By Gilbert Akampa Kakurugu,
NATIONAL
The Batwa people living in Kisoro District have appealed to the European Union for help, claiming that they are being mistreated by the Ugandan government.
On Friday this week, members of an EU delegation visited the Batwa people to assess their living conditions, years after they were evicted from forests by other tribes. In a letter addressed to the district commissioner, Vasitina Ayinkamire expressed concern about the Batwa’s miserable and worrying state of life. But despite this, she said that no measures had been taken by the government to help them.
She noted that the Batwa were friends with gorillas and other wild animals, but they had been separated from them because of tourism—an activity that brought a lot of money to the government, though none was given back for rehabilitating or developing these people.
Ayinkamire says that the government has always been quick to intervene and help other people whenever there are natural disasters in this country, but for Batwa—who have also suffered as a result of such tragedies—there is no assistance. She commended the United Organisation for Batwa Development in Uganda (UOBDU)
She asked political leaders to always table issues that affect the Batwa, especially in education and health sectors.
The Kisoro district UOBDU Coordinator told the European Union ambassadors that Batwa also faces a challenge of lack of identity since the times of being evicted by the government from forests.
Hajji Shafiq Ssekandi, RDC Kisoro supported Batwa pleas for government assistance by agreeing to provide free services because they cannot afford anything themselves.He urged the government and European Union to collaborate in finding enough land for the Batwa.
Hon. Eddie Kwizera Wagahungu, legislator of the Bukimbiri constituency vowed to engage government officials in order to ensure that Batwa benefit from all projects and other incentives given by the government.
