Carbon Projects Hire Gangs, Forcefully Evict 2,000 Ugandans Daily -Report

A confidential report compiled by Witness Radio, a Ugandan nonprofit advocacy for land rights, has revealed that ruthless "Tree Plantation Investors" are using environmental conservation efforts as a cover to  displace communities from their land. 

The report highlights a disturbing trend of “green grabs” where land is appropriated for carbon offset projects, often sidelining the rights and livelihoods of local communities, much like traditional forced evictions.

The report, which covers land conflicts from January to June 2024, emphasizes that these "green grabs" not only disrupt communities but also raise ethical questions about sustainability in the pursuit of carbon neutrality. 

“Without proper recognition and implementation of secure land tenure, communities lack the legal protections to resist forced evictions, which continue to threaten their land and livelihoods,” the report states.

Witness Radio documented 90 significant land eviction cases across Uganda in the first half of 2024, reporting that 363,021 Ugandans were affected by these evictions, with an estimated 121,442.83 hectares of land at risk. 

On average, four cases of land eviction occur each week, affecting around 15,126 people and threatening 5,060 hectares of land.

The report estimates that 2,160 Ugandans face displacement daily due to land evictions. Key hotspots identified include the Bunyoro sub-region, Wakiso District, and Nakasongola District, where thousands are facing eviction, such as in Lwabyata sub-county, where over 4,000 residents are at risk from a claimed landowner, Jonathan Mafende. 

In Kyegegwa, government land allocations in Kyaka I and II refugee camps for avocado cultivation and industrial development threaten to displace around 130,000 people. “While economic development is essential for Uganda’s progress, it should not come at the cost of communities' homes, safety, and livelihoods. 

The government has a responsibility to ensure land allocations and industrialization respect citizens' rights,” Witness Radio urges.  Other areas, like Bulambuli District, where 550 families are embroiled in a land dispute with businesswoman Rose Wekomba, were also highlighted. 

Additionally, the long-standing Apaa land conflict between Madi and Acholi communities in northern Uganda remains a source of violence and displacement, with five deaths reported earlier this year due to tribal clashes. 

The report notes that 37 evictions were enforced by armed gangs hired by landowners, 25 by the Uganda Police, five with Uganda People's Defense Forces (UPDF) involvement, and four with private security firms.

It also documents 65 cases of violence against land and environmental rights defenders who oppose illegal evictions, including incidents of kidnapping, torture, and wrongful arrest. Prominent government officials, military figures, and wealthy individuals were identified in the report as key actors in facilitating these evictions, leveraging their influence to gain access to land or secure favorable court outcomes. 

The report calls on the Ugandan government to uphold human rights, tackle corruption, and protect vulnerable communities, particularly by addressing abuses of power within land registries, the police, and the army. 

Witness Radio concludes that the unchecked evictions perpetuate cycles of poverty, inequality, displacement, food insecurity, and marginalization, impeding Uganda's social, economic, and environmental well-being.