Madi encroachers defiant

Picture BY lillian nsubuga
Grace Turyagumanawe addressing encroachers in Adjumani district
by Mary Karugaba

About 300 combined troops from Uganda Wildlife Authority (UWA), the Police and UPDF have been deployed in East Madi Wildlife Reserve after encroachers declined to voluntarily vacate the place.
Headed by the director of operations in the Police, Grace Turyagumanawe, the forces have spent three days patrolling the reserve, trying to convince the encroachers to leave without being forced out.
UWA public relations officer Lillian Nsubuga, however, said the encroachers had vowed not to move and had become violent, especially the youth.
alt147One youth hurled a bottle with beer in it at the UWA executive director, Dr. Andrew Seguya, before smashing the bottle on the ground. The encroachers insist that their families lived there before,alt148 Nsubuga said.
There are about 150 families living in East Madi Wildlife Reserve.
The reserves were gazetted in 2002 following a parliamentary resolution.
According to The Wildlife Act 2000, no human settlements are allowed inside the protected areas.
East Madi Wildlife Reserve, measuring 827sqkm, is located in Adjumani district.
Nsubuga said the encroachers were believed to be heavily armed with bows and arrows.
alt147A youth, armed with a panga, wanted to attack Turyagumanawe. However, the panga was confiscated, but no arrests were made,alt148 Nsubuga said.
On February 1, the Cabinet set up an inter-ministerial committee to remove the encroachers from the reserve.
Nsubuga said despite the strong hostility from the encroachers, the forces were determined to use persuasive means rather than force to get them out.
Nsubuga said UWA and the Police had provided trucks to transport the encroachers back to their original villages. However, the residents had so far reportedly refused to board the trucks.
alt147The forces will continue sensitising the people to leave voluntarily but in the meantime, they have restricted entry into the reserve. The encroachers will also not be allowed to cultivate any gardens within the reserve,alt148 Nsubuga said.
According to Nsubuga, the areas most encroached upon were Apaar and Lakang.
alt147Apart from establishing homesteads, the encroachers also set up trading centres and a market within the reserve,alt148 Nsubuga said.
The wildlife found in the reserve include elephants, buffaloes, Uganda Kobs, waterbucks and bushbucks.