VOA标准英语2015--Land Disputes Rise Amid Uganda Oil Boom

Land Disputes Rise Amid Uganda Oil Boom

HOIMA, UGANDA—

More than 1,000 people living in a makeshift camp called Rwamutonga, in the Hoima district in western Uganda, say they have been kicked off their land without any warning because it has been earmarked for oil exploration.

The residents woke up early one morning last August to the sounds of chaos¹ and gunfire.

The attackers "went ahead with guns and then burning houses, stealing our goats," said camp leader Alex Latim. "And they were looting, burning houses, and we were running away.”

According to police, 10 new land disputes are reported daily. The claims come amid an oil boom as investors² appear to be cashing in by selling parcels of land to multiple buyers.

But Rwamutonga's case is slightly different, according to local government official Ambrose Mwesigye. He said there are clear laws and regulating land ownership in Uganda and that the people of Rwamutonga do not have any proof that they either inherited or bought the land or were hosted by the owner.

In his reading of the events, the people are used as proxies³ in a land dispute between what is to him the rightful owner and someone who is “encroaching on the land.”

However, Rwamutonga resident Hellen Ayesiga disagreed. She said the government is not protecting them as it should.

“We normally vote for the governing party, but they don’t recognize us as Ugandans," she said. "We are here suffering. So my appeal is that government should come and assist, because soon they will rush for votes."

NAPE is a local grassroots community organization helping⁴ people in the oil rich region of Hoima against exploitation. A few times a week, they host a  local community radio show offering a platform to victims of land disputes and informing the people about their rights. According to NAPE field officer and radio host Vicent Nyegenya, the story of Rwamutonga is not exceptional.

“Major complaints are about land grabbing," he said. "Once they learned that there’s oil here, people from different parts of the country, from different parts of the world, have come here to Bunyoro [Kingdom] to grab our land. They have been buying it cheaply. Others have been conniving⁵ with other government officials to grab people’s land.”

A court judgment⁶ that will determine whether the people of Rwamutonga can go back to what they call their homeland is set for March 23. One thing is sure: If the court rules against them, they will have to pack their belongings⁷ again and find a new home.

1 chaos   

n.混乱，无秩序

参考例句：

• After the failure of electricity supply the city was in chaos.停电后，城市一片混乱。
• The typhoon left chaos behind it.台风后一片混乱。

2 investors   

n.投资者，出资者( investor的名词复数 )

参考例句：

• a con man who bilked investors out of millions of dollars 诈取投资者几百万元的骗子
• a cash bonanza for investors 投资者的赚钱机会

3 proxies   

n.代表权( proxy的名词复数 )；（测算用的）代替物；（对代理人的）委托书；（英国国教教区献给主教等的）巡游费

参考例句：

• SOCKS and proxies are unavailable. Try connecting to XX again? socks和代理不可用。尝试重新连接到XX吗？ 来自互联网
• All proxies are still down. Continue with direct connections? 所有的代理仍然有故障。继续直接连接吗？ 来自互联网

4 helping   

n.食物的一份&adj.帮助人的，辅助的

参考例句：

• The poor children regularly pony up for a second helping of my hamburger. 那些可怜的孩子们总是要求我把我的汉堡包再给他们一份。
• By doing this, they may at times be helping to restore competition. 这样一来, 他在某些时候,有助于竞争的加强。

5 conniving   

v.密谋 ( connive的现在分词 )；搞阴谋；默许；纵容

参考例句：

• She knew that if she said nothing she would be conniving in an injustice. 她知道她如果什么也不说就是在纵容不公正的行为。
• The general is accused of conniving in a plot to topple the government. 将军被指控纵容一个颠覆政府的阴谋。 来自《简明英汉词典》

6 judgment   

n.审判；判断力，识别力，看法，意见

参考例句：

• The chairman flatters himself on his judgment of people.主席自认为他审视人比别人高明。
• He's a man of excellent judgment.他眼力过人。

7 belongings   

n.私人物品，私人财物

参考例句：

• I put a few personal belongings in a bag.我把几件私人物品装进包中。
• Your personal belongings are not dutiable.个人物品不用纳税。