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New Vision (Kampala)February 12, 2004
Posted to the web February 12, 2004
Emmy Allio
Kampala The Coalition for Human Rights and Justice Initiatives for Northern Uganda (CHRJINU) has blamed the army's Operation Iron Fist for failure to stop the abduction of 10,000 more children by the Kony rebels within two years.This was contained in a statement presented at a UN conference by CHRJINU spokesperson, who is also Gulu Catholic Diocese archbishop, John Baptist Odama, recently.
"In the first year of the Operation Iron Fist, abductions skyrocketed. More than 10,000 children have been abducted between June 2002 to-date. This figure accounts for 45% of the total abductions of children in the conflict," he said at the January 30 Ottawa event.
Citing UNICEF sources, the five-page document entitled The Security Situation in Northern Uganda, said the number of internally displaced persons (IDPs) has risen from 450,000 to 1.2 million, 920,000 of which lived in inhuman and unhygienic conditions in 62 camps in the sub-region.It said child night commuters - a phenomenon of night displacement for children - had risen to 20,000, with most of them sleeping on verandas.The report said LRA attacks on humanitarian convoys, civilian vehicles and IDPs rose and the conflict spread to eastern Uganda over the period.
It recommended the UN press for a cease-fire and peace talks, assistance to Uganda and blacklisting the rebels.However, army spokesperson Major Shaban Bantariza said the Odamas were 'peddlers of lies'. ( Bantariza seem to think that members of the International Community and Ugandans would believe him other then believe a Priest.....a Bishop for that matter.!! I swear some people are stupid!!)
Matek
"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
