THE ECHO NORTHERN NEWS EXTRA For un-censored news from Northern Uganda
ISSUE No. 8 May 2004 Introductionâ That interview was it really the LRA leader? In April 2004, some media organisations carried what was supposedly an interview with the LRA leader Joseph Kony. It was reported that the original interview was published in a southern Sudanese opposition newsletter. That the LRA no longer grant interviews to Ugandan radio stations and newspapers is due to a number of factors. But high up amongst them is the constant threat of death, violence and for the more visible journalists, court action - that has deterred all Ugandan media houses from reliably reporting on the Northern conflict. Even speaking to the LRA is now a treasonable act, let alone interviewing them. Therefore, where journalists find themselves with information to report, self-censorship takes over. For the record, the LRA regularly makes contact with local and international media bodies to put their side of the story across, but due to the factors listed above and the fact that many in the international media fear upsetting their countries' foreign policy objectives, it is only in the rarest of occasions that the LRA are afforded an opportunity. The fact that the LRA is never allowed to put across its side of the story suits the UPDF just fine. The UPDF (through the psuedo-LRA) can now engage in countless atrocities, with all its crimes heaped upon the LRA's head. Back to the story. We put it to those with "keener eyes" on Northern Uganda to shed more light. Their verdict was an emphatic NO, rubbish - they said. The LRA would rather not grant an interview at all, than speak to its arch-enemy the SPLA (or different variations there of). The fact is the LRA continues to fight both the UPDF and the SPLA in Northern Uganda. It is therefore ludicrous to suggest that fresh from battle, the LRA leader would go and grant such an interview to the same force he has just been fighting. The truth however has not taken long in coming out. The Sudanese foreign minister interviewed on the BBC put it thus in summary: "The UPDF are in Juba (where Kony supposedly gave his interview from), Uganda's CMI have got a strong presence in Juba, for Joseph Kony to reach Juba he would have had to pass through SPLA territory". And he went further, "the Ugandan government knows and we know that the story about Kony is FALSE". Observers believe, the "Kony exclusive" was nothing more than the usual UPDF "smear" campaign/propaganda aimed at misleading the public and especially the donor community who are getting increasingly impatient at the lack of progress in ending the war. Such propaganda (lies) are not only limited to the LRA. The NRM/UPDF has made it a habit, whenever it finds itself unstuck, to exact revenge (in whatever form) on those it perceives to be in the opposition. Usually this comes in the form of a rumour that Dr Obote of UPC has suffered a heart attack or that a new splinter group has emerged within DP trying to unseat Dr Paulo Semogerere. Even that Dr Besigye is bed ridden and critically ill in exile. In this issue, we bring you more of those truths the UPDF would rather you didn't know about. On behalf of the team, I welcome you to the 8th issue and bid you a good read. Civilians nab death squad member... For 9 years now, the KAP/Boo-Kech death squads have sown fear and terror amongst the populations of Gulu and Kitgum districts (especially people living within the municipal areas). Their target is always people in the political opposition or businessmen the UPDF are paranoid about as having some links to the LRA. They come and kill in broad daylight, but mostly at night. They also make sure, they loot the victim's home to give the impression that this was common criminality. The latter is also their perk for belonging to the death squad i.e. not only do they receive cash, Boo-Kech are under licence to loot and thereby boost their pay. The story is told of a UPDF officer, who whilst on leave from Mbarara (the officer being a native of Gulu), set up tent not far away from a UPDF detach. For a few days nothing happened, then one night Boo-Kech came and killed him during the night. Neighbours could hear the dialogue as he fought with his attackers, it was clearly Boo-Kech. The UPDF officer in question was sent home on leave to be killed and Boo-Kech did the rest. On 07 February 2004, the people of Koro (Gulu district) arrested a death squad member as he tried to break into a home. When the house owner raised the alarm and people in the neighbourhood responded, Boo-Kech realised that they were out numbered. They then beat a hasty retreat. Their member who was already in the house was surrounded and with nowhere to go, gave himself up. After questioning, he gave his name only as Odong. The civilian population then took the attacker to the nearest UPDF base, which was the 106 battalion, headed by 2nd Lt Moses Camdia. The Boo-Kech member was transferred the following day to Koro barracks and then Gulu police station. It would appear he was a prisoner simply too hot to handle and nobody even in the UPDF wanted to be seen as making the wrong move. At Gulu police station, Odong revealed that he was on an operation and that his superiors who are based at the UPDF barracks had sent him to carry out the raid. He also revealed that he and members of his squad had carried out similar operations before and in some cases they've had to kill the occupants of the home. The Boo-Kech case was then taken to court. In court, the legal authorities demanded to know who the complainants were. Nobody came forward. The fact that no civilian was prepared to testify in court against Boo-Kech, reflects the phenomenon in the North whereby people know only too well that if you bring a case against the UPDF, then your days are numbered (you will be killed). The case was therefore dropped by the courts and Odong walked free to join his other colleagues. For Boo-Kech, life continues - many more homes will be raided and many more people killed. UPDF murders primary school boy The biggest victim of the Northern conflict have indeed been the women and children. The question is regularly asked; "if indeed it is true that the LRA abducts children, with the girls given to its commanders as sex slaves, how come the LRA have still got any commanders left?" This is so, given that these girls (those released by/from the LRA) have been found to have HIV infection rates of nearly 100%. This fact like much about the LRA is a big puzzle. The answer however, is very simple. Children that are released by the LRA (run away from the LRA) have to spend time (sometimes upto 3 months) with the UPDF. All these whilst the World Vision and other NGO's plead for their release. Whilst with the UPDF, the girls indeed become "sex slaves" of UPDF soldiers. It is here that the children become infected with the HIV virus. It is a well-known fact that, the UPDF are the single biggest carriers of the disease in Northern Uganda, with so many of their commanders dying from the illness every so often. On 03 April 2004 the UPDF murdered a primary school boy in Lukung, 24 kms north of Kitgum town. Some observers believe that had the boy been a girl, he probably would have been taken alive by the UPDF as a wife (sex slave). Below is the circumstance of what took place. On that fateful day a contingent of UPDF soldiers came across a young boy and his old grandmother, they had been to their former home to collect bamboo sticks to mend their house in the camps. The boy's name was Peter Onen. He was 13 years old and he attended Lukung primary school (or a re-incarnation of the same school in the camps). The UPDF demanded an explanation as to why the young boy looked so untidy. The boy and his grand mother explained that they had been to the bush to harvest some bamboo sticks (which in any case they were carrying 2 bundles of) - they needed the sticks to repair their house in the camps. As if though this was mis-understood, the UPDF commander of the force responded by saying that the boy was definitely a spy, since rebel incursions had been reported in the area. This prompted the old woman to intervene by explaining to the soldiers that her grandson was no rebel, if the soldiers were still not convinced, they should then allow for one of their number to escort them to the camp and meet the camp leader. At this point the soldiers told the old woman to rush to the camp which was about 1km away and to call the camp leader as fast as possible - not taking into consideration the fact that the old woman moved about with the support of two walking sticks. At the camp, the old woman narrated what had happened to the camp leader. The local official then together with the old woman, set-off on a bicycle to meet the UPDF soldiers. When they got to the location where the UPDF was holding Onen, they found nobody. When they looked further, they found the body of Onen in a nearby bush. He was lying in a pool of blood and he suffered cuts to his head, arm and chest. The UPDF had hacked him to death. The local government official then raised a complaint with the UPDF hierarchy in Kitgum, but to date nothing has been done about the murder. The UPDF culture of impunity reigns supreme. UPDF abducts, rape women in Patongo... As we saw in out last report, the concentration camps, which the UPDF created for people in Northern Uganda, are so inhospitable they are simply inhumane (a crime against humanity). The conditions are made worse by various attacks by the UPDF against the civilian population. People are killed daily in the camps. Rape has become a natural order of things in the camps. Not to mention the lack of food, water and medical care. It was against this backdrop of unbearable hardship that UPDF soldiers on 01 March 2004 attacked 4 young girls at Patongo camp. The girls had queued for water from 2pm until 7pm in the evening and they were still waiting for their turn to draw water. It should be noted that whilst civilians queue for many hours, the UPDF soldiers who use the same facilities don't. So whereby there are 200 soldiers needing to fetch water, they go first. It so happened that at about 7.30 a group of UPDF soldiers came and demanded that the 4 girls should carry their water for them to their dwellings/huts (yes even UPDF soldiers live in huts in the camps). The girls knew they had little option, for more harm could come to them from the UPDF. With jerry cans on their heads, the girls who were identified as Oyella, Amito, Akumu and Akidi set off for the UPDF section of the camps (UPDF barracks). It was whilst they got there that their ordeal began. 5 UPDF soldiers grabbed them. They said if the girls raised an alarm, the girls would be killed. The UPDF kill people every day in the camps and the girls knew, the soldiers meant what they said. The girls described how so many UPDF soldiers raped them all. Akidi thinks at least 10 UPDF soldiers participated in raping her alone. When the girls were eventually released, they had sustained so much injury they needed urgent medical attention. But as it is the case in the camps not much was forthcoming. The case was reported to the camp leader Santo Owiny - but for fear that he would be "targeted" by the UPDF, nothing was done. But this was not the only case where the UPDF had engaged in abduction and gang raping women. Sources reveal that, exactly a week earlier, the UPDF had carried out a similar attack whereby it had abducted and raped a number of women at the same camp (Patongo). UPDF atrocity continues..... On 11 April 2004 UPDF soldiers killed Ojok Okot Kiri in Pabbo, Kilak County. According to local people, the UPDF claimed they had information that Mr. Kiri was a rebel collaborator and that he had been communicating with the LRA in the bush. The UPDF then came in the night and killed him. On 23 April 2004, the UPDF killed 2 civilians in Paicho, Gulu district following rebel presence in the area. UPDF accused the local people of collaborating with the LRA. The civilians killed were identified as Mr. John Olum and Mr. Nelson Okee. In a separate development, a civilian was killed in Bungatira, Gulu district by the UPDF. The civilian was identified as Mr. Okello. Sources revealed that UPDF soldiers had raped Mr. Okello's wife and the deceased was on his way to report the incident to the police in Gulu town. It so happened that he came across the same group of UPDF soldiers who had attacked his home and the UPDF soldiers killed him. On 13 April 2003, the UPDF bombed civilian homes in Atiak sub-county Gulu district. According to local government officials, at least 14 people were killed as a result of the UPDF bombing and an unknown number injured. On 22 April 2004 the UPDF again carried out bombing raids. This time in Pabbo division. At least 12 civilians were killed. Of those killed were two members of the same family, both the children of Mr. Okeny. Sources revealed that in order to minimise fatalities at the hands of the LRA, the UPDF has embarked upon "blanket" bombing missions. Even concentration camps have not been spared. This has sown fear amongst people in the camps such that people now fear gathering out in the open. On 25 December 2003 in Lalogi IDP camp following battle with the LRA, the UPDF arrested and later murdered 2 civilians by the names of John Oketa (30 years old) and Charles Torach (16 years old). The two were both members of the same family. Observers believe the reasons for the killings were very simple. The UPDF was seeking revenge. Sources suggest Oketa and Torach may not have been the only victims in Lalogi that day. On 14 April 2004, the UPDF shot and seriously injured 2 secondary school pupils in Gulu district. Sources revealed that the civilians entered a UPDF ambush and were lucky to have escaped alive. The 2 students were identified as Robinson Komakech (fifth year student at Gulu Central High) and Johnson Otto (third year student at Koch Goma senior secondary school). The victims were admitted to Lacor Hospital in Gulu district. The UPDF spokesman, Lt. Frank Baraga confirmed the attack and said the incident was a case of mistaken identity. It is unclear who it was the UPDF intended to kill, if not the students. On 12 April 2004 the UPDF again shot and seriously injured 2 teachers at Lacor Gulu district. The 2 teachers were identified as Odoki Kitara and Cosmos Okello. The UPDF spokesman Lt. Bagara also confirmed the attack but said the matter would be investigated. Bibiya falls to the LRA... On 20 March 2004, the LRA believed to be under the command of Brig. Tolbert Yaddin over ran the UPDF border post of Bibia. Sources reveal that the UPDF suffered heavy casualties in this attack, with the number of deaths believed to be higher than 100. According to the UPDF spokesman, Lt. Col Otema Awany - who travelled to the area after the LRA had withdrawn from Bibia, he said UPDF deaths were caused by a lack of communication which led to UPDF aircraft dropping bombs on top of its own men. He put UPDF casualties at 53. Lugore update... In the last issue we reported on how the people of Gulu had rejected the idea of private militias. We also reported the universal hostility to the whole idea and how the minister of state for security Betty Akech was determined that there should be an Acholi militia. In this issue we can confirm that Lugore is indeed up and running. The people being recruited as we predicted are indeed children (and sometimes adults) released by the LRA. We can reveal that of the over 100 persons undergoing military training, 80% are children under 16. The UN office in Gulu we understand has paid a visit to another UPDF training camp and recorded seeing over 100 children being trained by the UPDF. Where do these children come from? These children invariably, are those released by the LRA. The LRA collects adults and children to carry foodstuff to their bases. At the LRA base, the people are then asked if they want to return to their homes (majority of people opt for this option). It is whilst on the way back that civilians land into UPDF hands and it is here that girls have been known to be forcibly taken by UPDF soldiers as wives (sex slaves) and boys/men press ganged into the UPDF. Sources reveal that those undergoing training at Lugore and the children at other UPDF training camps are people released by the LRA and whom out of bad luck ended up into UPDF hands. Minister orders arrest... Having been given the unenviable task of implementing the UPDF's destructive policies against her own people, minister Akech appear to be acquiring a level of notoriety never before seen in Acholiland. In the 18 years that the UPDF have ruled Uganda, the people of Northern Uganda have seen various sons and daughters turn against their own community. Minister Akech and UPDF intelligence Officer Lt. Col Otema Awany stand out for their notoriety e.g. it was Otema-Awany who broke into a government prison and ordered the massacre of some prisoners who were being held on the suspicion that they were LRA collaborators. It was also Lt. Col. Otema Awany who reportedly held a gun (pistol) to an Acholi Member of Parliamentâs head, demanding that the newly elected MP, sign a false letter acknowledging defeat to a UPDF sponsored candidate. On 03 April 2004 minister Akech travelled to Patiko parish, Gulu district. She travelled in the company of the UPDF's 4th divisional commander Col. Nathan Mugisha, District police commander Richard Muvule, District Security Officer Okot. Sources reveal that the purpose of the visit was to drum up (non-existent) support for the Acholi militia that minister Akech has been tasked to form (by Lt. Gen. Museveni). Realising that the mission was doomed, the minister quickly ordered the UPDF to arrest some civilians. It is unclear what the minister hoped to achieve by sending the UPDF against defenceless civilians. Of the large number of civilians that were arrested that day, 3 were identified as Beatrice Arach, Mr. Alii and Mr. Odongo. The 3 were arrested for "pointing fingers in the direction of the minister". In reality, all the civilians did was to point out to each other, which amongst the visiting crowd was the minister. Nevertheless, they were all arrested and tortured severely by the UPDF, so much so that when they were eventually released, they needed urgent medical attention. A further person arrested was a civilian by the name of Richard Nyeko. The crime Nyeko allegedly committed was that "he was talking to a colleague during the rally". He too received the UPDF's special treatment - whereby he had to endure horrific torture at the hands of government soldiers (the UPDF). On 11 April 2004 Lt. Col. Otema Awany sent a large contingent of UPDF soldiers to Aswa County. The UPDF soldiers were sent to collect a number of local boys whom Otema Awany believed to be in political opposition to the NRM government. The UPDF therefore arrested 8 local boys who in reality had nothing what so ever to do with politics. The civilians where so badly tortured that some had fractured arms, broken ribs etc. The 8 were identified as Bosco Onen, Godfrey Odokonyero, Santo Opira, Charles Opira, Bosco Ojok, Charles Okot, Michael Ojera and Canrach Okello. It is reported that when the UPDF first arrested the civilians, they demanded UG shillings 350,000 each. When the civilians could not produce the money, they were taken straight to Gulu barracks, where the torture continued. It is unclear to date what became of their fate. And Finallyâ. In April 2004 some foreign news organisations reported that Gen. Museveni had declared a ceasefire in its war with the LRA. If ever such a ceasefire was declared, then perhaps this fact was not communicated down to the UPDF soldiers based in Northern Uganda. The war simply goes on. Infact, the UPDF with its newly acquired helicopter gunships (the UPDF recently acquired 2 new helicopter gunships to replace the ones shot down by the LRA in Pader in February 2004), have embarked upon a massive bombing campaign with the main victims being the civilian population. As reported above, any gathering of people be it at a funeral or even in the camps, runs a big risk of being targeted by the UPDF bombers. These have left the civilian population terrified. Observers believe, the news of the so called ceasefire was merely âspinâ (a scheme) by the backers of Gen. Museveni to show to their increasingly inquisitive tax payers overseas, that something was being done to end the Northern conflict. The reality though remains that, the NRM/UPDF military dictatorship is under no REAL pressure to resolve the conflict in Northern Uganda peacefully and as a result, war continues. Until next time Jok Joka malo.  The Echo 2004 N¬±êï‰Ç²,µçhžØ^"wèr‰§zÜ(®Hm¶Ÿÿà "ú ¢g(º
