UWA, Police named top human rights violators by new survey
By Gerald Matembu
Uganda Wildlife Authority (UWA) and the Uganda Police Force (UPF) have been named as top human rights violators in eastern Uganda while the Uganda Prisons Service (UPS) have been commended for respecting human rights.
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The findings are contained in a new survey by Human Rights and Peace Center, School of Law Makerere University.
The report was presented by Hatuna Kiberu, a research Associate from Human Rights and Peace Center.
The report reveals that human rights violations such as torture, extrajudicial killings, illegal arrest and detention by UWA were recorded between 2016 and 2018 in regard to the national park boundary conflict.
The report also revealed that people were detailed and tortured at in room 21, CPS Mbale in 2017.
UWA has been urged to adopt a human rights approach to conservation.
Over 31 people are reported to have been executed by police and UWA in the course of their operations.
While responding to the findings, representatives from police and UWA blamed the problem on a violent public which puts the security officers lives in danger They however noted that interventions are underway to minimise the tension between UWA and the community.
The deputy RPC Elgon ASP Omara Cyrus explained the challanges encountered in implementing the 24 hour detention rule adding that sometimes they are caught between rock and a hard place of law and saving lives of victims.
The 105 paged report released in February 2019, also exposes human rights violations in other parts of the country including operations by UPDF along Lake Victoria and in Kasese during the entry into the Rwenzururu King’s palace, police high handedness in controlling assemblies and conducting arrests.
Others include, security agencies defying court orders, abuse of habeaus caupas, supression of political liberties,
It also pointed to the unwillingness of security operatives to take advise when faced with pressure to conduct an operation.
