The Monitor (Kampala)
September 16, 2003
Posted to the web September 15, 2003
Kennedy Lule
Kampala
PARLIAMENT- Members of Parliament from Acholi are strongly opposed to the creation of a local militia to fight the Joseph Kony insurgency in the north.
About 62 Acholi of the Diaspora, have also signed a petition opposing the creation of a local militia in Acholiland.
In the Teso sub-region, the Arrow Group, is fighting the rebels alongside the
UPDF.
The opposition comes weeks after government ministers, Ruth Nankabirwa (Defence), Betty Akech (Security) and Okello Oryem (Sports) spent time in the north, urging Acholi youth to take up arms against the LRA like the Iteso are doing under the Arrow Group.
The members of the Acholi forum signed the petition last week and e-mailed it to President Yoweri Museveni on September 9. They say creating a local militia would lead to more blood shed in Acholi.
They argued that the Acholis in 1994 created the 'Arrow Brigade', which ended with disastrous consequences.
They said many civilians were killed by the LRA.
The petition is copied to Akech, Nankabirwa, Oryem, Acholi MPs, Acholi religious leaders, Mr Aliro Omara of the Uganda Human Rights Commission, the Human Rights Focus, Gulu branch and Amnesty International among others.
The Presidential Press Secretary, Mary Okurut couldn't confirm yesterday whether Museveni had received the petition.
Nankabirwa said she had not received the petition. She said she was surprised that MPs Prof. Ogenga Latigo (Agago County), Santa Okot (Pader), Odonga Otto (Aruu County) are now opposing the creation of a local militia in Acholi. She said the MPs were supportive of the idea during her mobilisation tours.
"Ogenga has invited me to go to his constituency. We have addressed rallies with Otto and Okot [in their constituencies]. What are they saying now?" Nankabirwa wondered.
Otto, Okot, Ogenga, Mr Reagan Okumu (Aswa) and Mr Mike Ocula (Kilak) said yesterday they are opposed to the Arrow group idea.
Okumu and Okot said they want a law governing local militias in place before they encourage their people to join.
"Our home guards get 40,000/- a month. They do sixty percent of the work...The UPDF soldiers earn 150,000/- a month. Why should our people be a source of cheap reserve labour? " Okumu asked.
Okot said home guards in her constituency are being killed. She said their families are left with no compensation from government because there is no law governing them.
Otto said he wants the youth to join UPDF not Arrow Group. Ocula said he wants peace. He said he cannot urge people to join a local militia. Okumu said government failed to arm the Arrow brigade, which forced them to use arrows, spears and pangas to fight the LRA. He said the rebels came out killing and maiming civilians.
