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New Vision (Kampala)March 24, 2004
Posted to the web March 24, 2004 Grace Matsiko
Kampala PRESIDENT Yoweri Museveni has ordered for the speedy trial of a UPDF commander who allegedly failed to stop the Lord's Resistance Army (LRA) attack on an internally displaced people's (IDPs) camp in Pader on Friday.Army and civilian authorities said 12 people died during the 6:30pm raid on Lira-Palwo IDP camp.
Several IDPs were wounded in the attack that left 127 huts and property burnt."The President is very unhappy about the conduct of the unit commander, Capt. Kavuma, that led to the death of 12 civilians."
He has directed that his case be expeditiously handled by the field Court Martial before the civilian population feels the UPDF is not taking action on its errant officers," a senior UPDF officer said, referring to a radio communication from the President who is also the Commander-In-Chief.It is alleged that Kavuma and other soldiers were drunk when the rebels struck, leaving a small force to guard the camp.UPDF 5th Division spokesman 2nd Lt. Chris Magezi yesterday said Kavuma would face the field Martial Court but did not give the exact date.The Court has passed judgements leading to the execution of errant soldiers, an action condemned by human rights groups.
Pader NGO Forum chairman Hussein Mudhir, who was among the officials who reached the camp, said the rebels slashed limbs off their victims with pangas and axes."The area was in a mess. All the food was taken and shelters destroyed. That is the challenge we have. We are appealing to the United Nations and the Office of the Prime Minister to help the victims," he said.Mudhir identified the dead as Paul Jwe, Alex Ojera, Samuel Odong, Steven Owinya and another Alex Ojera, residents of blocks 12, 14, 15 and 16.
Others were Margaret Apwonyonen, Natoyi Nabikana, Christine Akello, Alice Anena and Night Akanyo. Mudhir, quoting the Resident District Commissioner, Ahmed Awongo, said two other victims passed away on Monday, bringing the death toll to 14.Magezi said small squads of UPDF soldiers were deployed to track down the killers.He said the group, under an LRA commander identified as Odhiambo and numbering about 30 to 50, raided the camp in search of food.
He said 24 rebels were killed by the UPDF 5th Division in the last week.He said the rebels had made several attempts to attack villages in Pader and Kitgum districts but they were repulsed.
"The lie can be maintained only for such time as the State can shield the people from the political, economic and/or military consequences of the lie. It thus becomes vitally important for the State to use all of its powers to repress dissent, for the truth is the mortal enemy of the lie, and thus by extension, the truth becomes the greatest enemy of the state."
- Dr. Joseph M. Goebbels - Hitler's propaganda minister
