Buliisa fishermen cry of harassment, extortion by Congolese security

BULIISA | Fishermen and local leaders in the mid-western district of Buliisa say Congolese security operatives are stretching their activities on Lake Albert to the limit.

Already stretched by the Fisheries Protection Unit over required fishing gear, fishermen at landing sites of Wanseko, Butiaba and Walukuba claim repeated harassment and extortion by security from across the borders in DR Congo.

"These security forces of Congo, they will just arrest you, they normally claim that the most part of Lake Albert waters is on their side, and accuse us of crossing to their side," said Michael Bikanga, a fisherman at Wanseko landing site.

Fishing is one of the main economic activity of people around the three landing sites but security operatives from DR Congo arrest, torture, impound fishing gear from the Ugandans, accusing them of crossing into their waters.

But the fishermen are frustrated because there is no borderline on the lake.

"I tell you, once you get into their hands, they take you to Cong,o torture you, and you are only let freed if you pay between Shs2 million and Shs3 million," Bikanga said.

Ms Polly Akello, the Butiaba Sub-county fisheries officer, confirmed receiving such complaints, but said they are powerless to influence anything.

Ms Akello blamed the different policies which do not match, citing Uganda where the recommended net is between four to eight inches, while in DR Congo a net of two inches is allowed. In Uganda, lumps are allowed while across the border it is illegal.

"So our call to government is to harmonise these policies because some Congolese people have also been arrested here for illegal fishing," she said.

Fred Lukumu, the district chairman, tasked the fishing community leadership to ensure that all boats are registered, and guide them on the right fishing gear but also areas that are not supposed to cross to.

"I know it's painful to have our people arrested and asked such huge sums of money to be released by a neighbour country, but also leaders ensure that you guide well your people, know where they should not cross but also build a good working relationship with the security teams in Congo," Lukumu said.

Addressing fishermen during a consultative conference on the on-going national process for developing fisheries co-management guidelines for Uganda's fisheries sector in Buliisa, Lukumu said the Fisheries Protection Unit (FPU) was not doing enough to protect the fishing sector.

"FPU have been here for since 2017, but what have they achieved? Maybe harassing our people," he said.

"I think the proposal by the president to co-manage the sector is timely, UPDF cannot love the sector like the fishermen."

Akello advocated for a fishing holiday instead of restriction.

"Instead of burning and making life hard for the fishermen, government can plan how they can have a fishing holiday to enable fish grow and avoid fishing immature fish," he said.

"This is happening in Congo, I believe we can benchmark and see how it works."

The fishing community have drafted a document that they want to deliver to the President. The fisherman are seeking to guide the President on how he can use community elders to streamline the fishing sector.