THE ECHO
NORTHERN NEWS EXTRA
For un-censored news from
Northern Uganda
ISSUE No. 3
30 November
2003
Introduction.
Whilst it is true that the overwhelming victims of the Northern conflict
have indeed been the civilian population of the affected areas, it is equally
true to say that every village, town or district in Uganda have been affected by
the current troubles in one way or another. If it must be said, it is true that
every village in Uganda have at one time or another had to receive its war dead
from the current war (some villages more than others). Therefore it is only fair
upon Ugandans that they get to know some real stories as to what is actually
going on i.e. tales of "those chaps are stone throwers" whilst Ugandans bury
their dead sons and daughters, simply won't do. We, at the Echo strongly believe
that the truth must be told. Therefore in this issue, as in the previous, we
bring you more revelations as to what is actually going on in Northern
Uganda.
On behalf of the team, I bid you a good
read.
UPDF shoots civilians in a
Pub.....
On
24th October 2003, soldiers of the UPDF came to assassinate the owner
of Carina pub in Kitgum "town quarter", a gentleman by the name of Nazareth
Odiya. According to eyewitnesses, this is what happened:
A smartly dressed UPDF soldier was seen in and around
the pub, minutes before gunshots were heard inside the establishment. The
soldier fired shots randomly, but these were to scare people both inside and
outside the pub from coming to the aid of Mr. Odiya. The soldier then moved
coolly for their target. The deceased on realising that he had been cornered
wrestled with the armed UPDF soldier and took is gun away from him. It was at
this point that other UPDF soldiers who had joined their colleague shot Mr.
Odiya dead. The UPDF soldiers then quickly left the scene, leaving behind the AK
47 which Mr. Odiya had priced from their colleague.
The following day, the people through their LC1
chairman Mr. Obonyo, delivered the AK47 to the police as evidence. A few days
later it was learnt that the police had handed the gun back to "Gang Dyang"
barrack where the assailant is believed to have come from. This also marked the
end of the case as far as the police were concerned.
Observers believe that Mr Odiya's murder was
politically motivated and suspect the involvement of the KAP (Kalangala Action
Plan) death squad. They point to the high level involvement of senior figures in
the military who were responsible for putting pressure on the police to drop the
case forthwith.
Does
the LRA really fight civilians..............
If one is to believe UPDF propaganda, the only time
they encounter the LRA is in ambushes. But the truth though is far from what the
UPDF would make us believe. Whilst it is indeed true, that the UPDF have
unleashed the psuedo-LRA force to make it look like the war in the north is
between the civilian population and the LRA, the reality is that the LRA is
fighting the UPDF every single day in the north. The only times when the LRA
don't fight the UPDF is when the UPDF literally run for dear life. And you have
to be in Gulu, Kitgum or Pader and let there be a rumour that the LRA have been
spotted in the vicinity of town and you'll see our “mighty” army fleeing before
your very eyes like children for dear life. See below for more of what goes on
between the two forces...
On 2nd October 2003, the LRA attacked the
UPDF barracks at Pajule, which is inside the Internally Displaced People's camp
and killed over 100 UPDF soldiers after over running the base. The LRA then went
ahead and collected over 400 people for what it called “welfare reasons”. The
LRA explained that they wanted to allow the UPDF space so that it
could collect and bury its dead. The LRA said they didn't want the
decomposing copses affecting the health and welfare of the civilians. Of those
who were taken by the LRA was the paramount chief of Pajule, Rwot Oywak. After 3
days at the LRA base, the civilians including Rwot Oywak were all released
unarmed. The UPDF later put out a statement saying they had rescued 400 abducted
civilians.
On 5th October 2003,
the LRA attacked UPDF positions in Puranga, southwest of Pader district near
corner Rackoko. In the battle (which the UPDF later said they were ambushed),
the LRA killed 46 UPDF soldiers, whilst seriously wounding 18 others. The rest
of the UPDF soldiers at Puranga fled the scene. Sources revealed that before the
encounter, there were 115 UPDF soldiers at Puranga.
On the same day, there was a major battle
between the UPDF and the LRA at Patongo. An eyewitness said at least 70 UPDF
soldiers lost their lives in the encounter. Sources reveal that after the LRA
had beaten the UPDF, reinforcements came and sealed off the area, with nobody
allowed to bear witness to the scene.
On 31 October 2003, the LRA killed 88 UPDF soldiers in Kalaki-Kaberamaido
district. According to reliable sources, 3 senior UPDF soldiers of the rank of
Captain and above were among the dead. Reliable sources reveal that the dead
bodies were carried in two lorries and brought to the 4th division headquarters
in Gulu barracks at night. The UPDF issued a statement denying that they had
incurred any casualties, but as with all UPDF statements, they are designed more
to hide the facts rather than reveal what actually
happened.
On 13 July 2003, the
LRA captured 11 UPDF soldiers who were on foot patrol in Rwot Obilo Bungatira
sub-county, 12 miles from Gulu town. The soldiers were based at a detach nearby
when the LRA in a daring raid pounced on them and took them
alive.
In August 2002 the LRA
destroyed 6 UPDF lorries which was carrying arms into 4th division headquarters.
The lorry was attacked and burnt into ashes. According to sources, the UPDF were
trying to bring back arms from the Sudan to fight the LRA in Acholiland. Sources
reveal that several sophisticated armaments were destroyed and several dozen
soldiers killed in the battle with many others injured. The army denied that the
vehicles were attacked by the LRA. The UPDF statement said the vehicles were
destroyed because of reckless soldiers who were smoking in the
vehicle.
On 12 November 2003,
the LRA attacked the UPDF patrol at Laliya trading centre, 4 kilometres North of
Gulu town. 13 UPDF soldiers were killed and the rest were unaccounted for. It is
believed that the missing UPDF soldiers may have been taken alive by the
LRA.
The LRA in
Teso....
The Echo has
learnt that when the LRA first went into Teso, the relationship between them and
the local people was most cordial. They addressed rallies freely and recruited a
large number of local boys and girls into their ranks. So much so that their
good behaviour completely won over the local people to their cause. The LRA
didn't touch anybody's property nor harass any civilian. Instead the local
population started giving them goats, cows and chicken for their feeding. But
all these were to change. When the UPDF learnt that this was happening, they
immediately dispatched 3 battalions of the psuedo-LRA force to Teso districts.
Coinciding with the arrival of the UPDF on the scene, the killing of civilians
started. The climax came in July 2003 when it is believed at least 2 battalions
of so-called Arrow bows crossed over and joined the LRA. On this occasion,
regular UPDF forces (in full military uniform), as well as members of the
psuedo-LRA force joined in ambushing a civilian bus, whereby people were
selected one at a time and shot at point blank range at the scene. This action
by the UPDF was a reaction to the large number of "Arrow boys" joining the LRA
but also designed to punish the people of Teso whilst intending to discredit the
LRA. Since then, many other atrocities have been committed in Teso as well as in
Lango (and continue to be committed to this day).
Ugandans with good memory would be reminded of the
activities of the NRA/UPDF in Luwero. Where killings were not only committed and
blamed on the then government army, but the chilling nature of the bus ambush
were reminiscent of the NRA/UPDF at its nastiest. Then as now, the NRA/UPDF
would pick on civilian travellers who were completely un-associated with the
government (or governance of the country) and slay them in the most gruesome
manner. History appears to be repeating itself.
UPDF murders
businessman........
On
Sunday 9th November 2003 at around 7am, 4 UPDF soldiers from Gulu barracks came
to the home of Mr. Labeja at Laliya trading centre. Mr Labeja was a businessman.
The soldiers at first said they were looking for stolen goods. They then beat up
Mr. Labeja senseless. When the neighbours and the local LCs came and asked that
Mr Labeja be taken to the police station, the soldiers said they were under
orders and that their orders were that they should not leave with Mr. Labeja
alive. Mr. Labeja was shot dead at around 10am at the home of is neighbour in
Laliya trading centre. The UPDF soldiers then returned to Gulu
barracks.
Observers note that
the murder of Mr. Labeja is typical of political murders in Acholiland. They
point out that such murders are usually carried out by “Boo-Ketch”, but the UPDF
more and more in broad daylight walk in people's homes and shoot people dead.
Sources suggest the reason for Mr. Labeja's death is a classic case of UPDF
paranoia. Whereby if they are unsure of your loyalties or they have a slight
suspicion that you might have LRA sympathies, they then quickly arrange for your
assassination.
Bucoro
revisited.....
It was
at Bucoro that the people of Acholi saw the very worst of NRA/UPDF atrocity. In
the first incident a dozen or so young men, who were not rebels but were merely
found in an "operation" area were ordered by the NRA/UPDF to dig a grave. When
they had finished digging the grave, they were ordered by the UPDF to jump into
the grave they'd dug and they were all buried alive by the NRA/UPDF. In the
second incident, the hole in the ground had been dug up for them by the
NRA/UPDF. The army then ordered up to 20 young men into the hole and there they
were smoked to death. For the record, Bucoro featured in an Amnesty
International report.
On 16 October 2003 the UPDF arrested 3
people on the suspicion that they were LRA collaborators. They were named as
Aboda, Oryema and Otim - all of Lamola parish, Omida sub county in Kitgum
district. The crime these three men had committed was to be found outside of the
concentration camps (a.k.a. displaced people's camp). Hunger had driven them out
of the camps and they were scavenging for food in their old homes. Upon arrest,
they were taken to the notorious "Gang Dyang" barracks. Sources reveal they were
severely tortured and thrown into a "hole", specially dug up and a place
designated for those the UPDF intends to kill. To this day nothing has been
heard of the 3 who are presumed dead.
The UPDF also arrested Mr. Okwera of Pajimo
in Akwang sub county, Kitgum district on 18th October 2003. Mr Okwera was in
possession of two new pairs of gum-boots (rubber boots), which he used for
tilling the land. This, the UPDF believed is proof enough that Mr Okwera is a
rebel collaborator and that his gum-boots were meant for delivery to the LRA. Mr
Okwera too we have learnt has been taken to Gang Dyang and detained in that same
hole in the ground. Nothing has been heard of him
since.
Whilst the above treatment is bad enough, we
have learnt that in most instances, the UPDF do not bother going through the
motion of detention, with those it doesn't like. This is normally the case with
civilians found in places far from town e.g. Palabek. It was in Palabek that on
6th July 2003 the UPDF came across 4 men, 2 women and a child. The
civilians where digging (tilling the land) outside of the concentration camps.
The party of 7 were all murdered by the UPDF with no further questions
asked.
UN report implicates the UPDF in the
abduction of children....
A special report by the UN which was
submitted to the Security Council, but embargoed from general distribution
has revealed shocking evidence of the UPDF involvement in wars inside
Uganda and the Great Lakes Region. The report a copy of which was leaked to the
BBC and reported on its flagship news program, Newsnight, revealed the depth of
the UPDF involvement in regional conflicts. The report interviewed children who
were abducted by the UPDF and sent for military training at UPDF controlled
camps. Some of the children were so young and barely in their teens. The
children who were interviewed on the BBC program, told how the UPDF came in the
night and took them away from their homes at gun point. The UN report also
reveals that the so called intra ethnic wars in the Democratic Republic of the
Congo (DRC) had the UPDF at the heart of it as active participants. The former
abductees who were interviewed revealed how UPDF soldiers massacred civilians
whilst purporting to be rebel combatants. Just like we have reported time and
again, the report revealed the pervasive culture of impunity within the UPDF
which suggests their actions are sanctioned by Lt. Gen. Museveni
himself.
The UN/BBC report corroborates what we at
the Echo have said from day one and that is, that the UPDF is actively involved
in the abduction of children. The so called rebel massacres are as much actions
of the UPDF as those of forces controlled by them.
Observers note, that in all conflicts that
the UPDF have been involved in, be it in Uganda, Rwanda, DRC or the Sudan – the
wars are always characterised by the massacre of civilians on horrendous
proportions. But never in any of these conflicts is the UPDF ever blamed. It
therefore strikes many as rather strange that the atrocities usually blamed on
Kony should follow the UPDF where ever it has been.
And
finally......
Brigadier
Sam Kolo (the LRA's Chief Political Commissar) has been on the airwaves (BBC
& Radio Rhino International Africa). In a wide ranging interview (which we
hope to reproduce in full in our next issue) he has categorically denied that
the LRA has or intends to kill civilians. He has called for an international
(independent) investigation into the current (and past) atrocities. We at the
Echo, in view of the psuedo-LRA phenomena, support such an investigation. But it
must be an independent investigation and not another "white wash" by Lt. Gen
Museveni's friends. Such an investigation should have an active
participation of the Ugandan established political parties (notably Uganda
People's Congress and the Democratic Party) to ensure its true independence.
Reliable sources have revealed to the Echo that in the past (as now), attempts
to find a peaceful resolution of the Northern conflict have faltered because of
the LRA insistence that ALL atrocities attributed to them be investigated and
made available for all Ugandans to know. This is why the issue of an outside
third party mediator is such an unacceptable concept to the NRM government. The
Ugandan government seems so fearful of the truth that it would rather continue
fighting an unwinnable war, than let Ugandans know who is responsible for past
and current atrocities. For further details on Brigadier Kolo’s interview please
go to the following websites: www.bbc.co.uk &
www.radiorhino.org.
Until next time Jok Joka
malo.
© The Echo 2003
