Camp fires: Human sacrifice claim shocks MPs
Jul 09, 2006
Members of Parliament on an assessment tour of children’s conditions in Gulu last week, were horrified when local leaders stopped them from putting out a fire in Anaka Camp, Gulu.
By Chris Ocowun
Members of Parliament on an assessment tour of children’s conditions in Gulu last week, were horrified when local leaders stopped them from putting out a fire in Anaka Camp, Gulu.
The locals claimed an evil spirit had demanded for the head of the most beautiful girl in order to end fire outbreaks in the camp.
Uganda Parliamentary Forum for Children (UPFC) members had stopped by Anaka IDP camp to help put out a fire which they found razing the 200 huts.
“We all have run out of our minibus to help put out this fire only to be stopped because human sacrifice has to be done. We are surprised to hear this. People should come back to their senses and stop some of these beliefs,†the team leader of the UPFC who is also the Woman MP for Jinja district, Ruth Tuma, said.
Narrating the mysterious claim to the MPs, the Anaka IDP camp leader, John Michael Oruni, said an evil spirit had spoken through one girl in the camp that in order to stop further fire outbreaks, the leaders needed to sacrifice the most beautiful girl.
The story horrified the 13-member team that was in the area on a mission to assess the conditions of children in conflict situations.
“How did the ghost or evil spirit time us in order to raze the camp when we are here?†Kapelabyong MP Johnson Malinga asked.
The area MP, Simon Oyet, warned people against promoting human sacrifice and if arrested, they would be dealt with in accordance with the law.
At Purongo Camp on Karuma-Pakwach Road, the MPs found two huts had burnt. They found heaps of household belongings in the compounds. Residents told them they preferred to keep their household items outside the huts covered with tarpaulins rather than inside, to protect them from fires that started while they were out in the gardens.
The LC5 chairman of Gulu, Norbert Mao, told the residents that in the history of Acholi there have been no human sacrifice of any kind.
In the recent past, mysterious fire outbreaks were common in Pabbo Camp. Some people think the person who was causing the fire outbreaks shifted to Anaka Camp and that is why since February, thousands of huts have got burnt.
During the recent presidential campaigns, President Yoweri Museveni also found huts burning and the trend has gone on.
The camp residents said the best way to manage such fire outbreaks is by allowing them move back to their homes.
The MPs promised to report their findings to Parliament.
Ends
Members of Parliament on an assessment tour of children’s conditions in Gulu last week, were horrified when local leaders stopped them from putting out a fire in Anaka Camp, Gulu.
The locals claimed an evil spirit had demanded for the head of the most beautiful girl in order to end fire outbreaks in the camp.
Uganda Parliamentary Forum for Children (UPFC) members had stopped by Anaka IDP camp to help put out a fire which they found razing the 200 huts.
“We all have run out of our minibus to help put out this fire only to be stopped because human sacrifice has to be done. We are surprised to hear this. People should come back to their senses and stop some of these beliefs,†the team leader of the UPFC who is also the Woman MP for Jinja district, Ruth Tuma, said.
Narrating the mysterious claim to the MPs, the Anaka IDP camp leader, John Michael Oruni, said an evil spirit had spoken through one girl in the camp that in order to stop further fire outbreaks, the leaders needed to sacrifice the most beautiful girl.
The story horrified the 13-member team that was in the area on a mission to assess the conditions of children in conflict situations.
“How did the ghost or evil spirit time us in order to raze the camp when we are here?†Kapelabyong MP Johnson Malinga asked.
The area MP, Simon Oyet, warned people against promoting human sacrifice and if arrested, they would be dealt with in accordance with the law.
At Purongo Camp on Karuma-Pakwach Road, the MPs found two huts had burnt. They found heaps of household belongings in the compounds. Residents told them they preferred to keep their household items outside the huts covered with tarpaulins rather than inside, to protect them from fires that started while they were out in the gardens.
The LC5 chairman of Gulu, Norbert Mao, told the residents that in the history of Acholi there have been no human sacrifice of any kind.
In the recent past, mysterious fire outbreaks were common in Pabbo Camp. Some people think the person who was causing the fire outbreaks shifted to Anaka Camp and that is why since February, thousands of huts have got burnt.
During the recent presidential campaigns, President Yoweri Museveni also found huts burning and the trend has gone on.
The camp residents said the best way to manage such fire outbreaks is by allowing them move back to their homes.
The MPs promised to report their findings to Parliament.
Ends