Sipiriano Baluma
المصادر
Sipiriano Baluma (or Sepriano Baluma) is a land rights defender and a member of a community that alleges to be illegally and violently evicted and land grabbed by Great Seasons Company in Uganda. In June 2021, he was arrested with land right defender Martin Munyansia and two other community members, identified as Byaruhanga Ronald (aged 16), and Godfrey Munyansia, all residents of Jerusalem- Kisalanda, Kitwala sub-county in Kiryandongo district. According to reports, the 'unlawful' arrest was carried out by police officers guarding Great Seasons SMC Limited plantations, as well as five private security guards of the company. Eyewitnesses explained that the police and guards attacked the families from their gardens in Kisalanda, claiming that they had trespassed on company land.
Both Baluma and Munyasia have been previously criminalised for their land rights defense work. Munyansia and other seven land rights defenders are charged with threatening violence. Baluma had been allegedly arbitrarily detained by police while lodging a complaint regarding the destruction of his crops.