Uganda: Environmental and land rights defenders face harassment and arrest for anti-eviction protests. Includes company responses
Land and environmental defenders in Uganda face ongoing threats and intimidation for their activism against forced evictions and environmental harms. Human rights defenders and their lawyers have allegedly been arbitrarily arrested and risk criminal charges. Some of these attacks are related to their opposition to operations of some multinational companies, namely Hoima Sugar Ltd, Total, Tullow Oil, China National Offshore Oil Corporation (CNOOC), Agilis Partners, Great Season Company Limited and Kiryandongo Sugar Limited. Business & Human Rights Resource Centre invited the companies named to respond to allegations.
Tullow Oil and Total responded to the allegations. BHRRC is waiting for a response from Agilis Partners that will be added in due time. CNOOC and Rai Holdings (owner of Kiryandongo Sugar Ltd. and Hoima Sugar Factory) did not respond. BHRRC could not reach out to Great Season Ltd.