INDIGENOUS COMMUNITIES AND KNOWLEDGE: MINORITY RIGHTS AND HERITAGE

1. INDIGENOUS COMMUNITIES AND KNOWLEDGE: MINORITY RIGHTS AND HERITAGE The 15th International Conference of National Trusts Entebbe, Uganda 30th September – 4th October 2013 A presentation by: Barnabas Busheshe and Denis Kato

2. Presentation structure • A brief about Atacama Consulting • Minority groups • Minority groups in Uganda • Conservation versus minority rights • Attempts to evict the Benet • The Benet and conservation • Conclusion • Recommendations

3. A brief about Atacama Consulting • Environmental Consultancy firm established in 2004 and based in Kampala. • Its four core areas of business include Environmental Assessments and Audits, Trainings, Evaluations, and Technical Advice and Policy Analysis. • A Partnership registered with National Environment Management Authority. • Certified to international standards (ISO 14001, ISO 9001 and OHSAS 18001). • Has carried out numerous assignments for the private, public and NGO entities. • Firm has a pool of a multi-disciplinary staff and associates and affiliations with a number of International Consultancy firms.

4. Minority Groups Oxford dictionary: “Small groups within a community or country that is different because of race, religion, language, etc”. IFC, “Social groups with identities that are distinct from mainstream groups in national societies”. They are often marginalised and vulnerable among the population.

5. Minority groups in Uganda • A variety of ethnic groups exist in Uganda. • Only a few are indigenous. • Most of the minority groups are indigenous people. • Ethnic minority groups comprise an estimated 10% of Uganda’s total population (Minority Rights Group International). • Examples; • The Benet • The Batwa • IK

6. Rights of minority groups in Uganda • Article 32 assigns a responsibility to the State to take affirmative action in favour of groups marginalised including those for reasons created by history, tradition or custom, for the purpose of redressing imbalances which exist against them; • Article 36 grants minority groups a right to participate in the decision making process with due consideration of their views and interests in the formulation of national plans and programmes; • The Land Act of 1998 and the National Environment Statute of 1995 protect customary interests in land and traditional uses of forests; • Some ethnic groups continue to be disproportionately affected by the social problems which include: • Community conflicts; • Limited access to social services; and • Low participation in decision making.

7. Life style of the Benet/ Ndorobo • Benet lived in forests of Mt. Elgon as the native people before the migration of the Bantu and Nilotics; • They are traditionally hunters; honey and fruit gathers; and • They relied on forests for herbal medicine, fruits, vegetables and basket making materials.

8. Life style of the Benet

9. Location of Benet

10. Attempts to resettle the Benet • In 1983, 6,000 hectares were set aside to resettle the Benet out of the Mt. Elgon Forests in a bid to conserve the forest as a National Park. • In 2002, the Ugandan parliament officially degazetted the 6,000 hectares in line with the earlier decision to resettle the “landless” people. • Civil servants and district leaders in charge of distributing land instead parceled the land to themselves while the lucky Benet; sold the land and returned to the forest. (The daily Monitor 17th June 2013)

11. Attempts to resettle Benet Continued…. • There have been numerous land conflicts between the Benet and Uganda Wildlife Authority (UWA) since they were thrown out of their ancestral land; • The Benet are now demanding re-degazzeting of the park to allow them room for settlement (Daily Monitor, Friday 20th September 2013). • The Benet claim that much of their culture and customs have been eroded since leaving the forest; and • Their livelihood has been watered down to small scale farming, livestock rearing as well as small scale enterprises.

12. The Benet and conservation • The Benet valued the environment as part of their livelihood for various reasons: • Particular trees were considered sacred - no one got close unless cleansed; • Particular trees were associated with life or death; • Traditional medicine (herbs and particular trees); and • Mountains were considered a place of worship. • Should there be conflicts between government, conservationists and the Benet for such values they attached to forests?

13. Conclusion • Indigenous people have a greater stake in preservation of environment and the use of natural resources because of their culture; • Exclusion of their interests in national programs that directly affect them posses great challenges whet it comes to implementation stage; and • National strategies should be consistent with indigenous rights to use land and natural resources as opposed to resettling them without reaching a consensus. “People value a lot what they own than what they are told not to touch. Involving them in conservation strategies increases chances of success.”

14. Recommendations Identify and review all property interests and traditional resource uses of land and natural resources; Development and conservation programs should consider all the affected stakeholders, minority groups inclusive; There is need for affirmative action to stop the marginalisation of the minority groups.

15. Thank You! www.atacama.co.ug admin@atacama.co.ug