UGANDA 27/4/2004 22:09 KITGUM: æONIGHT THE DISPLACED WILL SLEEP IN THE CHURCH?/b> General, Brief æe have opened wide the doors of the church in Kitgum, the largest in the entire district, to receive the wave of displaced people who have been making their way to the city over the last few days to escape from possible fresh attacks by the rebels of LRA (Lordæ Resistance Army). At least they will have a roof over their head and protection against the continuous violence against them,?a religious source told MISNA by telephone from Kitgum, the capital of the northern district of the same name. Thousands of people ?æo one is even counting them any more?added the source ?have fled to the city following news of attacks and ambushes and persistent rumours concerning a series of large-scale operations allegedly being prepared by the rebels. Meanwhile, there are new reports of violence by the rebels, who have been active in north Uganda for over 17 years. Yesterday, two women and a child were killed by the ælum?(as the LRA rebels are called in the Acholi language) in Kabete on the road linking Kitgum with Mucwini, while they were travelling with a group of government soldiers. While the group was marching, the rebels emerged from the tall grass flanking the road, opening fire on the soldiers, who were unharmed, but killing the two women and the son of one of the two. Later, the same group of rebels reportedly attacked a small village just a short distance away, on the road between Kitgum and Matidi. The rebels were repelled and subsequently took flight, leaving at least one of their companions dead. The LRA has tormented the civilian population in northern Uganda since 1986; local sources say that tens of thousands of people have been tortured and killed, 25,000 children have been abducted (reduced to slavery or forced to enter the ranks of the guerrilla force) and over a million people have been displaced from their homes.[LC]
