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Update: Apaa Communities Attacked, Forcibly Evicted

UA: Uganda 96.18
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Since 3 January, rangers from the Uganda Wildlife Authority have been carrying out forced evictions of communities in the Apaa area in northern Uganda. They have burnt homes, looted property and attacked community members. Hundreds of people have been rendered homeless, while several others remain at risk of forced evictions.

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H.E. Yoweri Kaguta Museveni The President of Uganda The State House of Uganda P.O. Box 25497 Kampala, Uganda Fax: +256 414 235 462 Email: [email protected]
H.E. Ambassador Mull Ssebujja Katende Embassy of the Republic of Uganda 5911 16th St. NW, Washington DC 20011 Phone: 202 726 7100 I Fax: 202 726 1727 Email: [email protected], [email protected] Twitter: @UgaEmbaWashDC Facebook: @Uganda.Washington Salutation: Dear Ambassador
Your Excellency, I am writing to you on the case of communities living in Apaa, northern Uganda. Between 3 January and 27 March, the communities living in the Acholi Ber, Oyobi, Oloyo Kampala villages in Apaa area were subjected to forced evictions by rangers from the Uganda Wildlife Authority. The rangers burnt homes, looted property and beat up villagers despite the presence of Uganda Peoples’ Defence Forces (UPDF) soldiers who were deployed to the area on 2 February to protect the communities. Hundreds of people have been rendered homeless and are exposed to a range of human rights violations. Villagers still living in the Apaa area risk being forcibly evicted. Forced evictions are in violation of the Ugandan constitution and international human rights law. Journalists trying to cover the ongoing evictions and violence in Apaa have been denied access to the area. I call on you to ensure that forced evictions in the Apaa area stop immediately; ensure that the Apaa residents who have already been forcibly evicted are provided with access to effective remedies including adequate compensation and alternative housing; ensure that impartial, thorough and transparent investigations are carried out into the actions of the Uganda Wildlife Authority against the communities in the Apaa area as well as the role of the UPDF soldiers deployed in the area for the protection of the villagers and hold those found responsible to account without recourse to the death penalty. Yours sincerely, ADDITIONAL RESOURCES
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