Land conflicts and internally displaced persons’ resettlement in Amuru District, 2006 to 2010.

Abstract

This study explored how land conflicts have undermined post conflict resettlement process in Amuru district. It also looked at causes, actors, drivers, and effects of land conflicts in Amuru district.

This study used case study design and employed qualitative and quantitative approaches and semi-structured interviews to collect data. Focus Group Discussions were also conducted in three sub-counties of Amuru, Pabbo and Purongo. Fifteen (15) key respondents were interviewed while 36 persons participated in Focus Group Interviews. Data was analysed using descriptive and interpretive approaches. Analyses of the data was also done. Amuru has been retro-active in many ways in managing land conflicts which has promoted land conflicts and this has been worsened by the discovery of oil and investor interests in Amuru district.

Causes of land conflicts were found to be lack of land policy, discovery of oil in Amuru district, migration, ever increasing population, human displacement, internationalization of land conflicts, neo-liberal and imperial forces and companies, over two decades of the LRA war and un-codified customary laws among others.

Findings indicated a multiplicity of drivers and actors in land conflicts in Amuru district including political leaders, security personnel, investors, Resident District Commissioners, government agencies like Uganda Wildlife Authority and National Forest Authority, Cultural leaders and local communities among others. The nature of conflicts were inter-clan conflicts, conflicts between families, districts, inter-tribal conflicts, between the state and the locals, investors and communities, and between individuals and strong persons. Some were boundary in nature. Effects of land conflicts noted were killings (death),famine, landlessness and evictions, fear, mistrust for government, low levels of development, poverty, and undermining of ancestoral rights among others. The study provides recommendations to different stakeholders in managing not only the return process in relation to land, but also ways of addressing land conflicts in Amuru district.