We are ready to demolish structures at Bariffa land; occupants must vacate-MP Atiku.

Ayivu County MP Bernard Atiku.

Arua RDC Ibrahim Abiriga

The controversial Barifa land.

We are ready to demolish structures at Bariffa land; occupants must vacate-MP Atiku.

By Robert Ariaka Yiti

Arua. October 6, 2012

The Member of Parliament for Ayivu county Bernard Atiku has launched a move to mobilize concerned citizens of West Nile region who need development to rally behind him come October 12, 2012 to evict the occupants of Bariffa land forest reserve which was occupied by Gen. Salin Saleh by the time of paying EX-combatants.

“As a necessity, duty and also due to public outcry, I am compelled to request all those that are against land grabbing going on rampantly in our country to join the people of Arua in a mass demonstration to evict Gen. Salim Saleh from Barifa forest reserve” the fully charged FDC strong hold said.

The legislature said, according to evidence gathered, it is now clear that, the Gen. Saleh is prepared to grab six acres of the forest land. I welcome views on strategies to accomplish this eviction demonstration.

Atiku made the statements in an interview with our reporter on Saturday. I am going to spear head the people of West Nile to protest and evict the occupants of the forest since we do not have a legal document that specifies giving away the land to anybody, but we see permanent structures are being erected in the de-gazetted land.

The law maker confirmed to our reporter that, recently all the LC5 leaders of the eight districts in West Nile met with members of parliament over the illegally occupied Bariffa land, and an ultimatum of two weeks was given to the occupants to leave the place a period which would elapse on October 12, 2012.

“If this period ends without the occupants vacating the forest reserve, all the people of West Nile should join him in evicting them. I will come with fresh seedlings of trees to be planted at the cleared land and we shall break down the structures that are been erected in the land” Atiku reiterated.

According to the law maker, if the law is been abused by grabbing people land forcefully, then national Forest Authority should stop working and anybody can grab any piece of land in this country to settle in without others complaining since it is an example seen from the family of the President who is the head of state.

Arua gave district gave Bariffa to national forest authority to take care on behalf of the people but not to be abused, but we have clearly seen NFA is conniving with government officials in grabbing the land which is abuse of the law and a highly placed corruption Atiku observed.

When Gen. Saleh requested for a land to pay off Ex- service men for a period of three months, Arua RDC Col. Ibrahim Abiriga went to NFA and later ordered for a grader to clear the land which theyb said would be used for only a period of three months, but since then, new developments are taking place at the site.

"Your Excellency the presidents of Uganda, the people who are involved in land grabbing are the people who are said to be around you", one journalist raised this concern to you the president during a press conference with the journalists in Rwakitura last month, But the president's response to me was very negative, therefore am convinced let the struggle go onI stand behind as we plan to evict the land grabbers at Bariffa” Ngolobe Dauson said in his face book comment.

“They do it without any sense of shame, the only thing we are left to do is to confront them and allow them to kill some few of us before they can quit. We are ready to put our blood down for our land. The president and his brother used this very place to deceive ex-servicemen around the general elections of 2011 and now they want to go with the land even before fulfilling the promises to the ex-servicemen. We say NO WAY!

If Museveeni wasn't President, would Gen. Saleh grab land in Barifa? That's why it's time to say no to M7's life presidency to lead people, walk beside them” the FDC die hard said.

 Recently, Pressure mounted from all corners forced Arua RDC Ibrahim Abiriga to reveal who is behind the developments at the 400 square meter land in the un gazetted Barifa forest in Arua
municipality.
An interview our reporter conducted with the RDC, Abiriga said General Salim Saleh a brother to President Yoweri Museveni is the one behind the ongoing developments at Barifa and before the developments started it was West Nile Leaders including Arua municipal officials who handed over the land.

Some of the developments in the area include, construction of two houses of which one has reached roofing level, construction of a perimeter wall fence and aligning of containers as accommodation for the workers.

 Abiriga who was at the center of grabbing the land unveiled that the land was not going to be given back since Gen. Saleh had plans to build a five star hotel as income generating project for the ex-combatants which did not materialize.

But now the RDC says the developments at the land belong to Gen. Saleh and it was Okayed by West Nile leaders adding people who are not satisfied should go to court.

Col Abiriga’s latest revelation about the land has not gone down well with some leaders particularly from Arua municipality.

Martin Andua Drani, who was the acting town clerk says they have never taken part in any meeting organized by Gen Salim Saleh where the land was officially given as claimed by the RDC.

He says if the land was given when they were aware they should have not written letters to stop the development in the place. According to Andua when the land was been cleared by a group of Russian contractors, they tried to stop them,but because some people claim to be above the law they said the order was from above and yet they knew the motive behind taking of the land.

However Taban Yasin, Yumbe district LC 5 chairperson who also doubles as the chairperson a loose consortium of West Nile districts says they are not aware of the claims by the RDC. Taban who confessed to have attended a meeting where Gen. Saleh asked for the land says what they only pronouncement was that because Arua municipal had applied to Parliament to De gazette the land anybody who wants to develop the place should liaise with them because they have the plan for
development of the plots.

Barifa forest which is about 10 hectares currently belongs to the National Forest Authority. But when contact whether they are aware about the developments at the forest none of the officials at the regional NFA offices in Arua were committal about it saying they have not got any information.

End.