K’jong hand over 2,000 guns

By Richard Otim A TOTAL of 2,000 guns in possession of the Karimojong warriors have so far been voluntarily handed over to the Uganda Human Rights Commission (UHRC). The UHRC commissioner in-charge of the central region, Veronica Eragu Bichetero, warned that as long as gun proliferation into Karamoja was not checked, the warriors would continue to acquire more guns. Bichetero was on Monday delivering a paper on human rights to the Soroti College of Commerce (UCC) students. She advised the government to control gun trafficking into Karamoja as a key solution to lasting peace in the region. Bichetero said the guns were handed to the commission in several peace and reconciliation education programmes conducted in Karamoja. She said the programmes sensitised the Karimojong on the ills of the gun. “Some warriors could have decided to hand in their guns due to fear of what could happen if they defied government orders. but under normal circumstances, they might buy more if available,” Bichetero said. She said the issue of Teso-Karamoja crisis was a complex one that needed time, patience and enough resources to combat. Bichetero said many parties had perpetuated the crisis and that it was not proper to blame it entirely on the Karimojong. “the Karimojong, Iteso, Langi and Sabiny are all to blame for the Karamoja crisis,” Eragu said. She said it was bad to avenge like what had happened in Katakwi where nine Karimojong traders were lynched.