Police roundup K’jong girls
Nov 06, 2006
ABOUT 30 Karimojong women and girls suspected to have been victims of human trafficking in Ocorimongin cattle market in Katakwi have been rounded up by Police.
By John Omoding
ABOUT 30 Karimojong women and girls suspected to have been victims of human trafficking in Ocorimongin cattle market in Katakwi have been rounded up by Police.
The hungry-looking Karimojong were on Friday taken to Katakwi Police Station as the Police and ActionAid, an international charity, looked for food for them before screening them.
Police will hand them back to Moroto district authorities.
In desperate bid to escape the fierce famine looming in Karamoja, many Karimojong have been forced to move to the neighbouring Teso in search for odd jobs in exchange of food.
Press reports indicated recently that karimojong girls were being sold in the Katakwi market at sh3,000.
However, Katakwi chief administrative officer Nicolas Ocakar Muron said, “Child trafficking does not exist in Katakwi as has been reported in the press.â€
The girls are reportedly ferried by business people in trucks and sold for cheap labour, as others become sex slaves.
Katakwi district Police chief Ubaldo Damunoba said, “They told us that they had come voluntarily into Teso in search for labour in exchange for food.†He was addressing journalists at his office.
One of the Karimojong, Maria Nakiria from Matany, said, “We came to look for casual labour and food but we do not know why the Police want to take us back to Karamoja and yet there is famine.â€
Damunoba said, “What we are concerned about is the children and young girls they have come along with. But the adults are free to come back after they have taken back the girls and children to Karamoja.â€
“We don’t stop them from coming to the market if they are coming to trade,†he added.
ABOUT 30 Karimojong women and girls suspected to have been victims of human trafficking in Ocorimongin cattle market in Katakwi have been rounded up by Police.
The hungry-looking Karimojong were on Friday taken to Katakwi Police Station as the Police and ActionAid, an international charity, looked for food for them before screening them.
Police will hand them back to Moroto district authorities.
In desperate bid to escape the fierce famine looming in Karamoja, many Karimojong have been forced to move to the neighbouring Teso in search for odd jobs in exchange of food.
Press reports indicated recently that karimojong girls were being sold in the Katakwi market at sh3,000.
However, Katakwi chief administrative officer Nicolas Ocakar Muron said, “Child trafficking does not exist in Katakwi as has been reported in the press.â€
The girls are reportedly ferried by business people in trucks and sold for cheap labour, as others become sex slaves.
Katakwi district Police chief Ubaldo Damunoba said, “They told us that they had come voluntarily into Teso in search for labour in exchange for food.†He was addressing journalists at his office.
One of the Karimojong, Maria Nakiria from Matany, said, “We came to look for casual labour and food but we do not know why the Police want to take us back to Karamoja and yet there is famine.â€
Damunoba said, “What we are concerned about is the children and young girls they have come along with. But the adults are free to come back after they have taken back the girls and children to Karamoja.â€
“We don’t stop them from coming to the market if they are coming to trade,†he added.