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U.S. Report Pins UPDF On Civilian Killings

The Monitor (Kampala)
NEWS
March 11, 2007
Posted to the web March 11, 2007

By Frank Nyakairu
Kampala
The US State Department's 2006 Report has criticised the UPDF for a range of
civilian killings, illegal detentions and torture. The report, released on
Tuesday, however, said: "The government or its agents did not commit any
politically motivated killings; however, security forces committed numerous
unlawful killings during the year and were responsible for deaths as a result
of torture."
The army has, however, described the cases highlighted by the report as
"individual acts which do not go unpunished." UPDF spokesman Maj. Felix
Kulayigye said on Friday that: "Every single case mentioned has been
investigated and we have not only taken corrective measures, we have also taken
punitive measures against there individuals."
The US report details 16 murders, which it says went unpunished.
"UPDF soldiers were responsible for killings. On May 9, Ekemu Ocen and Odong
Chamali, UPDF soldiers based in Kasese District, killed four civilians and
three armed soldiers in Kiteso village," the report says in part. In another
case, the army's fourth division court martial convicted private Tony Eremo for
the March 31, 2005 killing of a high school student, Francis Ocaya Okot.
The 31-page report posted on the US State Department official website also
says: "On January 2, the fourth division court martial, in Gulu, sentenced UPDF
Private Joel Lubangakene to death for the December 2005 killing of 18-year old
Ojok Ojara in Lalogi IDP Camp in Gulu District," it said.
It added: "Lubangakene remained in prison at year's end. There were no
developments in the December 2005 UPDF killings case of seven civilians during
a protest of Ojara's murder."
It also says: "Robert Mugyenyi, a member of the Forum for Democratic Change
party disappeared from his home in Kiwatule, Kampala District. Police opened an
investigation. However, Mugyenyi's whereabouts remained unknown at year's end."
Army publicist, Maj. Kulaigye said on Friday that: "In UPDF we do not condone
impunity. Our history shows that anyone who commits a crime againstcivilians
faces punitive action, including death."
On corruption, the US report said the vice continued to be a major problem. It,
however, says that unlike in the previous year, the government had taken action
to investigate and prosecute offenders.
The report also cited "recklessness, carelessness, wastefulness, and
negligence" on the part of public officials in the State House, the Office of
the President, and the ministries of Defence, Foreign Affairs, Finance, and
Health. State House reportedly failed to account for about $97,800 (Shs181
million) advanced to several officers for hotel accommodation, local and
foreign travel.
The report also highlights failure to prosecute two ministers over the botched
national identity card procurement. "Findings of the report showed that the
Minister for Information and Communication Technology, Ham Mulira and the
Minister of State for Regional Cooperation, Isaac Musumba broke tendering
laws."


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