Launch of the State of Karamoja platform
Karamoja sub region is mineral rich and is currently home to mining of precious
metals like marble stones, lime stones, gold, platinum, copper, magnesium and other
stones such as ruby, red garnet, magnetic stones. The nomadic pastoralism and
customary tenure- Communal Land system in the area has exposed the local
communities to rampant evictions from their land, inadequate compensation rates
and unfair compensation processes. The communities are not in position to make
informed choices and take benefit of their resources mainly because they lack the
necessary information and they are never consulted in grant of mineral leases. Worse
still information on mineral benefits is opaque and out of rich of the local
communities. This opaqueness breeds guessing as to the size of the natural resource
envelope, a fact that has led to violence and conflict in most resource rich countries.
The existing gender inequality leaves rights and livelihoods of women and other
marginalized gender groups in a bottomless pit.
Whereas it is important that people take benefits from the mineral wealth, it is also
vital that people pursue alternative options of economic activity. To this end
protecting the environment (especially impacts of mineral activities) and adaptation
of climate change become vital pillars in the quest for food security and sustainable
livelihoods.
The above pitfalls notwithstanding, most participants at the launch noted that several
seminars, training sessions, outreaches held in Karamoja have not led to improvement in
standards of leaving nor reduced the poverty levels in the region. Unanimously, the
participants called for a need to employ a different advocacy strategy. For example
instead of calling for the usual training of thirty participants, this has to be substituted
with a mass sensitization and accountability mechanisms where over 200 community
members gather; to present their petitions to their leaders, for sensitization talks, and
engage their leaders, various stake holders, development partners, mining companies
and other infrastructure structure projects.
Partnering with Advocats San Frontiers (ASF) and with financial support of the
Belgium Development Cooperation (DGD); on the 17th March 2020, ANARDE together
with its grassroots partners launched the State of Karamoja Platform (SOK) at Kalipp
hall, Moroto Municipality.
The platform will be held once every month, and a steering committee was nominated
and put in pace for this purpose.
It is our sincere hope and belief that the platform shall generate practical approaches
and policy solutions to contemporary challenges experienced by communities in
Karamoja region.
