Every year around this time, the people in Mangeno’s village start to worry. While everyone else in the country is thinking about Christmas clothes, they are worried about mudslides and floods.
So they use this time to harvest their food and prepare themselves to survive. Unfortunately, this year, the Christmas rains came earlier than expected and so far, 35 homes have been either swept away or buried in the mud. There is no harvested food to last through the heavy rains, and everyone is worried about starving.
Does the government have a responsibility to feed them in this trying time?
WHAT DOES THE LAW SAY?
According to the law, the government has a responsibility to set up effective measures to deal with any of the following issues:
Hazard or disaster arising out of natural calamities. For example, landslides and floods.
Any situation resulting in general displacement of people. For example, many people were displaced by floods in Kasese district.
Serious disruption of their normal life. For example, Covid-19 disrupted everyone’s life.
In fact, there is a ministry (Ministry of Disaster Preparedness and Refugees) under the office of the Prime Minister. It is responsible for refugees and national preparedness for disasters, including floods, droughts, famine, and landslides.
As a measure to deal with these challenges, the government may also provide support in other forms such as shelter, clothing, and medical care.
Source: BarefootLawyers.
Comments
Post a Comment