A British firm [New Forests Company (NFC)] accused [in September 2011] by Oxfam International of illegally evicting some 20,000 Ugandan peasants from arable land to plant trees [has] suspended operations... [after a] loss of $14m (Shs33.6 billion) by its new investor...Oxfam...alleged that NFC forcibly evicted poor villagers...depriving them of livelihood and money to send their children to school...NFC promised to investigate the allegations [at the time]...but made no reference to outcomes of the probe, if it ever occurred, in yesterday’s statement...“we are sad to suspend tree-planting and lay off workers, forcing people back into poverty,” NFC Chief Executive Julian Ozanne was quoted [as saying]...National Forestry Authority licensed NFC’s operations in 2005 and permitted the company to dislodge the...residents...[NFC] plans to resume its activity in 2013, but said a final decision awaits an outcome of a mediation process by International Finance Corporation.