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IDP Camps to Get Own Commander

New Vision (Kampala)
NEWS
July 17, 2004
Posted to the web July 19, 2004

By Chris Ochowun
Kampala
President Yoweri Museveni has directed the Army Commander to appoint a special
commander to monitor the security of internally displaced persons (IDPs) camps
in northern Uganda.
The Army Commander, Lt. Gen. Aronda Nyakairima, told journalists at his
residence at Gulu Barracks on Thursday that the commander would ensure security
in the camps.
He said adequate permanent forces had been deployed in the IDP camps to ensure
that the LRA rebels do not loot food and abduct civilians from the camps.
"Kony (LRA leader) has always planned to attack big camps like Pabbo, Amuru and
Anaka for propaganda and to appease their donors who give them air time ( for
mobile telephones)," Nyakairima added.
He castigated the leaders of Gulu and Kitgum districts for failing to raise
enough people to join local defence units, unlike leaders of the neighbouring
Pader, Teso and Lango sub-regions.
"Kony will never challenge us, the UPDF, on guarding IDP camps because we have
beefed up our capacity," Nyakairima said.
He said the appointment of commanders, who will be moving around the camps,
would be soon.
Nyakairima said there were now no major threats from the LRA rebels since most
of their top commanders had been killed, captured and more defected to the
government side.
Nyakairima was flanked by the northern-based Army spokesman, Lt. Paddy Ankunda,
while briefing the press on the general security situation in the north.
On Tuesday, Nyakairima passed out 337 former LRA rebels who defected to the
UPDF.

   

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