Chaos erupted in Uganda’s capital today as police forcefully arrested four environmental activists from the XR Justice Movement Uganda while they peacefully marched to Parliament to deliver a petition to Speaker Anita Among.
The activists, part of a group of over 30 demonstrators were protesting the controversial East African Crude Oil Pipeline (EACOP), chanting “Stop EACOP” before security forces intervened.
This latest suppression comes just weeks after another group of anti-EACOP protesters was detained outside the EU Embassy for a similar demonstration.
EACOP project a 1,443-km pipeline stretching from Uganda’s oil fields in Hoima to Tanzania’s port in Tanga, has been a breaking point for environmentalists, local communities and human rights defenders.
Activists argue that the pipeline will displace thousands, damage critical ecosystems and contribute to climate change.
According to XR-Justice Movement Uganda, the petition they intended to present to Parliament highlighted the urgent need to halt EACOP due to its alleged environmental and social risks.
About 30 activists started their peaceful march from Centenary Park heading towards Parliament with banners reading “Stop EACOP” and chanting slogans about climate justice.
However, as they neared Parliamentary Avenue, police officers quickly blocked their path ordering them to disperse immediately. When the activists insisted on their right to petition, officers pounced on them dragging four protesters into waiting police trucks.
Eyewitnesses described the arrests as brutal with some activists being manhandled and dragged into custody. Video footage circulating online shows officers confiscating protest banners and silencing demonstrators.
“We had come in peace but they treat us like criminals for standing up for our environment!”
Despite the growing resistance, the government remains steadfast in its commitment to the EACOP project insisting that the pipeline will boost the economy, create jobs and bring in billions in oil revenue.
Officials have repeatedly dismissed environmental concerns branding protests to the project as foreign funded propaganda aimed at sabotaging Uganda’s progress.
Energy Minister Ruth Nankabirwa recently reaffirmed that Uganda “will not be bullied” into abandoning EACOP, emphasizing that the country has the right to exploit its resources for national development.
This is not the first time environmental activists have been arrested in Uganda. Just weeks ago, another group of anti-EACOP protesters was detained outside the EU Embassy while demanding that Europe stop funding fossil fuel projects.
Human Rights Organizations like Amnesty International and Human Rights Watch have condemned Uganda’s heavy-handed tactics warning that such repression silences public debate on critical environmental issues.
Despite today’s arrests, the XR Justice Movement Uganda has vowed to keep fighting against EACOP.
