Indigenous Group decry unfair treatment during planting Season

By Gerard Niyirinda

The Batwa community in Birara village, Kagunga Parish in Bukimbiri Sub-county, Kisoro district have called on the relevant authorities to step in and intervene on price discrimination of payment during planting season.

As the rainy season begins to take shape, households across the district have begun preparing the land to plant Irish Potatoes, Beans and Maize.

The Batwa group, led by their Chairpersons Vastina Ayinkamiye (Woman Chairperson) and Sembagare Francis, have said they can no longer live under such marginalized conditions.

Ayinkamiye says when the Batwa offer services to prepare the land for other people in Kisoro (Hutus and Bakimbiri), they get paid 5000 Ugandan shillings (1.30 USD) while their counterparts get as much as 7000 or 8000 Ugandan shillings (2.08 USD) for a day’s work.

She further noted that the Sub County leadership often sidelines them by not involving them in the planning and implementing processes which affects how they access vital information to help them come out of poverty.

Sembagare says, other tribes are violent towards the Batwa, especially at most drinking places, where Hutus and other tribes carry sticks which they use to beat Batwa.

Sembagare admits that his own son, was recently beaten by unknown people.

These reactions were made during a weeklong meeting organized by United Organization for Batwa Development in Uganda (UBDOU) which brought together other indigenous groups from Kabongo and Kwen districts to share experiences.

These included the Tapeth, Ike and Benet.

The Batwa, formerly forest dwellers, were forced out of the forests by Government in a bid to protect the wildlife and biodiversity.

The Batwa were never compensated with land and majority, especially in Kisoro have struggled to find their place in society, with some living from hand to mouth through street performances, begging and doing odd jobs.

The representatives of the Tapeth, Ike and Benet urged the Batwa in Kisoro to educate their children and ensure that they get involved in various leadership positions, if the voice of the Batwa is to be heard by Government.

United Organization for Batwa Development in Uganda seeks to empower and support the Batwa have their own representative in Parliament, one day.