Apaa Residents Reject Gov’t Food Aid, ‘‘good if true, we will take it to those that need it’’ says OPM Commissioner

Residents of Apaa parish in Amuru district on Wednesday reportedly rejected relief food items donated by the government, according to residents and political leaders from Amuru district.

The office of the Prime Minister (OPM) donated the relief food to the displaced following deadly clashes over a disputed ownership of a chunk of land along the Amuru- Adjumani border.

The clashes on Wednesday last week left five people dead, more than twenty injured and thousands displaced.

The food items including 50 bags of maize meal (posho) and 460 bags of beans were delivered on Monday this week and kept at a store in Apaa trading centre.

During a meeting held at Apaa trading yesterday, the matter on whether to take the government food or not was put to a vote by show of hands. The majority reportedly said no.

Martina Adong, 70, one of the displaced in Apaa said she needs non-foot items like tarpaulins, saucepans and cups she lost when her hut was set ablaze by suspected attackers from Adjumani district.

Joren Obwona, also a displaced, questioned why the government had ‘‘this time round supported residents of Apaa yet it had not since 2012.’’

Obwona described the food relief as a mockery considering the scale of violence experienced by the survivors, some of whom lost relatives.

Early this week, the Prime Minister Dr Rukunda visited Gulu and Amuru on what he termed a ‘‘fact finding visit’’ on the clashes in Apaa. During his visit Dr Rugunda met the Acholi Paramount chief and political and religious leaders from Gulu and Amuru.

Good news if food is rejected, we will take it to those who need it, says OPM Commissioner

Asked on Wednesday afternoon by Acholi Times if the office of the Prime Minister had received reports that relief food it had donated had been rejected by intended beneficiaries, Martin Owor, the commissioner for disaster said his office had not received any such reports quickly adding that if the food has been rejected then ‘‘it is good news because I will send trucks to collect the food and send to those who need it.’’

Michael Lakony, the Amuru LCV Chairperson who was meant to supervise the distribution of the food said he will respect the ‘‘wish of the people’’ (rejecting the food) and inform the office of the prime minister about the rejection.

Mr Lakony had earlier told Acholi Times that the food items were delivered on the request of leaders from Amuru. How the food got rejected by a people who should be in need is perplexing.

Suspicions about the government runs deep in Apaa. The general feeling is that the government is siding with Adjumani district in the boundary dispute that Amuru has with Adjumani.

Political offices in Amuru from that of the LC5 Chairman to members of parliament is mostly held by the Forum for Democratic Change (FDC). So Opposition- government politics is also at play.

Residents of Apaa have meanwhile demanded for improved security and a visit to the area by the Prime Minister Dr Ruhakana Ruganda. During his Gulu, Amuru and Adjumani visit, Dr Rugunda did not visit the victims of the clashes in Apaa.  But he has promised to visit the area in the near future.

Amuru district and Apaa specifically has been a hot bed of land- related conflicts. At least 470 households, about 21, 000 residents, have been affected by the boundary dispute between Amuru and Adjumani.