LRA Drowns 45 Children
Jul 17, 2003
LRA rebels drowned more than 45 children they abducted from Teso region over the weekend.
By Nathan Etengu and Job Opolot
LRA rebels drowned more than 45 children they abducted from Teso region over the weekend.
Environment state minister Lt Gen Jeje Odongo said the gruesome murder followed pressure from the army which forced the rebels to cross an overflooded river.
Odongo said yesterday the children were drowned on River Moroto which forms Katakwi - Lira border. The river is 14 miles from Obalanga trading centre.
He said the rebels forced the children into the river to test the depth of the water.
He, however, said the currents swept away the children, killing all of them since they did not know how to swim.
“Efforts are being made to recover the bodies so that they can be handed over to the relatives,†he said. By press time five bodies had been recovered.
Odongo was addressing internally displaced persons from the district of Katakwi, Soroti and Kaberamaido who had taken refuge in Kapir, Kumi district.
The first deputy premier and minister for disaster preparedness, Lt. Gen Moses Ali and State Minister Christine Amongin Aporu who had been on a solidarity visit and fact finding tour of the Teso region attended. Odongo said the UPDF deployment at Alito Bridge on Obalanga-Olilim road had blocked the only route the rebels use to cross into Teso.
Odongo, who is over-seeing the deployment of UPDF in the sector, said a brigade would be stationed at Obalanga to cut off the rebels.
He said three other battalions were to be deployed at Kapelebyong and Ogwete and a third in Moroto county, Lira. “The purpose of these deployments is to ensure that the rebels do not cross into Teso,†Odongo said.
He said the deployment was to be supplemented by the Arrow Group, vigilantes made up of local youth and former UPA rebel fighters. They will be stationed in border sub-counties. He said the Kapelebyong battalion would also counter infiltration of Karimojong there.
Some of the troops for deployment at the new brigade were yesterday seen heading towards Obalanga. Odongo told the IDPs to be courageous. He said panic was counter-productive. “The rebels are cowards and very weak,†he said.
Ends
LRA rebels drowned more than 45 children they abducted from Teso region over the weekend.
Environment state minister Lt Gen Jeje Odongo said the gruesome murder followed pressure from the army which forced the rebels to cross an overflooded river.
Odongo said yesterday the children were drowned on River Moroto which forms Katakwi - Lira border. The river is 14 miles from Obalanga trading centre.
He said the rebels forced the children into the river to test the depth of the water.
He, however, said the currents swept away the children, killing all of them since they did not know how to swim.
“Efforts are being made to recover the bodies so that they can be handed over to the relatives,†he said. By press time five bodies had been recovered.
Odongo was addressing internally displaced persons from the district of Katakwi, Soroti and Kaberamaido who had taken refuge in Kapir, Kumi district.
The first deputy premier and minister for disaster preparedness, Lt. Gen Moses Ali and State Minister Christine Amongin Aporu who had been on a solidarity visit and fact finding tour of the Teso region attended. Odongo said the UPDF deployment at Alito Bridge on Obalanga-Olilim road had blocked the only route the rebels use to cross into Teso.
Odongo, who is over-seeing the deployment of UPDF in the sector, said a brigade would be stationed at Obalanga to cut off the rebels.
He said three other battalions were to be deployed at Kapelebyong and Ogwete and a third in Moroto county, Lira. “The purpose of these deployments is to ensure that the rebels do not cross into Teso,†Odongo said.
He said the deployment was to be supplemented by the Arrow Group, vigilantes made up of local youth and former UPA rebel fighters. They will be stationed in border sub-counties. He said the Kapelebyong battalion would also counter infiltration of Karimojong there.
Some of the troops for deployment at the new brigade were yesterday seen heading towards Obalanga. Odongo told the IDPs to be courageous. He said panic was counter-productive. “The rebels are cowards and very weak,†he said.
Ends