Will the displaced people get a fair deal?

Aug 02, 2009

EDITOR—I wish to comment on a story entitled “2000 evicted by the army to build oil surveillance base” published on July 28. As a Ugandan, what immediately came to my mind after reading the story was whether these poor people were compensated before

EDITOR—I wish to comment on a story entitled “2000 evicted by the army to build oil surveillance base” published on July 28. As a Ugandan, what immediately came to my mind after reading the story was whether these poor people were compensated before eviction.

Whereas the establishment of the surveillance base is a good thing, the government should recognise that evicting 2,000 people has social and economic implications on both the evicted people and the Government. It is true Ugandans are happy about the discovery of oil in Bunyoro. But what about the people who derive a livelihood from the land?

The area under which the oil wells lie covers some 10 square miles. What will happen to the residents of the land near the site of the proposed oil refinery? How about the land in surrounding areas like Kyangwali Refugee Camp?

Don Rwihura
Uganda Media Centre

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