Rebels Burn Otuke Church

Sep 24, 2002

Though they claim to be God’s army, Kony rebels have burnt a church in Lira district.

By Ali Mao and Wokorach Oboi
Though they claim to be God’s army, Kony rebels have burnt a church in Lira district.

The Pentecostal Assemblies of God (PAG) church was burnt along with 100 other houses in Orit, Abala, Erute North county and Barjobi, Otuke county by the Lord’s Resistance Army (LRA) on two separate days.

About 11 rebels made the attack on September 20 and 21, killing Geoffrey Ereng, the deputy head-teacher of Agwel P7 school in Pader district.

Alfred Opio, Sam Omara and an unidentified woman were reportedly abducted. The other two were released but Omara was not as lucky.

A total of 44 homes were set ablaze in the Orit raid, leaving 30 families homeless. Property worth millions of shillings was also looted, residents said.

A grinding mill, four school blocks and eight teachers houses at Orit Primary School were also burnt.

Residents said the rebels had planted landmines in the area and Moses Ojok of Acelela was recently blown up by one as he rode a bicycle.

Meanwhile, six people were killed by the rebels in an attack in Amin-Tenyo, Adwari sub-county, Otuke, Lira district over the weekend.

Erute North MP Charles Angiro Gutomoi said some of the dead were hacked with pangas while others were beaten to death.

The dead were Albino Onage, a bicycle repairer, Kenecino Okello, a farmer, Benon Obua and Morris Ojok. Identities of the other two were not established.

Gutomoi, Lira district chairman Dr. Charles Odwee Arago and the district council secretary for health, Rebecca Ateng, called on the Government to deploy more troops in Lango region.

“The Government should deploy more soldiers,” Angiro said.
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