"PRESS STATEMENT ON THE INSECURITY ARISING FROM THE IMPLEMENTATION OF THE WADELAI IRRIGATION PROJECT SCHEME IN PAKWACH DISTRICT"

In January 2021, Buliisa Initiative for Rural Development Organization (BIRUDO), a non-government organization and member of the Uganda Consortium on Corporate Accountability (UCCA), conducted a situation analysis to assess the impact of the Wadelai Irrigation Project on the environment and livelihoods of the affected communities during its implementation in Wadelai sub-county, Pakwach District... In July 2021, the Criminal Investigation Department of the Police at Pakwach summoned six (6) members of the community with allegations that they are sabotaging the project. BIRUDO was able to provide legal representation for them during the police interrogation and secured them police bond...

The UCCA condemns such continued acts of intimidation and the use of force to acquire the project land. This intimidation has spread to the community where many feel it is unsafe to express their concerns regarding the land acquisition process by the project...

The UCCA calls upon the African Development Bank to:

• Ensure that the project complies to Operational safeguard 2 on Involuntary resettlement: land acquisition, population displacement and compensation.
• Ensure that a functional Project-level Grievance and Redress Mechanism to attend to the community concerns is established or made functional if already established.

The UCCA calls upon the Nordic Development Fund to:

• Suspend funding this project until human rights due diligence is conducted.
• Ensure the protection of Human Rights Defenders working with the community.