Police in Amuru launch land rights awareness campaign

Amuru, Uganda | THE INDEPENDENT | The police in Amuru district have started land rights and usage awareness campaigns. The campaigns include community policing on land laws, rights, documentation processes, and peaceful conflict-solving mechanisms.

They are carrying out the initiative with support from REDEEM International, a rights group operating in Gulu and Amuru districts.

Through the drive, REDEEM International jointly with the police community liaison departments have organized dialogue with stakeholders, mediated with conflicting parties, and rendered legal support as well as reintegration of victims of land disputes.

The initiative stems from the increasing cases of land conflicts in the area leading to violent disputes right from households to clan levels.

In some cases, the police in the district say some conflicts have resulted in suicides, especially from parties who lose or were deprived of their rights to ownership.

Statistics indicate that more than five people last month committed suicide in Pabbo town council alone, a hotspot for land disputes.

The Amuru LCV Chairperson Michael Lakony states that at least 60 percent of matters handled by his office are related to land disputes.

Titus Okello, the Police Community Liaison Officer for Pabbo Police Post says that they are overwhelmed by cases of violent land disputes which he attributes to ignorance of land laws.

Emily Afoyocan, the Police Community Liaison Officer for Amuru district noted that the rampant land disputes in the area have also led to increasing crimes such as murder, causing bodily injuries, and malicious damage to properties among others.

She noted that much as police come in to handle criminal aspects of land-related violence, it is necessary to create awareness among the people to know their rights to de-escalate violence.

James Komakech, the REDEEM International Programs Manager says the initiative seeks to save the burden of court processes and the marginalized groups such as widows and widowers as well as orphans from being deprived of their land rights.

Komakech notes that between the period October 2020 and June 2022, they served 1,038 victims of land disputes, and recovered 550 acres of land in Amuru that were fraudulently grabbed from their owners.

Richard Okumu Kamara, the LCIII Chairperson for Pabbo Town Council is happy that they will greatly be relieved from the burden of land conflicts.

Michael Bongomin, the Councilor for Persons with Disabilities in Pabbo Town Council wants the initiative to target the vulnerable people whom he says are greatly affected by land conflicts.

Brian Okwonga, a resident of Pabbo Town Council who welcomed the initiative said that it will answer the question of the lack of legal procedures one can take in case of conflicts.

Santa Akech, the Councilor for Paomo Parish says this is a relief since the majority of the people want to document their land but are unaware of the procedures to undertake.

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