Two killed, five injured in land dispute

Two people have been hacked to death and five others severely injured in clashes involving an escalating land dispute between the residents of Abim and Amuria Districts at the border point of Morulem sub county.
The disputed piece of land measures over 3 kilometres.
Some of the residents who by yesterday had fled from Obulin, Nyarikidi, Nyakoi and Osuruga villages in the disputed areas to Obalanga Sub County in Amuria District, told Daily Monitor that about 100 men and one woman armed with machetes from Abim side stormed their villages torching several homes and killing two people in the process.

The deceased were identified as Juvetino Eyelu, 70 and Samson Emodu, 37 while the injured were identified as Joyce Akello, Maritino Okede, Silver Emojong, James Okello and a one only identified as Epesu, all residents of Osuruga village, in the disputed former Bokora hunting.
“We are living in fear. We are being killed and our homes burnt to ashes, our property including cattle are being driven away,” said Mr Silver Emorut, one of the affected residents.
Mr Emorut further noted that after the attack, the assailants drove away his 10 animals, goats and also made off with his family motorcycle.

He said their endless attempts to call for rescue from the Abim security officials were never answered until, the RDC Amuria Joseph Osoto ordered for the deployment of a team of Uganda People’s Defence Forces (UPDF) to peruse the assailants.
Mr Robert Erisat Okitoi, LC5 Amuria said that some of the injured people were admitted with broken limbs in Amuria Health Centre IV and Soroti Hospital respectively.
“We intend to go and meet, the leaders of Abim and its security over these unending killings of our people of Amuria on the disputed land,” he said.

Mr Osoto accused the Abim Member of Parliament Michael Ayepa and other newly elected leaders in the district for fuelling tension against the Itesots settled on the disputed land.
He said the MP has on various occasions made inflammatory statements against the Itesots resettling back on their land, saying the land in question was gazzetted as Bokora hunting corridor by the colonialists but in 1958, the British gave back the land to the Itesots who lived on it until late 60s when they fled following cattle rustling by Karimojongs.
“We shall not allow people to use their positions to cause lawlessness,” Mr Osoto said.
But Mr Ayepa denied his involvement in abetting crime and killings of people on the disputed land, adding that he has on several occasions called for inter-border settlements of Itesots and Acholi Labwor.