Warning: Trying to access array offset on value of type bool in /usr/www/users/urnnet/a/story.php on line 43 Inter-Tribal Land Conflict Erupts in Adjumani :: Uganda Radionetwork
An inter-tribal land ownership dispute has erupted on another piece of land inside Adjumani district.
The dispute is pitting the communities of Madi against their Acholi neighbours settled on a large piece of land located between Zoka River and Gorobi River, several Kilometres North East of the contested East Madi Wildlife Reserve.
Jacob Oulanyah, the Deputy Speaker of Parliament says the fresh tension is threatening to strip Acholi settlers in the area of the right to land as they are being expelled by members of Madi communities.
Oulanyah says a new influx of new groups of migrants from Madi communities to the area is demanding exclusive ownership of the area following a declaration by government that it is part of Adjumani district. He says the new migrants are now illegally expelling the Acholi inhabitants from the area.
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Oulanyah unmasked the tribal conflict during a visit to the disputed area on Thursday. He told journalists in Gulu town that resolution of the new conflict should be handled parallel to the on-going Prime Minister Dr Ruhakana Rugunda's government-led efforts for the resolution of the main Apaa land conflict.
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According to Oulanyah, the settlers who are still constructing new homes in the area want government to prevent members of the Acholi inhabitants living in the area stepping foot on their land using road networks and military deployment.
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The main conflict over East Madi Wildlife Reserve in Apaa Township relates to the issue of ownership, geographical location of the area as well as the land use policy of the area. Government intends to set up a wildlife reserve there while the National Forestry Authority (NFA) says part of it is a Central Forest Reserve.
Residents claim the area as their ancestral area. Amuru district accuse Adjumani district of planning an area in its territory after Adjumani district council gazetted the area a conservation area in 2012.
In 2016, government handed the disputed area to Adjumani district. At least 21 lives have been lost in the dispute since evictions started in 2012 from the proposed wildlife conservation area that has been gazetted and de-gazetted multiple times.
Kilak North Member of Parliament Anthony Akol has repeatedly disclosed that new migration is taking place in disputed Apaa area. He alleges that the migrants have been mobilized by a section of leaders in Adjumani district under the leadership of First Deputy Prime Minister Gen. Moses Ali.
