In Brief
Mar 21, 2005
Of recent, the media has made the case of Owomugisha Patrick Manenero a topical issue, claiming CMI made contradicting statements over his unfortunate death.
Of recent, the media has made the case of Owomugisha Patrick Manenero a topical issue, claiming CMI made contradicting statements over his unfortunate death.
That CMI and ISO have been blacklisted by human rights organs for torture and that one corporal Mudasiru, a suspect in the murder of the late Manenero, is alive and being covered up by the state from facing the law. The NRA and later UPDF, have never covered up for anyone involved in violation of fundamental human rights. And state inspired violence is not known in the UPDF.
As early as 1982, NRA arrested and publicly executed sergeant Zabuloni, one of the first soldiers, who had joined NRA after he had killed a wananchi in Malule in Ssemuto, Luwero district. This was despite the fact that NRA had a limited number of soldiers and could have economised the force by saving Zabuloni.
In 1989, at Mukula, when some NRA officers committed breaches of human rights leading to the death of 47 Ugandans, the following officers: RO 089 Maj William Byensi, the then brigade commander (deceased), RO 5205 Capt George Oduki (Brigade Intelligence Officer) and others were arrested and tried in a General Court Martial on November 19, 1993 for murder contrary to section 183 and 184 of the penal code act. Later Maj Byensi was acquitted and Capt Oduki, the intelligence officer, was sentenced to five years’ imprisonment.
In 1998, Maj Matayo Ongole, one of our best fighters, disobeyed a lawful order contrary to the Presidential Amnesty pardon and killed two LRA rebel captives under his command. He was arrested, tried in a general court martial, sentenced to death and is still in Luzira upper prison.
The government has been transparent as far as the death of Manenero is concerned and no contradictory statements have been made over the matter.
The CMI did the following when Manenero died in the UPDF cells, where he had been brought, before he could be handed over to the Police like others who were later tried in court:
l The CMI took the body of Manenero to Mulago Hospital on June 24, 2002 and a postmortem was done by a competent doctor.
l The CMI admitted that a CMI soldier on duty hit Manenero as he was trying to escape.
l Corporal Obiga Mudasiru was arrested and on September 22, 2002 charged with murder in the UPDF Division court martial case number DCM/GHQs/024/02 (charge sheet is available).
l The CMI informed the relatives of the late Manenero, the area member of parliament where Manenero came from and the RDC of Kabale district participated in Manenero’s burial.
l CMI contributed about sh1m ($503)to the Manenero family towards the burial expenses.
As confirmed by LCs of Uosogo, Loaa parish, Ciforo sub-county, Adjumani district and the available death certificate, Corporal Mudasiru later died in Adjumani Hospital on May 3, 2004 at 8:00am, while still on court bail granted on health ground.
Therefore, there is no one hiding him from facing the law.
Today, things are done in a more official and transparent way.
Relatives and families are informed about the arrest of their members.
Contrary to the allegation that the UHRC has blacklisted CMI and ISO because of torture, their latest sixth and annual human rights report, Page 4, indicates complaints against CMI and ISO have reduced to 28 and 5 cases respectively, compared to 186 complaints against individuals over similar periods before.
Ugandans will remember that to break the cycle of state-inspired violence against civilians, NRA was the first institution in the country to form a human rights desk, uncommon with most world armies. This was long before the UHRC was created and after the creation of UHRC, a combined effort has greatly improved observance of human rights.
Today, the UHRC, ICRC and other organs visit our detention centres countrywide without undue hindrance. With cooperation from everyone, our policy is to achieve zero tolerance of human rights abuses sooner, rather than later.
The writer is a UPDF major
and Defence/UPDF spokesman
That CMI and ISO have been blacklisted by human rights organs for torture and that one corporal Mudasiru, a suspect in the murder of the late Manenero, is alive and being covered up by the state from facing the law. The NRA and later UPDF, have never covered up for anyone involved in violation of fundamental human rights. And state inspired violence is not known in the UPDF.
As early as 1982, NRA arrested and publicly executed sergeant Zabuloni, one of the first soldiers, who had joined NRA after he had killed a wananchi in Malule in Ssemuto, Luwero district. This was despite the fact that NRA had a limited number of soldiers and could have economised the force by saving Zabuloni.
In 1989, at Mukula, when some NRA officers committed breaches of human rights leading to the death of 47 Ugandans, the following officers: RO 089 Maj William Byensi, the then brigade commander (deceased), RO 5205 Capt George Oduki (Brigade Intelligence Officer) and others were arrested and tried in a General Court Martial on November 19, 1993 for murder contrary to section 183 and 184 of the penal code act. Later Maj Byensi was acquitted and Capt Oduki, the intelligence officer, was sentenced to five years’ imprisonment.
In 1998, Maj Matayo Ongole, one of our best fighters, disobeyed a lawful order contrary to the Presidential Amnesty pardon and killed two LRA rebel captives under his command. He was arrested, tried in a general court martial, sentenced to death and is still in Luzira upper prison.
The government has been transparent as far as the death of Manenero is concerned and no contradictory statements have been made over the matter.
The CMI did the following when Manenero died in the UPDF cells, where he had been brought, before he could be handed over to the Police like others who were later tried in court:
l The CMI took the body of Manenero to Mulago Hospital on June 24, 2002 and a postmortem was done by a competent doctor.
l The CMI admitted that a CMI soldier on duty hit Manenero as he was trying to escape.
l Corporal Obiga Mudasiru was arrested and on September 22, 2002 charged with murder in the UPDF Division court martial case number DCM/GHQs/024/02 (charge sheet is available).
l The CMI informed the relatives of the late Manenero, the area member of parliament where Manenero came from and the RDC of Kabale district participated in Manenero’s burial.
l CMI contributed about sh1m ($503)to the Manenero family towards the burial expenses.
As confirmed by LCs of Uosogo, Loaa parish, Ciforo sub-county, Adjumani district and the available death certificate, Corporal Mudasiru later died in Adjumani Hospital on May 3, 2004 at 8:00am, while still on court bail granted on health ground.
Therefore, there is no one hiding him from facing the law.
Today, things are done in a more official and transparent way.
Relatives and families are informed about the arrest of their members.
Contrary to the allegation that the UHRC has blacklisted CMI and ISO because of torture, their latest sixth and annual human rights report, Page 4, indicates complaints against CMI and ISO have reduced to 28 and 5 cases respectively, compared to 186 complaints against individuals over similar periods before.
Ugandans will remember that to break the cycle of state-inspired violence against civilians, NRA was the first institution in the country to form a human rights desk, uncommon with most world armies. This was long before the UHRC was created and after the creation of UHRC, a combined effort has greatly improved observance of human rights.
Today, the UHRC, ICRC and other organs visit our detention centres countrywide without undue hindrance. With cooperation from everyone, our policy is to achieve zero tolerance of human rights abuses sooner, rather than later.
The writer is a UPDF major
and Defence/UPDF spokesman