Leaders of an indigenous minority group and civil society actors in the Rwenzori region are calling on the government to create an independent commission on minority tribes to deal with their current challenges.

Some suggest that the government consider setting up a full ministry to address their concerns.

They say the current Equal Opportunities Commission -EOC has many groups to manage under its role, thus failing to advance the interests and concerns of minority communities across the country.

Indigenous groups argue that they have lost their way of life, traditional livelihoods, occupations and land use, resulting in loss of language, culture and norms as well as subjugation by their neighbors the most dominant.

Elisha Mugisha Ateenyi, the cultural leader of the minority Banyabindi tribe in Kasese district says that unless a separate ministry or commission is put in place to address the challenges and historical injustices suffered by ethnic minority groups, communities will continue to lose their unique identity, leading to their extinction.

He told URN in an interview that a number of resolutions on the continued displacement and resettlement of ethnic minorities from their traditional lands remain pending because the Equal Opportunities Commission is limited in its mandate.

Ndahura II Kashagama aka Kashagama Daniel, the cultural leader of the Basongora community said they needed the commission even “yesterday” to speed up the process of recognizing cultural institutions for ethnic minority groups.

He explains that kingdoms can play an important role in supporting the social transformation of minority groups.

Francis Opio, program manager at the Rwenzori Forum for Peace and Justice-RFPJ, told the URN reporter that a commission is needed to have a framework in which minority rights can be protected.

He says that due to their small number, their history, their marginalization, their prejudices and their stereotypes, ethnic minorities hardly figure in national political or cultural discourses contesting the existence of forums trying to challenge them. protect.

Lucas Bwambale Buhaka, Chairman of Kasese District Peace Actors agrees that a separate commission would pay more attention to issues concerning minority groups.

However, Buhaka has some reservations that most of the commissions and ministries have failed to function fully due to lack of political will.

Agnes Kabajuni, Africa Director of Minority Rights Group International informed URN that minority groups are the target of conflicts as they are less numerous in terms of population and live alongside dominant groups and are easily excluded from development processes.

She explains that paying attention to this group means that they will be helped to develop and that a commission will help to eliminate conflicts.

Renowned psychologist and peace activist Rev. Fr. Dr. Pascal Kabura told our journalist that minority rights are always suppressed due to the lack of a functional legal framework.

Kabura believes that once such a commission is set up, it will also reduce the rush to meet with the president that has been on the agenda.

But Barbra Babweteera, working with the EOC, says the government is implementing policy frameworks recognizing minority groups in national development agendas.

A new report produced by Kabarole Research and Resource Center-KRC on conflict mapping in the Rwenzori region notes that most conflicts have been motivated by the desire for self-determination along ethnic lines, scarcity of resources and politics, among others.

The report recommends that the government improve the land governance framework and ensure land ownership by vulnerable members of society.

Uganda recognizes minority groups such as the Bamba, Babwisi, Bagwe, Bagungu, Banyabindi, Bakenyi, Kebu, Nubi and Ngikutio.

Certain groups have yet to be recognized in the third annex of the constitution. These include the Basese, Bagangaizi and the Benet.URN

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