Statement On The Amuru-Adjumani Boundary Land Conflict

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1.
a
which recently
inju d
2. Both adi and Acholi I peacefully in the area without any
conflict until the I left the camps to return home. Some of the
Acholi in the area as the boundary between Amuru
and Adjumani claim that this boundary was reed upon
between the chiefs of tribes after a tribal conflict many
years ago.
3. The river separated the two fighting parties has since then been
erroneously considered the boundary between two communities.
area has also been falsefully considered by the Acholi
communities to be part Amuru but Colonial demarcations place it in
Adjumani (See the boundary description and the map).
4. East Madi Wildlife Reserve (EMWR) covers an area of about 827Km 2 .
It is located in Adjumani District. The reserve was curved out of the
former East Madi Controlled Hunting Area. The Reserve remained a
virgin protected area with minimal human interference except from
fishermen camping along the Nile with isolated cases poaching and
illegal sawing in Central Forest Reserve.
5. The gazettement of EMWR followed consultative meetings with the

District leadership Adjumani district in 2000 which approved the
upgrading of the area to a Wildlife Status. At the same time, Gulu
District (later Amuru district area and now Nwoya district) was
consulted on the possibility of upgrading of the Aswa Lolim controlled
hunting area provide for a corridor that wou connect Murchison
Falls National Park to EMWR. This request was rejected by the Gulu
district local government.
6. The boundary of EMWR is described in most areas by physical

features like River that forms the northern boundary, River
Gorobi/Omuu forms eastern boundary, River Choro the
i1e that southern and western boundary respectively.
a south ndary
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7. UWA in 2006 h ltants (Geomaps )
cond a bou survey of this area, and this was be lowed
by physical placement concrete boundary pillars in 2007. This was
however not done since the boundary also to
be the bou Adjumani and Amuru Districts was disputed
by uru away the I contractors
hired by UWA.
8. Following the rejection the boundary, UWA engaged both Adjumani

and Amuru sort out problem. 14 member Committee was
created by the two districts il was a mem to
investigate whether the reserve was legally gazetted and whether it is
located in Adjumani or Amuru. These facts were resolved in 2009 when
the Committee confirmed that the reserve exists and is in Adjumani
district. The Comm also recommended both districts obtain
maps from the Ministry of Lands, Housing & Urban Development, and
bring them on ground interpretation of the border between Amuru
and Adjumani, to ascertain the location of Apaa. This however, never
happened and efforts to convene other meetings led as Amuru
leaders withdrew and the Acholi community became hosti
9. rejection the reserve continued until2011 when a case was filed

in ulu High Court by Okello-Oryem & Co. Advocates on behalf Dr.
Abongomera Micheal, Dr. Nyeko Philip, Hon. Gilbert Olanya and
others h I uit 1) claiming that the land in
Apaa and Lakang in Amuru and Pabbo is customary land owned by
the plaintiffs. Plantiffs claimed that the Apaa and Lakang land
comprised part of Kilak hunting area which was degazetted in 1972
and subsequently owned by the community.
10. In 2009, UWA signed a partite collaborative management agreement

and the lake Albert Safaris mited (In m
uru
Page 3 of 9
su commun
11. In June 2010, the inister rism and Industries directed

that all encroachers in wildlife protected areas including EMWR shou
be evicted to preserve the integrity of the protected areas.
communities were sensitized and a number of families were peacefully
,whi others at their own will.
12. This exercise was again halted after political leaders from Amuru
District petitioned the new Minister of Tourism, Wildl and Heritage
(Prof. Ephraim Kamuntu) requesting him to intervene and stop UWA
from evicting residents of Apaa their ancestral areas claiming they
are encroaching on East Madi Wildlife Reserve. The mister held
meetings with the leaders and made trips to Amuru and Adjumani
to understand the problem before taking a decision.
13. The inister was thereafter taken on a field tour of the disputed area
and using the Global Position System (GPS) and Topographic maps,
and shown where the disputed areas are located on the map and on
the ground, clearly showing they were in the Reserve located in
Adjumani District.
14. The rage su being lynched by communities in Apaa during

the field trip as the communities' resident at Apaa inside Madi WR
pelted the Minister's convoy with stones in the presence of Adjumani
District Chairperson, ROC, DPC and other leaders.
15. Cabinet sitting on 1st February 2012 deliberated on the matter and
formed a Cabinet sub committee comprised of Ministers of Defence,
Internal Affairs, Disaster, Security/Presidency, risrn, Lands as well
as ment under the chairmanship then Third
Prime hand the matter.
16. su that:
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a) on I was an
illegal act and should stopped immediately;
b) ferrying of people from Amuru District to be given land in

Adjumani District was wrong since the two districts had clearly
marked boundaries;
c) Uganda Wildlife Authority (UWA) together with the security

agencies immediately move stop the encroachment and
protect the Game Reserve.;
d) the inistries Local Government, that Lands, that of

the Presidency together with their technical staff and security
personnel immediately go to the site and hold a meeting with the
people of the two communities and inform them about the
existence of the boundaries between the two districts.
17. On 15th February 2012, the igh Court in Gulu granted a temporary
Court injunction prohibiting any further eviction, destruction,
confiscation or conversion and or interfering with the land rights,
occupation and uses land in the areas of Apaa, Lakang and Pabbo,
pending the determination of the main suit.
18. The first attempt to open up and monument the twenty seven (27)
Kilometre stretch by Surveyors from the Ministry of Lands, Housing
and Urban Development was made on 16 August, 2012. This attempt
by the technical officers followed a recommendation issued by the
Parliamentary committee on physical infrastructures after Parliament
had debated on the petition filed to the Speaker of Parliament by the
leaders of Acholi in April 2012.
19. Despite the sensitization drives that had been conducted before the
commencement the exercise, the boundary opening exercise was
halted due the violent actions Ibert the then P
Kilak cou a team of youth. residents
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consu
uru and mani together with
rmen out massive joint in the area.
. In July 201 ulu igh Court ordered the reopening of the

administrative bou in dispute, Apaa, be carried out by
the Commissioner Surveys and Mapping in the inistry of Lands,
Housing & Urban Development and that findings of the reopening be
placed before court mediator to enable the disposal the Court
suit.
21. rsuant t h e , an international working

prevent violent conflicts ild safer lives partnered with the two
Local Governments to carry out the sensitization to foster social
cohesion, reconciliation and assist local population to understand
the dynamics and arrive at an agreeable district boundary solution .
. In March 2015 the Minister of Justice Hon. General Kahinda Otafire

together with Hon Aronda Nyakairima (RIP) the then Minister of
Internal Affairs and Hon Daudi Migereko and a technical team from the
Ministry of Lands, Housing & rban Development met with the
leadership and community elders of both districts in Gulu and resolved
that the boundary be re-opened.
On 30 March 2015, Aronda Nyakairima (RIP) the Minister of

Internal Affairs chaired an extra Ordinary Regional Security Meeting
which resolved and agreed upon an immediate timeframe of three days
to start the reopening. Security in support of the exercise was
deployed but was called off after the local community was mobilized to
block the exercise.
On 16 April 2015 Ministers Internal Affairs Hon General Aronda

Nyakairima (RIP) and for Lands, Housing Urban Development
Honorable udi igereko met and addressed the Apaa community in
presence r other Acholi amidst protests
commun i exercise was supposed
in that low more consu
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26. 13 18 September, 2015 a team of Government Surveyors
successful carried out the boundary opening and monumentation
exercise using the
as the data source.
The boundary opening limits is section of the Amuru/ umani

district boundary extend twenty-seven kilometres, starting from the
source of River Choro; thence in a straight line in an easterly direction
to the source of the River Apaa; thence in a straight line in a north-
easterly direction to the source of River Ceri. For clarity, the boundary
that was to be opened is the dry surface stretch connecting the sources
of Rivers Choro and Apaa in a straight line and the sources of Rivers
and Ceri in a straight line.
28. The recent clashes were sparked off on 2 June 2017 when 8 members
of the Madi community were held hostage in a market in Apaa but later
released, with serious warning never to come back. On 3rd and 5th
June, there were attacks in Zoka which left 2 people hospitalized.
According Ministry of Internal Affairs, on 8 June 2017, the Acholi
community burnt huts in rikwa. The Madi also retaliated and a total
huts were burnt. Following the clashes, 8 people have so far died;
11 missing a hospitalized. 2,734 persons, mainly Madi have been
displaced and are camped at mary school wherea 1,924
main i are d
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people
30. The following has been done so far:
a. me inister accompanied by inisters and

technocrats has visited the area and met local leaders
i ru d
b. Government has deployed in the affected area of Apaa

and ltirikwa has a Platoon strength distributed Zoka,
while Itirikwa has a strength distributed in Ajeri Subcounty and
Central. The deployment is supported by Motor Cycles
and vehicles for patrol. A Police Station has been opened at
Apaa and Police at Itirikwa.
c. Commun mobilization and encouragement of the people

go back is underway. We thank the the political, cultural and
igious leaders for peace building reconciliation
efforts are spearheading
d. Government has instituted investigations to establish who

incited the people to have these clashes and the perpetrators
will be brought book.
e. food has been taken to the I both at Itirikwa and
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f. lion n
ment Surveyors the ministrative boundaries

umani, for rninistrative rposes. is demarcation
guides the lation on wh district to go to for Government service
delivery. It has nothing to do with grabbing land of the locals or chasing
them away as has been claimed because citizens of Uganda can own
land settle anywhere as long as it is lawfully done.
bou are lable the public and any

done, the districts should use their
technical staff replace what was destroyed.
33. Without loss clarity, it needs be emphasized that the standard

maps the boundary delineation are the 1:50,000 topographical
maps, archived in the Department of Surveys and Mapping. These
boundaries are backed up by the 1962 Constitution.
My Ministry should be assisted to secure funding to open boundaries

of all the district Local Governments boundaries other than working as
crisis managers. total cost of all the District boundary opening
exercises shall be presented the House for consideration. In
add ,my inistry will work with the inistry of Local Government
ensure that before the announcing of new district the boundaries
should have been agreed upon and demarcated. This could reduce on
future conflicts.
35. Community Mobilization. Reconciliation and peace building efforts

shall continue to be supported. We I upon the affected communities
to n calm.
Page 9 of 9

Statement On The Amuru-Adjumani Boundary Land Conflict

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i t

5. The gazettement of EMWR followed consultative meetings with the

6. The boundary of EMWR is described in most areas by physical

8. Following the rejection the boundary, UWA engaged both Adjumani

9. rejection the reserve continued until2011 when a case was filed

10. In 2009, UWA signed a partite collaborative management agreement

11. In June 2010, the inister rism and Industries directed

14. The rage su being lynched by communities in Apaa during

b) ferrying of people from Amuru District to be given land in

c) Uganda Wildlife Authority (UWA) together with the security

d) the inistries Local Government, that Lands, that of

. In July 201 ulu igh Court ordered the reopening of the

21. rsuant t h e , an international working

. In March 2015 the Minister of Justice Hon. General Kahinda Otafire

On 30 March 2015, Aronda Nyakairima (RIP) the Minister of

On 16 April 2015 Ministers Internal Affairs Hon General Aronda

as the data source.

The boundary opening limits is section of the Amuru/ umani

30. The following has been done so far:

a. me inister accompanied by inisters and

b. Government has deployed in the affected area of Apaa

c. Commun mobilization and encouragement of the people

d. Government has instituted investigations to establish who

e. food has been taken to the I both at Itirikwa and

ment Surveyors the ministrative boundaries

bou are lable the public and any

33. Without loss clarity, it needs be emphasized that the standard

My Ministry should be assisted to secure funding to open boundaries

35. Community Mobilization. Reconciliation and peace building efforts

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