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HRD Attack

18 Jun 2021

Sipiriano Baluma

Incident date
18 Jun 2021
Date accuracy
All Correct
Sipiriano Baluma
Male
Human Rights Defender, Affected community's leader or member
Arbitrary detention
Target: Individual
Location of Incident: Uganda
Great Season-SMC Ltd. Uganda Coffee, Agriculture/food/beverage/tobacco/fishing: General
Kiryandongo Sugar Ltd. (part of Rai Holdings Private Limited) Uganda Sugar, Agriculture/food/beverage/tobacco/fishing: General
Rai Holdings Private Limited (Rai Group) Mauritius Sugar, Agriculture/food/beverage/tobacco/fishing: General
Other actors

Sources

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.