On Thursday, Members of Parliament who were traveling to visit the displaced residents led by the Leader of Opposition in Parliament Betty Aol Ochan and Opposition Chief Whip Ibrahim Ssemujju Nganda were stopped by armed police officers.
Several soldiers from the 4th Division headquarters in Gulu have been stationed in a detach set up at Juka Trading Center, some 3 Kilometers North of Apaa Town.
According to Olaa, while the old list had several politicians, the nominated members will be supported by a lawyer and land surveyors identified as Julius Ojok and Mathew Okello.
The 244 displaced persons arrived at the offices of High Commissioner for Human Rights UNHCR in Gulu Town on Wednesday, reportedly fleeing human rights violations, torture and destruction of livelihoods perpetrated by the Uganda peoples Defense forces - UPDF in the disputed area between Amuru and Adjumani district.
Patrick Jimmy Okema, the Aswa River Police spokesperson says the deployment is to prevent the displaced residents becoming violent or staging a demonstration at the UN facility.
On Wednesday evening, UN Human Rights and other humanitarian agencies provided the affected residents with tarpaulins to sleep in. A source in the UN Human Rights offices told URN on condition of anonymity that they had provided the residents with blue tents in which they will live for the coming days.
The group says they are sensing danger after Electoral Commission stripped them of their rights to vote by de-gazetting the area from the electoral database last Friday. They told URN stripping them of voting right is indicative that the brutal forces will return to haunt them after February evictions left several homes burnt down.
The group was welcomed by UN employees who refused to speak to the press. The residents say they fled Apaa fearing the persistent threats of evictions and torture perpetrated by government which has failed to protect their rights to land.
The major disputes around the township relate to its ownership, economic land use for settlement or wildlife conservation and geographical boundaries of Amuru and Adjumani districts.
Court presided by Henry Twinomuhwezi, the Assistant Registrar Gulu High Court issued an interim order restraining attorney general, Uganda Wildlife Authority and Adjumani district local government from evicting the residents from the disputed area until the main suit is disposed on February 08th.
Two people remain unaccounted for in Apaa Village, Amuru district more than a month after violent land clashes between Madi and Acholi communities. They are 25-year-old Simon Abola and Charles Oryema, aged 41.
Three Amuru district leaders are being investigated for their roles in last months violent land clashes in Apaa areas. They are Amuru district Chairperson Michael Lakony, Kilak South Member of Parliament Gilbert Olanya and Kilak North Member of Parliament Anthony Akol.
Monsignor Beriza Ogura, the Episcopal Vicar of Moyo and Adjumani districts, who is leading the delegation of clerics from Madi sub region, blamed the conflict on the failure of political leaders to provide direction for their people.
