Army Says 2003 Was Good Year

The Monitor (Kampala)
NEWS
January 1, 2004
Posted to the web January 2, 2004

By Frank Nyakairu
Kampala
The year 2003 ended on a positive and victorious note, army spokesman Maj.
Shaban Bantariza has said.
He said in a statement issued yesterday that the year ended "with Acholi land
enjoying tranquility for the last half of the year, LRA being defeated in Teso
in the three short months, thanks to the people's active response against the
terrorist aggressors".
He, however, asked for more understanding, especially in aspects were the UPDF
did not deliver to people's expectations.
"Our condolences to our people, where lives were lost at the hands of the LRA
terrorists," Bantariza said.
He said the army is committed to consolidating its victories. The statement
says that 4,632 formerly abducted children were rescued, 824 LRA rebels killed
in action and 279 captured by the army in 2003.
"Scores of civilians were killed and others injured by the LRA especially in
Lira, Moroto, Dokolo and Erute counties."
Hundreds of thousands of people have died as a result of the Joseph Kony-led
insurgency in parts of northern and northeastern Uganda.
The LRA is a movement that seeks to overthrow the secular government of
President Museveni and replace it with one based on the biblical Ten
Commandments.

   

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