Dear Brothers and Sisters, Reading from what Mr. Adrale has presented graphically from what is happening in the Barifa Forest, I think there has to a swift movement to legal action. A week has almost passed since this issue was brought to the attention of WNF forum, and it appears more trees are being felled, moreover, this started way before this issue was brought on the Forum. Procastination in taking action is like fighting while running away from the enemy. Ringtho just provided an example of what happened in Usi Forest in Warr, the Arua Airport barren lands is another example of land wasting. We need that greenery in Barifa to protect the town from environmental calamities. The logic of satellite town in Arua beats my understanding. What created the need for a satellite town in Arua? and when was the decision to build a satellite town in Arua without any regard for the already existing town made and by whom?. It appears to me Abiriga's responsibility in Arua is to destroy the resources of Arua, rather than protect the resources of Arua. Do we allow our own brother to indulge into such a damage without challenging him? Why should work done in good faith be guarded by military personnel? Does this not clearly show that there is something very wrong and sinister against the people of West Nile by the so called people above. Is this not a way of showing or exposing the people of West Nile that we are stupid and we can be treated in the most despicable manner and our land can be taken by foreigners while we are watching without doing anything? People we must not allow ourselves to be enslaved by people who think they have money and our lives can be bought with money. Where are the journalists in West Nile and politicians who should come out and condemn this land grabbing. I do not see any story of this issue on any papers and it is well over weeks now. Why is West Nile so docile when it comes to grabbing their resources? Are we cursed that land grabbing is occurring infront of our eyes and the people can not rise up and defend their property. Is that what poverty has reduced us to, to be abused and tramped upon without saying anything? Can we at least not learn from our brothers and sister from Acholi who probably suffered in the camps more than us and yet had the courage and honour to resist land grabbing in their area. Where are our politicians and religious leaders in this issue?. The local population needs to be mobilized for a protest about this land grabbing or else we shall be beggars in our own region or house. This is very insulting and should not be tolerated. The legal fraternity needs to act quickly to bring all involved including Abiriga to book. If the government belongs to the people why should Abiriga intimidate local people with military personnel.This is human rights issue as well. Please the legal fraternity needs to act rather than wait as the forest may be fast disappearing.
On Fri, Dec 17, 2010 at 9:51 AM, aggrey adrale <[email protected]>wrote: > Mickson, > > This is not a rumour anymore. I have a residence sharing borders with the > forest. Indeed prisoners are seen under the watchfull eyes of the Arua RDC, > Ibrahim Abiriga, clearing the block of trees starting from the fireline > directly opposite Mzee Dranimva's Home, proceeding towards the next fireline > running inside the forest parallel to Oluko road and connecting to the > fireline behind Oasis Inn. All the trees surrounding the abandoned house > near former CARE office are being cleared. When asked, Mr. Abiriga says it > is orders from above (I've been reliably informed that Gen. Caleb > Akandwanaho is behind this scheme). My Wife even inquired from the NFA > Resident Range Manager who says he has not received any orders from anywhere > apart from Mr. Abiriga's militarily guarded operations clearing that block > of the forest. Of course Arua Municipal Council as an interested party in > the land should come up to inform the public on what is going on. > > That Barifa has been sold to Salim Saleh, et al, to construct modern > satellite town has been a rumour running for more than five years now and I > think the truth is now unfolding. Our concern however is that Arua Municipal > Council may have already lost money to NFA by way of compensating the latter > with land at Kaza, in Logiri and further to that is likelihood of local > stakeholders losing out on their interests in the now contested land. > > Is that a rumour anymore? > > Aggrey Adrale > > > --- On *Fri, 17/12/10, Mickson Abati <[email protected]>* wrote: > > > From: Mickson Abati <[email protected]> > Subject: {Disarmed} Re: [WestNileNet] {Disarmed} Re: Barifa Land Grabbed > To: "A Virtual Network for friends of West Nile" <[email protected]> > Date: Friday, 17 December, 2010, 14:54 > > > Dear All > > This sounds as roumers, for if it was true that Barifa is being grabed > without the concent of the Municipal Authorities Our dear Town Clark would > have issued a statement to conter these numerous out busts. For me as of > now i dismiss the above refference as roumers. I pray that this time the > GoodLord will Intervene to defend the voiceless and punish the parpetrators > who want to take away our only becon of hope. > > Long live WNF > > Enjoaye. > > > --- On *Fri, 17/12/10, aggrey adrale <[email protected]>* wrote: > > > From: aggrey adrale <[email protected]> > Subject: {Disarmed} Re: [WestNileNet] Barifa Land Grabbed > To: "A Virtual Network for friends of West Nile" <[email protected]> > Date: Friday, 17 December, 2010, 9:41 > > Hi Caleb, > > Thanks for this information and guidance on what to do. For me the > resolution is long drawn that we cannot allow people to interfere with the > acquisition process that was already on-going. > > What is the take of Arua Municipal Council on this? > > For me as a member of WNF I suggest we immediately give instructions to our > lawyers to seek court injunction to immediately cutail the recent > developments and compensation to the relevant authorities for the damage > already done. Perhaps we could also look at the option of suing some people > like Ibrahim Abiriga et al, who are physically overseeing the land grabbing > and clearing process at Barifa Central Forest Reserve. > > That's my take > > --- On *Tue, 14/12/10, Caleb Alaka <[email protected]>* wrote: > > > From: Caleb Alaka <[email protected]> > Subject: [WestNileNet] Barifa Land Grabbed > To: "A Virtual Network for friends of West Nile" <[email protected]> > Date: Tuesday, 14 December, 2010, 14:34 > > As you are all aware, Barifa forest is one of the Central Government > Forest reserves. Some two or so years ago, Arua Municipal Council attempted > to expand and extend its boundaries for a better planned Town. The Municipal > then applied to the National Forest Authority to have Barifa de-gazetted. > NFA accepted on condition that the Municipal Council got an alternative land > for the forest. Municipal then got land worth 100 Million Shillings in > Logiri and it has been paying for the land. I understand the Municipal > Council intended to re-plan Barifa into a new Arua Town. Now some people > have emerged from nowhere claiming that they are acting "on orders from > above" and they have been clearing Barifa forest. The RDC Arua is the one > purportedly supervising these people who have moved several trucks on the > land. For us to act as WNF, we need a resolution and or a consent of the > members so that we instruct our lawyers to file a suit stopping these guys > from constructing any thing on the land and evicting them. If this situation > is not arrested, Arua Municipal Council will loose the 100 Million > shillings, we shall not have a better planned town and we shall in the words > of the Bishop be worthless. What is your take on this > > -----Inline Attachment Follows----- > > _______________________________________________ > WestNileNet mailing list > *MailScanner has detected a possible fraud attempt from > "uk.mc297.mail.yahoo.com" claiming to be* *MailScanner has detected a > possible fraud attempt from "uk.mc297.mail.yahoo.com" claiming to be* > *MailScanner > has detected a possible fraud attempt from "uk.mc297.mail.yahoo.com" > claiming to be* > [email protected]<http://uk.mc297.mail.yahoo.com/mc/[email protected]> > http://orion.kym.net/mailman/listinfo/westnilenet > > WestNileNet is generously hosted by INFOCOM http://www.infocom.co.ug/ > > All Archives can be found at > http://www.mail-archive.com/[email protected]/ > > The above comments and data are owned by whoever posted them (including > attachments if any). 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