100 huts burnt in Nebbi inter-clan land clashes

Mayhem. A man looks at what remains of some of the huts that were burnt during the attack in Angule Village in Nebbi District. PHOTO BY PATRICK OKABA

What you need to know:

  • Clash. Household items and livestock were also looted when the Acer clan attacked the Jupu-Omaki.

One person was killed, 100 huts burnt down and an entire village forced to flee into DR Congo after two days of bitter clashes over land.
The inter-clan clashes involved the Acer community and Jupu-Omaki of Angule Village in Ndhew Sub-county, Nebbi District.
The fighting that erupted on Tuesday and ended on Wednesday also saw household items and livestock looted and banana plantations cut down.
The Nebbi District Police Commander, Mr Fred Ahimbisibwe, identified the dead as Gabriel Jakisa, 32, from Jupalyec Village.
Mr Ahimbisibwe criticised the Acer community for acting unlawfully by attacking the Jupu-Omaki.
“We must respect the law and the law must guide us to solve our differences in the communities,” he said.
Violence over the disputed land first erupted in 1996 and was taken to court in 2014.
But the recent unrest was sparked off by additional summon from court for the arrest of some members of Acer community.
Mr Ahimbisibwe said no arrest has been made because the suspects are on the run.
The Ndhew Sub-county chairperson, Mr Bosco Okwai, urged the two communities to settle the disputes amicably to avoid further bloodshed.
“We must teach our children to respect the law and not to take law into their own hands,” Mr Okwai said.
He added that many innocent mothers, babies and the elderly are spending sleepless nights in bushes over an issue which should have been handled amicably by the elders.
An elder from the Acer community, Mr Angwe Oyeki, 81, said the disputed land being claimed by Jupu-omaki was dedicated as a community grazing ground.
“The Jupu-Omaki of Angule were hosted as refugees from DR Congo, they don’t own land here, but they are claiming more than what our clan chief gave them,” Mr Angwe said.
He added that the clan was hosted by the traditional chief of Acer in 1964 on the disputed land that covers nearly 500 acres.
Daily Monitor was unable to independently verify this claim.