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K'jong Raid Lira, Hundreds Displaced

The Monitor (Kampala)
NEWS
April 20, 2003
Posted to the web April 21, 2003

By Richard M. Kavuma
Kampala
The fruits of the failed Karamoja disarmament process were evident on Friday as
cattle rustlers shot a woman, displaced hundreds and stole cattle from Lira
district.
At least 1,000 people - mostly women and children - were by yesterday camped in
Lira municipality having fled from Apala and Barr sub-counties.
"In fact we have always been asking these people to give us LDUs or the UPDF to
protect our people," said Moroto County MP Dr Alex Okot yesterday. "The people
are now very desperate."
Speaking from Lira town, Dr Okot said the people had fled during Friday's
downpour that lasted from 4:00 to 9:00 p.m.
He said he was just going to take a woman from Apala to hospital after she was
shot while trying to hold on her cow. The cow was taken.
The MP said he had learnt of at least 40 head of cattle stolen from Barr by the
gun-wielding Karimojong.
In December 2001, the Uganda army (UPDF) embarked on a mission to remove
thousands of guns from the Karimojong. The mission has since stalled after some
of the soldiers were reportedly diverted to Operation Iron Fist meant to end
the LRA rebel insurgency in Northern Uganda.
UPDF Spokesman Maj. Shaban Bantariza yesterday said the Karimojong had
frustrated the effort to disarm them.
"The disarmament has never been on hold," Maj. Shaban protested. "The
Karimojong we recruited were becoming double-dealers, themselves using the arms
for rustling and passing information to their tribesmen."
He said new 'battalions' of Karimojong LDUs are being trained for the job.
Dr Okot said the people were being directed to Ambalal Primary School and the
Cultural Centre within Lira municipality.
"We Want government to send us tents, emergency food and drugs," he said.
"These people fled without anything and since sit was raining heavily, many are
likely to develop malaria."
Otuke county MP, Omara Atubo on Saturday said MPs from districts surrounding
Karamoja will meet in parliament on Wednesday to discuss the rustling problem.
He also said government's failure to deploy a battalion of soldiers in Otuke as
promised by President Yoweri Museveni on 29 October, 2002 - a promise repeated
by Internal Affairs minister Eriya Kategaya on 19 March - is causing suspicion
of ulterior motives in Lira.

   

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