounty said the government has failed to protect its citizens in the contested area.
He alleged that whereas the UPDF has been deployed in the area, attacks continue to happen even with the presence of the forces.
According to Okwera, regardless of the location of the land, whether in Amuru or Adjumani, the government has the mandate to protect its citizens and ensure that there is peaceful co-existence among the people.
Okwera also blamed the leaders from the area for going silent on the matter, giving a leeway for the unknown attackers who use rudimentary tools like bows and arrows, spears and machetes among others, to continue waging attacks, injuring and killing people in the process.
Daniel Dan Rahckara, the General Secretary National Resistance Movement[NRM] Youth League for Gulu City noted that there seems to be lack of political will especially from President Museveni to solve the problem.
Rachkara suspects that there could also be individuals who want to turn the land dispute into a tribal conflict for their own selfish interests.
Benson Alega Oringa, the President of the Faculty of Law at Gulu University, said if they don’t get any response from the government within 72 hours, from yesterday, the youth will block roads, among others so that they can have the attention of the government to solve the problem once and for all.
Our efforts to get a comment from Hassan Kato, the 4th Division UPDF Spokesperson on the security situation in the contested area, were futile as our repeated phone calls went unanswered.
In an earlier interview with Moses Mugweri, the Resident District Commissioner, Adjumani, he said there was an intelligence network established in the areas and charged with the responsibility of reporting to security authorities any possible security matter for intervention.
Yesterday when contacted, Mugweri insisted that they haven’t received any information or report from the set intelligence team.
Last month, alleged attacks were reported in the areas of Lutoya, Goro B East, Juka, Junction among others, perpetrated by unknown armed men who targeted the homes of people, evicting them before occupying their homes. Over 100 people fled their homes for fear of their lives in the aftermath of that attack.
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