XR Africa media team

Bugoma forest attack:
MEETING 30/06/2020
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Host Simon a journalist

~ the fight has defeated the kingdom of Bunyoro
~it is an ancestral cultural heritage
~under bu York or the sugar factory
~Uganda loses over 200 hectares of forests annually the situation is worsening..the sugar plantations and tea estates.

100% of the forests are depleted more so in the aubergine region.

~Animals are trapped e.g chimpanzees are trapped in Kibaale and other zones.
We need to lay a foundation

Uganda
Biodiversity trust ( Juliet)
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Insurance and Business management
Water and environment media Network.

~the forestry sector loses 200 hectres per year in Uganda in 5 years 9% has been destroyed

~ Biggest destruction is from the private land 80.19% very high.

~1972 there was a breakdown in the law and people started owning the gazetted land illegally to do charcoal burning and othe human activities

~we do not look at the effects of climate change at all

~ world bank donated and all still gets destroyed.

~the economy still goes back to depend on the forests.

~donors are still trying to fund and restore the forests but more gets destroyed 3 times beyond the repair.

~chimpanzees are attacking homes because their habitats are destroyed.

~we all need and depend on each other it is a chain of biodiversity.

~we need to know the impact these destructive activities will lead us too.

~people re demarcated and the are trying to reclaim it .
~We have to do something but alot of conditions do ot favour our actions.

~the local council has to come up and take better decisions as the coming situation is worse draught will catch with us .
~we must stand up together to consider the needs of these forests save the forests , we should not be pulled .

~we need to hold people accountable

~we are going to elections we must hold our leaders accountable not to remain looking at the charcoal .

~the central government should something.

~we need to have an evaluation process

~if the Kingdom is the rightful owner does it mean they misuse it.

A member of the Uganda law society
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~we need to look at the location of these forests.

~ many oil projects are taking place.

~all is going to spread to the e entire country.

~the solicitor general , antenatal general , land commission all worked together to give out the titles
~ so who should now take accountability?
~24/06 NFA was so just crying.
~for all these years the Government has not ensured that the entire forest are clearly marked they have no boundaries.
~NFA is in court
NMEA is working with the sugar factory to move on with the project.
~Each an every stakeholder and I institutions should take responsibility to ensure success projects do ot take place.

~while NFA is in court there are certain conditions which are had to penetrate through.
~maybe the government should pay off people who are destroying the forests .
~we can analyse decisions by courts to raise enough evidence that is presented in court.
~effects of oil activities in the oil region.
~we need to take it upon ourselves in connection the connection between oil and biodiversity

Gaster MUK
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~if government is demonstrating willingness? ( very complicated to analyse)
~government has divided us
•Parliament vs politics
•Environmentalist vs investors

~we have projected a poor public image characterised by embezzlement, mismanagement, corruption
Government is adamant to listen to us.
~lack of priotisation of the sector
~government uses military illegal institutions , all sorts of force, the miltary whose services are inaccessible in favour of environmentalists.

~nonpossibilitis of lobbying in support by other institutions.
~we.have the honourable minister Anywa has gone silent over this issue.
~when she is speaking she is like smooching
~yesturdays news the presidents land was being grabbed a solution was found yesterday.

~why is the anti corruption actively involved in.support of the Bugoma forest ...president goes to the Kingdom.
~opposition came in during.the Mabira forest now they are all silent
~who is taking lead in this place from the opposition side.
~they attack small encrouchares
~the judiciary
~why cant boundaries be.opened what ever they are reporting is useless.
~president lays off corrupt officials not in ministry of lands.
~Conivence between the developer and Nema

Byakasoro;
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After court ruling that the land belongs to Bunyoro Kingdom

~we need to bring Hoima sugar, Nema and the Kingdom ( it is willing to discuss since there was exchange of money)

~Gaster, actually, the Commissioner for Surveys and Mapping did survey and NFA said that Bunyoro land is outside the forest and yet NFA says it has maps showing the same land as part of Bugoma forest. Its sad that government institutions are contributing to biodiversity degradation.

Joshua ( Chimpanzees sanctuary)
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~wild life is squizzed out of that habitat
~no reports about the impact animal have towards humans when they are pushed out of the forests.
~we are short sighted, leaders are excited by the developments and hob job opportunities
~the Impact assessment analysis that was made makes environmental destroyers more comfortable.

~set a legal team that will defend the forests
~we keep losing cases and getting unfavourable charges to Bugoma.
~we need to engage with the Kingdom.
~we need to fetch some political sympathy to make noise politically within Bunyoro to make some noise.
~we also have our own interests we want to protect but the support on the ground is not enough.
~chimpanzees will attack families, diseases, infections will surface out of this loss

Gaster;
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proposals for way forward
(1) engage the opposition political parties to take on this debate
(2) BKK should sue those it suspects to have been engaged in the illegal deals
(3) Cancel the titles if found null and void
(4) hire independent surveyors if there are no surveyors in this country that can tell the professional truth
(5) invite the citizenry to demand through citizens voices across the country - standing up for their right to a clean environment provided by forests
(6) engage other departments and agencies of government to support NFA
(7) remind parliament of their role in the management of forest that are held in trust for the people of this country
(8) excite the presidential team on corruption to investigate these issues along the ENR laws
(9) DLGs in Bunyoro and their respective MPs.

Feedback….
There is on way you can sit on a round table

Indian family of Kenyan citizenship.

Geoffrey Kayongo ( kingdom of Bunyoro)
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~Maratato boarders are too encroached on
~we may not get much help
~we need to.make a document , petitions to present to parliament
~huge political forces behind this company.

Bunyoro Kingdom Ronald mwesigwa
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~alot was done ...new administration off the one which might have messed everything
~land use is vital for all to come and investigate
~land was pleased to Hoima suger so we need to investigate the lease which was signed more so on the clauses in there .
~the kingdom leased out ...now the one who leased is working hand in hand with BKK to see a way forward.

~Bugoma is different and Kyangwali which is leased out is different
~Bunyoro knows that the forests must be preserved
~Land use is for all of us but the land is being leased by

Annette
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theories , lectures , stories only benefit the elites ...that local woman affected and ready to get mislead into sugar cane plantation off affordability of even a meal in a home may not in anyway help but we need Actions❗❗❗❗❗

Adrian
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I have seen on TV Hon. Nantamba fighting for a forest in Kayunga. Is it possible to interest the MPs from Bunyoro region to do the same.

Robert byakasoro
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we need to carry out a quick evidence based research to inform our subsequent engagements now that the ESIA Declares the contested land a shrub..

Gaster
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@Diana, I now MZ is Mustafa Zaid. What I meant is, who is the political figure behind MZ. And who is also behind Hoima Sugar?

JohnnieK, what you are saying may not be true. Whereas the trees may have reduced, the land that Lugazi Sugar wanted, is still intact.

Kihumuro Philip
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I think what Ronald is presenting is critical. My question is DOES BKK want to maintain the forest and what help does it need from us then?

Patrick
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Thank you moderator, I thnk we should look back on how everyone was engaged in the fight to save Mabira forest. We need to help the communities understand what they are losing at a moment.

Jones
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What help does BKK need? It is still not clear.

Ronald
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Bkk need mediation with Hoima sugar so that the forest is preserved
But the forest is on Bunyoro land

Phillips
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The mediation team needs to be broad and all encompassing! The mediation team should be of people of strong and upright thinking

Jones K
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Mr. Kayongo, Mabira was not saved. What people see is a shell or a skeleton if you want.

Agnes
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if we have lost trust in the Judiciary,then can we think of having Judicial ambassadors who can spearhead this campaign while filled with alot of passion, that is if the proffession allow s

Simon host
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Is there a way this lease can be counseled

Ronald;
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~petitions to parliament can be made

WEMNET UGANDA
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~commissioner of surveys should be taken to courts of law
~if they need negotiations let them be counseled
~engage with NFA and support it in the fight
~defending a law but they cannot defend the problem
~police is pocketed it should be deliberated

Techno:
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Objective 24, look at it's applicability as far as Bunyoro kingdom is concerned ....Bunyoro kingdom is mandated to promote and preserve cultural values and practices to enhance the dignity and well being of Ugandans.
Did they consider that when leasing the land to the sugar company .
Definitely they didn't , such basis and others can be used to fight for the cancelation

WEMNET
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Dear Participants, we would love to keep in touch with you and also share with you the recording. send us here your name, Email, and contact number.

Gaster Kiyingi
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protecting the un-gazetted - you are right. The forestry law provides that they are registered and recognised....that is what MZ and Hoima Sugar should do, if they rightfully own the land.

Ronald ( Bunyoro Kingdom)
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~Land belongs to BKK
~Transactions were not illegal

WEMNET;
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