It appears the government of Uganda has no intention of protecting the rights of its citizens, based on the recent eviction of 42 families from their land.
Development Diaries reports that communities in Uganda’s Albertine region staged a demonstration to protest the ‘unjust’ evictions, lack of fair settlement, and transparent judicial proceedings in the Tilenga oil project by TotalEnergies.
We understand that 42 families were ordered out of their land to make way for the project despite inadequate compensation and unresolved land disputes, among other issues.
The StopEACOP Campaign, which led the protest, also decried the harassment and intimidation of local women and human rights and environmental defenders who have been subjected to various forms of violence for voicing their concerns and opposition to the EACOP project.
‘We stand in full support of the many projects affected persons who have come out to demand accountability and justice – asserting themselves as legitimate stakeholders in a project which is working to unravel their livelihoods and impact upon their wellbeing’, StopEACOP Campaign Coordinator, Zaki Mamdoo, said in a statement.
‘Communities have correctly characterised EACOP as a project of exploitation and harm and will not sit idly by while TotalEnergies and others line their pockets at the expense of ordinary people and the environment’.
Recall that several local and international civil society actors have raised concerns about the rights violations associated with the construction of the East African Crude Oil Pipeline (EACOP) by Uganda and Tanzania.
Development Diaries calls on the Ugandan government to respect the rights of its citizens and ensure families are fully compensated for their lands.
We also urge the government to properly consider the environmental impact of the EACOP project and ensure the environment is protected.
Source: EnviroNews
Photo source: EnviroNews
