FIAN calls on Ugandan President to Support Mediation in Neumann Kaffee Gruppe Case

In the case of the forced eviction without compensation by the Ugandan army in favor of the Coffee Plantation of the German Neumann Kaffee Gruppe, FIAN International calls on the President of Uganda to ensure that the Government of Uganda will constructively engage in the mediation ordered by the High Court Kampala on July 1, 2019, without any further delay. In this regard, in a letter from August 27, the Attorney General has invited the lawyers of the evictees for a meeting on September 10 to discuss the next steps towards the mediation process.

In August 2001, the Ugandan army destroyed four villages in the Mubende district and forcibly evicted their inhabitants to make way for the Kaweri Coffee Plantation Ltd., a 100% subsidiary of the Neumann Kaffee Gruppe (NKG) based in Hamburg/Germany. Approximately 4,000 inhabitants were not compensated. Their right to food and nutrition and related rights are still being violated as a result of this eviction. In 2002, they sued the Ugandan Government and the Ugandan subsidiary of the Neumann Kaffee Gruppe. The trial is still ongoing.

Although on July 1, 2019, the responsible judge ordered mediation process to be completed by August 28, 2019, this process is still ongoing. Therefore, the meeting between the representatives of the plaintiffs and Attorney General scheduled on September 10, 2019, is highly important.

FIAN International welcomes this meeting and reaffirms its commitment to support all actions that can bring to an end the suffering of those affected by the brutal eviction.

The invitation letter for the upcoming meeting can be read here.

For more information, please contact: 

Valentin Hategekimana
E-Mail: hategekimana(at)fian.org