Voice of voiceless newsletter

VOICE OF THE VOICELESS NEWSLETTER

Volume 1 August 2012

EDITORIAL LAND WRANGLE EMMERGED IN
The decades of war in northern Uganda has left AMURU DISTRICT
the community of Acoli in total dependency
Fresh land wrangle emerged in Apaa, Pabo Sub
syndrome. The communities live from hand to
county Amuru district.
mouth. The economic status of the community
has gone down hence the family could not The controversial demarcation of Amuru-
support their family. Adjumai Border 19 August 2012 ended in chaos
as Amuru resident district Commissioner Major
Many of the NGO have pulled out of the region
James Mwesige and Northern Uganda regional
since the emergency situation in the region is
police Commander Nkore Paul did not put
coming to fully stable stage. The bigger
diplomacy plan of first dialoguing with the
question left behind is having the community
people of Apaa community in Labala parish. The
welfare also stabilize after the war? The war has
reason was that Land surveyors from the
taken longer and the impact of current
Ministry of Land and Urban development were
development they cannot be realized in only
silently putting mark stone at Wiilacuk where,
three years. The
the community claimed, never was boundary
situation is further
flopped. A
being traumatize by
community
rampant claim of land
member tipped
grabbing by state.
Kilak county
Apaa UWA Eviction Forceful acquisition of
victims. File photo land from Acoli DPC Amuru refraining Hon Member of
Olanya
community. It is like a
parliament Olanya Gilbert, who was invited for
patient discharge from hospital with TB
meeting with RPC and RDC, together while
condition and the family wants to engage
surveyors are already on the ground doing their
him/her in farming activities serious without
work on putting mark stones. The meeting with
considering his/her health condition. The return
Olanya has stopped and they all rushed where
of community from IDP to rural homes, they
the surveyors were putting the mark stone
should be given time to settle and be consulted
which was about 20 kilometer to Joka bridge ,
for further development to take place.
MP hurried vehicle as the hungry mobs
followed him.

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For to be free is not merely to cast off one's chains but to live in a way that respect and enhance the freedom of others.
(Nelson Mandela) And shall know the truth and the truth shall make you free (Jn 8:32) Lord if you had been here
my brother would have not died…… (Jn 11:21)



Arriving where the mark stone was being Ministry to carry out the work and would
planted, the area was heavily guarded by 10 full resume anytime when resident are sensitized.
vehicles with police officers who were dressed
from teeth to toe eye witness said, Gilbert Dr. Olara Otunu PROMISE TO PROTECT
Olanya ordered the surveyors to leave their ACOLI LAND.
work immediately and confiscated their tools
Dr. Olara Otunu the president of
and removed the map they were using.
UPC speaks out on Land
“Why must this people fool us claiming grabbing in Acoli. Otunu made
meeting yet here they are planting mark stone his first ever critic on Land
to take away our land we shall die here today grabbing in Acoli, citing the case of land of
because police have become agent of land Amuru district. Speaking during press
grabbers in Uganda,“ Olanya retorted while conference in Gulu Mr. Otunu said we have
basting police agents. informed UN and human right organization to
follow up this case.
The area member of parliament
added that there is a map drawn in 1959 by the Otunu before attending the burial of the UPDF
British where Amuru-Adjumani border is right officer at Customer corner in Gulu district
from the Nile and Juka stream which is over 21 believed has reached the controversial land in
kilometer from where they claim is the border Lakang, Apaa in Amuru district. Dr. Otunu
at Wiicuk, which is why resident protested. report was unsatisfied about the claimed to
empty with human being. He further. The visit
He said that the poor community has nowhere of Otunu sparked the state agency, a Similar
to go because that is their ancestral land and visit to be conducted by Dr. Kizza made the DPC
with the lesson they have learn there would be Amuru become alert under clear question. Was
negotiation over the border again. it crime if one wants to visit his subject but not
to address the rally?
As the local community draws nearer to the
police for confrontation, Northern Uganda RPC
PABO SUB COUNTY CHANGED
and RD together with the DPC Amuru Jacinto
Ovuru ordered the policemen to leave to Amuru MARKET AUCTION DAY.
town council to avoid bloodshed.
Pabo sub county local council has changed
However after the incident, the senior staff market Auction day from first Monday of the
surveyor with the Ministry of land Kakooza month to first Saturday of the month. The
Jasper, said that there were mandated by the council claimed that first Monday of the month

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the Auction day the parents takes their children demarcation of district boundary using mark
away from school to occupies the market. The stone which has never happened in Uganda.
change has been effected for first in first
Saturday 4th August 2012. The change however GREATER NORTH PEACE CAMP.
did not make the business community from Peace Corps American volunteer’s organization
Gulu town happy. Despite of short notice given with it partners organized greater north youth
over radio the leaders insisted that the change peace camp at ocer Jesuit College in Unyama
has to be effected. Gulu district. The camp that attracted many
youth from Lango, Teso, Alur and Acoli sub
WILL SURGAR CAN PLANTAION regions. Pabo save the orphans Association had
PROJECT IN AMURU GO AHEAD? privilege to present the paper to the youth on
positive
Acoli community as facing force demand of land
communication. Mr.
by government under the intention of bringing
Omony John Bosco
the development to the region. The methods
while presenting the
being applied to acquire Omony during plenary paper on positive
does not involve
communication
community. The former
urged the youth to ensure the focus on
RDC Amuru Milton
forgiveness, render the service with heart of
Odongo further said the
generosity. He further calls upon the youth to
sugar project is also
change their attitude from negative aspect of
demanded in Rwanda but much as they are
life to positive aspect of life. After the plenary
facing resistant from the community in Amuru
the participants were much appreciative to the
district there has never been initiative to divert
Omony, many were heard
this project to Rwanda as being alleged. Some
saying you should have
of Amuru leaders are alleged to have received
been with us while other
money more than 131,000,000 million under
whispering to each other it is
unclear circumstance and has not acknowledge
a very good presentations.
the receipt of money, according to the meeting
The organizer has awarded the presenters with
held in Kampala 13/07/2012, they further
certificate of excellence presentation
agreed that the survey of the controversial land
to be survey within one month from the date of Participants at peace camp
the meeting, these would also figure out the
A LOT OF MONEY IN CIRCULATION IN OVER
SUGAR PROJECT IN AMURU DISTRICT.
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Amuru district leaders has one hundred and Resolution The RDC should direct the posting of
thirty one million one hundred and twenty more policemen at Lakang to effectively
thousand shilling (131,120,000) in circulation in manage law and order
hand of some few leaders in the district. The
money believed has been given by Madhvani it (e) Security arrangement for the workers to
purpose has not been clear, according to start at the project site, Resolution: RDC to
meeting with Amuru district official at should work with the relevant organs to ensure
Madhvani office in Kampala 13/07/2012 they maximum security is provided within one
demanded that acknowledge receipt be given month
under agenda 5 (i) of minutes seen by voice of AOB
the voiceless. Below are is extraction from the
Amuru district given 131,120,000 million which
minute of the meeting seen by voice for
acknowledgement was not receipt by the time
voiceless. of the meeting which ended at 14:40hours.
1. (b) Survey, demarcation, and processing The question that one would ask for what
land tittle. purpose was the money given???
The members noted that there was
delay in survey, CATHOLIC CHURCH NEWS:
Resolutions:
ARCHBISHOP ODAMA RESHUFFLE PRIESTS
(i) Instruction to survey the land
be directed by the CAO Gulu Archdiocese has
(ii) Madhvani should work with reshuffle the vice Rector of
Land ministry and office of Sacred Heart Minor Seminary.
president to facilitate the
survey and ensure completion Vice Rector Rev Fr. Eric Uma
within one month. File photo has been appointed the
Parish priest of Holy Rosary Parish in center of
(c) Seed nursery for sugar cane should be Gulu town. While Rev. Fr. Ronald Regan Okello
established after the survey who has been the curate of Immaculate heart
of Mary Pabo Parish is to replace Eric as Vice
(d) Police post at Lakang members were
Rector of the Seminary.
informed that the post with some few
policemen had already been established at In an interview with Fr. Ronald he welcomed his
Lakang appointment and said his last slot of properties
from Pabo is on the way to new place of

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appointment. Fr. Ronald by the time of this what they perceive as mistreatment under his
publication Christians of Pabo has not yet given leadership.
him farewell. Valentino Matua, a priest whom the bishop
recently suspended pending verification of his
ARUA DIOCESE LOST DONORS MONEY: documents of priestly formation on August 8,
2012 served Odoki with intention to sue and
Arua catholic diocese has lost donors money
through Alaka and co. advocates demanded a
given to diocese by the
compensation of sh120m for damages.
donors.
Given the situation of donors fund remaining
New vision reported that
unaccounted for would affect the development
Bishop Sabino Ocan
in the catholic. The clergy should ensure they
Odoki said “there are
remain financial accountable to donors and the
Speaking on some corruption cases
development of his community they serves.
which we have found and
diocese
they have blocked our
ways of getting funding. Like with Caritas, there
ADVOCACY AND NETWORKING
has been fraud and now we are paying very
In 2010 Pabo Save the Orphans Association
heavily for this fraud,”
widely circulates to Acholi Google network
Odoki in an exclusive interview with the New the challenges being face on the return
Vision at his office said donors had demanded process from
that the diocese returns all the stolen money. the camp to
the rural
“They have found sh85m stolen and again they
want more investigations be done on another home. The
separate sh110m which the investigating communicati
auditor says could have been lost,” on focus on
Atiaba local bridge before JICA
intervention 2011-2012 the Atiaba
The bishop also spoke about the various
that connect
administrative changes he is making and the
Pabo and Patiko from the east.
furious reactions from some affected clergy
saying that they were normal processes of This advocacy and networking drew the
change. attention of the partners in the region.
The bishop said he was not worried about the
threats by some priests to sue the diocese for

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JICA a Japanese government funded Picture: Juka Bridge on River Juka –
program took up task to access the case. In allegedly, the river is said to be the historical
April 2011 under JICA CAROWAA office and natural boundary separating Adjumani
newsletter publicized plan to construct from Amuru (Photo by ACCS)
Atiaba bridge that became good news for
the people of Pabo and Patiko. Pabo Save the Orphans Association
(PASTORA):
Early this month the construction of Atiaba
bridge has been fully completed with Its local community base organization formed in
financial support from JICA. Base on the 1999. The Association focuses on children,
community monitoring mechanism under youth, women and the entire community.
poverty resource monitoring there is value VISION
for the money under this project. The To improve quality of life of children,
community of Pabo can now use this road
youth, women and the community.
to Gulu town. The transportation of good
MISSION
To promote human values through
from the villages around to market is now
advocacy, community outreach program,
not problem due to good road network
Girl child education program (GCEP) basic
supported by JICA. The war forth by JICA
non formal education / formal
the value for money should be example to
Education and vocational skills training
other partners delivering services to the initiative for child mothers, school dropped
region. out youth with a view of building a
sustainable community with improved
PARTNERS VERIFICATION REPORT: Standards of living. The main task is to
enhance their opportunities to realize their
Much there are a lot of controversial
full potential and capability in rehabilitating
statements on the land in Apaa and the
the community.
boundary with the Adjumani and Amuru
district, The Advisory Consortium on Conflict Comments & Suggestions
Sensitivity (ACCS) send team to verify the Please write to your address to Voice for
situation in Apaa. Voiceless newsletter

All view expressed in this newsletter is purely
for true information on ground sharing.

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