According to the RDC Adjumani District Data Peter. “the following are the resolutions passed during Joint Security Meeting held:”
"7 days Ultimatum (19-25 Jan 2023)
0. No commercial charcoal business and transportation outside Adjumani district
1. No logging activities in Zoka and surrounding areas
2. No more timber processing in Zoka and the surrounding area
3. Anyone residing in the gazette forest area should silently vacate withing 7 days or face forceful eviction by UPF, UPDF, NFA or UWA
4. All the residents in the surrounding areas must have their IDs those without should go back to where they came from immediately
5. No more buying or selling land within the gazetted area for farming and charcoal business
6. No more revenue collection at the check points for forest products
7. Vehicles parked in the gazetted area be removed by the owners immediately
8. People brought work by their masters should vacate the forest and the gazetted area immediately".
"Note that after 7 days Ultimantum, there would be a joint operation by UPDF, UPF, UWA and NFA. Those who defy the directives will face the Law", He added.
Similarly, the Local Council 3 Chairman Itirikwa Sub-County, Iranya Jesus Says,
"Let's wait where will the reverse come from?, it is a good move for us local leaders and our community seeing implementations. We will jump with fully immersing our heads for the operations"
Meanwhile, Colonel Okunzi Moris appreciated the initiative & urged to wait for operation day.
Zoka forest covers an area of 25 square kilometres in North West Uganda. It is the only natural rainforest in the region and is uniquely composed of tropical areas, savannah and woodland.