Don't Insult Army, Nyakairima Tells Fr Carlos
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The Monitor (Kampala)
February 19, 2005
Posted to the web February 18, 2005
Tabu Butagira, Okech Bitek & Ono Columbus
Gulu
The Army Commander, Lt. Gen. Aronda Nyakairima, has said Fr. Carlos Rodriguez, an Italian priest, will be arrested if he does not stop a smear campaign against the UPDF.
Rodriguez, in a stinging article published in one of the papers alleged that the Uganda army was recruiting children.
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He claimed that he interviewed 15 gun-totting soldiers at Palango Detach in Pader district and all of them, recruited a year ago, said they were between 15 and 17 years.
"My conclusion from this brief survey, is that in Uganda, there are indeed child soldiers," wrote Fr Carlos.
The article has enraged the army and set the man of God on a collision course with the institution.
Addressing journalists in Gulu on Thursday, Nyakairima said the reported interview by Fr Carlos was illegal since he did not get clearance from the army. The press conference was organised to introduce former LRA Political Commissar and Spokesman, Mr Sam Kolo who surrendered to the UPDF in Gulu town on Wednesday afternoon.
"If Fr. Carlos is found interviewing soldiers at any barracks without permission, he should be arrested", Nyakairima said.
He said under-age soldiers in service could have lied about their age during recruitment or were not properly scrutinised by the Local Councils.
He said when discovered, such people are usually discharged and sent to school for further studies so that they develop their full potential.
"We do not have children in the army. Fr. Carlos should stop claiming that the UPDF has under-age soldiers," Nyakairima said.
But Fr. Carlos said he would not be intimidated at all because he believes what he authored is genuine.
"It (the army threat) is not necessary. The question is if this (presence of child soldiers) is true. I am convinced about what I wrote after talking to 15 soldiers and stand by the article ", he told The Monitor by telephone.
The article stated that for the government and UPDF to react by lamenting about individuals who want to tarnish the image of the army was just dodging the issue (of child soldiers)".
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Fr. Carlos is a member of the Acholi Religious Leaders Peace Initiative and has had uncomfortable turns with the army over his outstanding criticism of its military push to end the LRA rebellion in northern Uganda.
He is now in Pader where he runs a religious-based organisation supporting victims of the war.
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