U.N. says 55 civilians killed in Uganda army sweeps Friday November 24, 09:57
AM
GENEVA (Reuters) - The Ugandan armed forces used
"indiscriminate and excessive" force in recent sweeps in lawless northeastern
villages in which at least 55 civilians, including women and children, were
killed, the U.N. said on Friday. United Nations High Commissioner for Human
Rights Louise Arbour called on the government to halt its six-month campaign to
disarm warriors and bandits until it could ensure that the operation could
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be carried out without risk to civilians. "The accounts in this report
demonstrate the indiscriminate and excessive use of force by the UPDF during
the disarmament exercise and the failure of the government of Uganda to provide
adequate protection to individuals, resulting in grave human rights
violations," her office said in a report. The report, based on a fact-finding
mission, said most of the 48 killed in one incident in late October had died in
shooting between soldiers and armed villagers, but six of the villagers had
been summarily executed by soldiers. In two other cordon and search
operations, also in the lawless northeast Karamoja region during the period of
October 29-November 15, the Uganda People's Defence Forces (UPDF) shot dead
seven people, it said. "The UPDF was
responsible for extrajudicial, summary and arbitrary executions in violation
of international law," Arbour's office said. The report also accused the army
of 68 arbitrary arrests, 14 cases of torture, rape of an elderly woman and the
burning or destruction of over 200 homesteads. The violence had resulted in 500
persons fleeing in Kotido district, Karamoja. The region has long suffered
banditry, cattle rustling and inter-clan fighting, but Arbour said that
allegations of human rights violations had persisted since the government
initiated a forced disarmament exercise last May. "The ongoing forced
disarmament exercise in Karamoja must stop until adequate measures have been
put in place to ensure the safety, security and full human rights protection of
civilians, including women and children," she said. Armed Karimojong
warriors, who are in illegal possession of weapons and have increasingly
engaged in criminal activities according to the report, had also killed an
unknown number of UPDF soldiers. Ruth Nankabirwa, minister of state for
defence, said earlier this month that the armed conflict had escalated beyond
traditional tit-for-tat killing and cattle rustling to a war against government
soldiers.
The fact is that the UPDF kiled more then 500 Karamojong fellow citizens.
Of course the UPDF can deny this fact. But the truth will always stand.
There will come a time when these murderers of our people will be called
to account for their murderous deeds.
Matek
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