âGulu massacre camp illegalâ By Oketch Bitek & Moses Odokonyero May 23, 2004
Gulu- Lukodeâ The army yesterday said that the camp in which rebels massacred people was illegal. Instead, it was a village that was almost completely wiped out by the rebels, Division UPDF Spokesman, Lt. Paddy Ankunda yesterday said. âIt is not a camp; it is a village. People took advantage of the army detach to camp there,â Ankunda said by telephone from Gulu. The remarks came hours after the Deputy Resident Commissioner 2nd Lt. James Oyo addressed over 2,000 displaced people from the camp and other camps who had sought refugee at Kaunda grounds. âLukode camp was an illegal camp, we were not aware of its existence,â Oyo told Sunday Monitor after addressing the camp residents. He asked the people to either go back to Lukode or Chope where a new camp is to be created; he said that the UPDF has now beefed up security in the camp. Oyo said the people would be given relief aid before going back to the camps. âWorld Food Programme has accepted to give these people food after which they will go back,â he said. A resident of the area, Obina Justo whom Sunday Monitor talked to said he had lost all his property and had spent two days without eating. Earlier reports from the armyâs regional spokesman, Lt. Paddy Ankunda said 25 people were killed. But other sources said that the figure rose to 42 and gave a full list of names. Yesterday, Ankunda said that the army had counted one more body near Aswa River. But he said it was hard getting the number of the dead. âFirst of all the place is bushy,â he said. âOthers were burnt in the huts.â The people killed were identified as Ojala Ejambio, David Otim, Okwello Charles, Adyero Ochan, Rosikia Kitee, Christine Ojok, Prossy Apio Olwedo Atyenga, Rose Aryemo, Christopher Obedi, and Innocent Rakara Akello Lalobo. Others were Alum Tabiza Akello Nancy Israel Okumu, Alex Ocaya, Oloya Nelson, Charles Obwoya, Wilson Onek, Danger OryemOloch Ogweka, Omona Charles, Okot Kennedy, Aloya Kitama, Kwokeire Junior, Janet Kilama, Kidega Odong, Ojara Joseph, Kidega, Odong and Ocuc Samuel. Other victims who lost their lives were, Olanya Kidega, Charles Odong, Georgina Angom Tezira Arima, Vicent Ocaya, Janet Akello Sunday Oryema and Charles Anywar. The dead included 23 men and 14 female. The rebel forces attacked the village at 6:00 PM as the residents were preparing their supper. The Chairperson District Disaster Management Committee Mr. Stephen Oloya who also addressed the residents said they were still assessing the situation to come up with the number of people who need help. Additional reporting by Badru D. Mulumba and Elias Biryabareeba  2004 The Monitor Publications -------------------------------------------- This service is hosted on the Infocom network http://www.infocom.co.ug
