ABOUT NLDL
OUR LAND, OUR IDENTITY!
In Uganda and Africa in general, our land is where our roots are and so it is our identity. However, the greed and urge to exploit resources in some communities has led to so many land injustices. Many communities have faced the horrors of being evicted from their ancestral homes and as a result, they have lost touch with their roots. The highest level of land grabs in the country has unfortunately been supported by our very own government through its agencies under the guise of developing the areas, discovery of natural resources; and formation of reserves which could be wildlife or forest. These communities have not been relocated, compensated or even involved in any discussions leading to the loss of their land. Worse still, the perpetrators have used violence to evict people, some of which lost their lives, their dignity particularly the women who have been raped, property loss, homes burnt down, cattle detained, and other people brutally beaten.
NLDL is affiliated of Solidarity Uganda run by grassroots women and men wo have chased away ruthless land grabbers. We work with several communities in Uganda and we hope to engage them fully in participatory movement building.
We train and coach grassroots communities affected by land injustices on how to incorporate non-violent and civil resistance in their efforts to wage against land injustices in their communities. We mentor them into building strong and impactful campaigns that will allow them to actively use creative means to find solutions to their problems.
Vision
To Mobilize, organize and Create sound grounds that enable planning for actions that motivate participation, capacity building and bringing allies together to work in solidarity against the abuse of Land Injustice.
Mission
Share, transfer knowledge and information to the communities on (CR and NVR) so as to arouse their consciousness and respond on issues that affect them especially on land governance and management.
Values
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Lifetime membership.
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Team Work.
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People Driven
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Leadership and Responsiveness
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Participation
In 2018, members of land protection campaigns across the country converged at the site of a land grab in Awei, Alebtong District to launch what they dub now as the National Land Defense League (NLDL) a farmer-led movement against impunity, injustice and corruption in Land Governance and Management. The NLDL identified and declared mingled millet from millet flour (Kalo) as the National symbol for the campaign, the movement urged victims of Political elites, Government Parastatals /institution, Pseudo Investors and Businessmen trying to grab land to prepare a meal of Kalo and invite the neighbours to come together and discuss their plans of action.
As means of responding to the Land injustices that were already taking place in the Country. A campaign was done in October 2018, where 234-Community members from Apaa-Amuru District in Northern Uganda started by occupying the United Nations office in Gulu for 33 days. During this time, NLDL chapters across Uganda raised contributions of foodstuffs from their communities to send to the occupiers. Instances of Human rights abuses, militarism and violence kept resurfacing in Apaa community in Amuru District since the occupation took place.
In September 2019 the National Action platform comprising of all Chapters across the countries organized a Land protection Caravan to mobilize and scale up the NLDL membership in Uganda.