IDP Camps to Get Own Commander
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New Vision (Kampala)
July 17, 2004
Posted to the web July 19, 2004
Chris Ochowun
Kampala
President Yoweri Museveni has directed the Army Commander to appoint a special
commander to monitor the security of internally displaced persons (IDPs) camps in
northern Uganda.
The Army Commander, Lt. Gen. Aronda Nyakairima, told journalists at his residence at
Gulu Barracks on Thursday that the commander would ensure security in the camps.
He said adequate permanent forces had been deployed in the IDP camps to ensure that
the "LRA rebels" do not loot food and abduct civilians from the camps.
"Kony (LRA leader) has always planned to attack big camps like Pabbo, Amuru and Anaka
for propaganda and to appease their donors who give them air time ( for mobile
telephones)," Nyakairima added.
He castigated the leaders of Gulu and Kitgum districts for failing to raise enough
people to join local defence units, unlike leaders of the neighbouring Pader, Teso and
Lango sub-regions.
"Kony will never challenge us, the UPDF, on guarding IDP camps because we have beefed
up our capacity," Nyakairima said.
He said the appointment of commanders, who will be moving around the camps, would be
soon.
Nyakairima said there were now no major threats from the LRA rebels since most of
their top commanders had been killed, captured and more defected to the government
side.
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Nyakairima was flanked by the northern-based Army spokesman, Lt. Paddy Ankunda, while
briefing the press on the general security situation in the north.
On Tuesday, Nyakairima passed out 337 former "LRA rebels" who defected to the UPDF.
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