Herdsmen of the Banyakole and Banyarwanda indigenous communities of Uganda, who had recently reoccupied the wetlands in the Teso district, were allegedly beaten by a local militia group for illegally occupying the area. A case of human rights violation was lodged against Arrow Boys militia coordinator Musa Ecweru for allegedly torturing Banyankole herdsmen. Ecweru said the security committee had given the herdsmen a two-week ultimatum to vacate the wetlands before they were forcefully evicted. In 2004, Ecweru together with the National Environment Management Authority and the police had forcefully evicted pastoralists.