Teso IDPs vow not to go back
Aug 29, 2006
SINCE government’s pronouncement of decongesting the internally displaced persons’ (IDPs) camps in the war-affected regions of Teso, Lango and Acholi early this year, the progress is slow in Teso.
By Alice Emasu
SINCE government’s pronouncement of decongesting the internally displaced persons’ (IDPs) camps in the war-affected regions of Teso, Lango and Acholi early this year, the progress is slow in Teso.
This has been complicated by the occasional raids by Karimojong warriors. Some locals also fear that remnants of the Lord’s Resistance Army rebels who occasionally attack some parts of Acholi and Lango could return.
Whereas most IDPs in most parts of Soroti and Kaberamaido districts have gone back to their homes, those in Katakwi and Amuria districts have vowed not to return unless the Government guarantees them security.
They are demanding that government provides security structures like a barracks and access roads for the Army and Police at the border areas.
Saverio Olum, the leader of Ocorimongin IDP camp in Katakwi, says they are still living in camps because their homes are insecure. Ocorimongin has over 5,000 displaced people. “Instead of buying mabati (iron sheets), they should use the money to strengthen the security. Those mabati are useless to us,†Olum says, bitterly.
Katakwi resident district commissioner Thomas Nyalulu believes that what complicates decongestion exercise in Katakwi and Amuria districts, is the fact that the Karimojong-induced camps were ignored during the development of the decongestion plan.
According to the June district disaster preparedness reports available in Katakwi, there are 78,000 IDPs still in the camps in Katakwi district.
The report also says there are 120,000 people who were displaced by Karimojong warriors still in camps in Amuria and Katakwi districts.
According to Soroti District Inter Agency Assessment Schedule for the Humanitarian Situation report, there are 14 camps in the district where people have refused to return home because of fear of insecurity. These are; Kabolo, Imagine, Kadungulu, Kagwara, Labor, Pingire and Olio Kakus in Serere County. Others are at Soroti sub-county headquarters, Asuret Primary School, Obuku, Opiyai, Atitir, Achuna, Asianut and Anyara in Kaberamaido district. Though these camps were formed due to LRA insurgency, most of the people who are still in the camps in Katakwi and Amuria districts were displaced by the Karimojong warriors.
Katakwi LC5 chairman Robert Ekongot says the people are demanding that two army barracks be established in order to strengthen security in the area; one in Ngariam at the northeast border of Teso and Karamoja while the other in Kapelebyong at the northwest border. These are the main routes used by the Karimojong to enter Teso.
Moroti resident district commissioner, Robert Nabafu confirms that the government is finalising the process of taking a battalion of soldiers to Napac mountains (between Karamoja and Katakwi).
Martin Ejupu, a retired engineer in Soroti, says over 20 years ago there were security roads used by the military and police to pursue the Karimojong warriors. But the roads are now inaccessible.
Rehabilitation of these routes is one of the security structures that Katakwi district officials list among their requirements for improving security in the area.
But while in Katakwi and Amuria the district authorities are sure that the people are fearing to go back because of the insecurity threat, in Soroti and Kaberamaido districts authorities are still trying to figure out what is keeping people in camps.
Soroti district planner Martin Wabwire says some of the IDPs are reluctant to go back home because they have adopted a new lifestyle after acquiring economic skills and are carrying out petty trade.
Wabwire says the remaining IDPs in Teso no longer receive food handouts, a move to drive them back to their villages.
As a way of motivating the IDPs who have returned home to concentrate on farming, Katakwi has budgeted for sh20m this financial year for buying high yielding seeds and farm implements.
SINCE government’s pronouncement of decongesting the internally displaced persons’ (IDPs) camps in the war-affected regions of Teso, Lango and Acholi early this year, the progress is slow in Teso.
This has been complicated by the occasional raids by Karimojong warriors. Some locals also fear that remnants of the Lord’s Resistance Army rebels who occasionally attack some parts of Acholi and Lango could return.
Whereas most IDPs in most parts of Soroti and Kaberamaido districts have gone back to their homes, those in Katakwi and Amuria districts have vowed not to return unless the Government guarantees them security.
They are demanding that government provides security structures like a barracks and access roads for the Army and Police at the border areas.
Saverio Olum, the leader of Ocorimongin IDP camp in Katakwi, says they are still living in camps because their homes are insecure. Ocorimongin has over 5,000 displaced people. “Instead of buying mabati (iron sheets), they should use the money to strengthen the security. Those mabati are useless to us,†Olum says, bitterly.
Katakwi resident district commissioner Thomas Nyalulu believes that what complicates decongestion exercise in Katakwi and Amuria districts, is the fact that the Karimojong-induced camps were ignored during the development of the decongestion plan.
According to the June district disaster preparedness reports available in Katakwi, there are 78,000 IDPs still in the camps in Katakwi district.
The report also says there are 120,000 people who were displaced by Karimojong warriors still in camps in Amuria and Katakwi districts.
According to Soroti District Inter Agency Assessment Schedule for the Humanitarian Situation report, there are 14 camps in the district where people have refused to return home because of fear of insecurity. These are; Kabolo, Imagine, Kadungulu, Kagwara, Labor, Pingire and Olio Kakus in Serere County. Others are at Soroti sub-county headquarters, Asuret Primary School, Obuku, Opiyai, Atitir, Achuna, Asianut and Anyara in Kaberamaido district. Though these camps were formed due to LRA insurgency, most of the people who are still in the camps in Katakwi and Amuria districts were displaced by the Karimojong warriors.
Katakwi LC5 chairman Robert Ekongot says the people are demanding that two army barracks be established in order to strengthen security in the area; one in Ngariam at the northeast border of Teso and Karamoja while the other in Kapelebyong at the northwest border. These are the main routes used by the Karimojong to enter Teso.
Moroti resident district commissioner, Robert Nabafu confirms that the government is finalising the process of taking a battalion of soldiers to Napac mountains (between Karamoja and Katakwi).
Martin Ejupu, a retired engineer in Soroti, says over 20 years ago there were security roads used by the military and police to pursue the Karimojong warriors. But the roads are now inaccessible.
Rehabilitation of these routes is one of the security structures that Katakwi district officials list among their requirements for improving security in the area.
But while in Katakwi and Amuria the district authorities are sure that the people are fearing to go back because of the insecurity threat, in Soroti and Kaberamaido districts authorities are still trying to figure out what is keeping people in camps.
Soroti district planner Martin Wabwire says some of the IDPs are reluctant to go back home because they have adopted a new lifestyle after acquiring economic skills and are carrying out petty trade.
Wabwire says the remaining IDPs in Teso no longer receive food handouts, a move to drive them back to their villages.
As a way of motivating the IDPs who have returned home to concentrate on farming, Katakwi has budgeted for sh20m this financial year for buying high yielding seeds and farm implements.