Vincent Otti gave order for Atiak massacre
The Lwani community of Atiak yesterday mourned its dead. <br> The 11th anniversary of the Atiak massacre, in which over 200 people were killed, was remembered in an annual prayer ceremony.
The Lwani community of Atiak yesterday mourned its dead.
The 11th anniversary of the Atiak massacre, in which over 200 people were killed, was remembered in an annual prayer ceremony.
The incident, which marked the beginning of a series of LRA atrocities in northern Uganda, prompted the government to sever diplomatic relations with Sudan, which was accused of supporting the rebels.
Catherine Akwero, one of the few survivors of the Atiak massacre, told the New Vision what happened that tragic morning of April 20, 1995.
“The fighting started at around 5:30 in the morning,†Akwero, who was living at the trading centre, recalls.
“Through a crack in the wall, I saw rebels moving towards the barracks. I urged my children to run. But my 14-year old son, who had been abducted earlier, was too scared. I went over to him to comfort him.
“When dawn broke, I heard the rebels scream that they would set the houses on fire. I came out with my son. We were given goods to carry and ordered to move.
“More people were rounded up. We were very many. As we were moving, we heard the sound of a helicopter. The rebels ordered us to cover our heads with leaves.
“Just after crossing the second swamp, at Ayubi River, about six miles from the trading centre, the convoy was stopped. The rebel commander, Vincent Otti, born of the area, ordered everybody to sit down.
He was seated on a chair and was communicating by radio. “‘We have carried out a successful operation in Atiak,†he said.
“We abducted so many people, including students. We are going to show them our work. “Then Otti addressed us. He said, ‘You are useless people. You say our guns are rusting. We shall test them on you.’
“Some people were selected and separated from the main group. Otti personally pulled out some of his relatives. Because I was carrying a baby, I was also picked and told to go to the other side.
“People in the main group were ordered to lie down, facing the ground. My son was among them. He was in P7 at Oliya Primary School. Otti then gave the order for the shooting. He counted: one, two, three.
“They fired randomly at the people lying down. The shooting stopped. As some were still moving, he ordered for the second and third round.
“‘When the shooting stopped, he came over to our group.
‘Have you seen what we have done?’ he asked. ‘If there is anybody with relatives in that group, come and pick their bodies so that you can smoke them’, he joked.
“Before they left, they selected some boys in our group to help them carry the looted items. When they were gone, we ran back to the trading centre. I was totally shaken.†Akwero keeps quiet and starts crying.
She continues, “Later, the bodies were found of the boys who had been abducted.†“They had been stabbed. Some died in the hospital. All in all, 250 people were killed. “Among them were 45 students and three teachers of Atiak Technical School. Only four people survived the massacre, with multiple bullet wounds,†she said
. On the International Criminal Court, Akwero is sceptical. “Even if they manage to arrest him, he will find a way of defending himself,†she says.
Asked if she could forgive Otti, Akwero pauses, then says, “Since everyone is forgiving him, even the government, what can I say?â€
Ends
The 11th anniversary of the Atiak massacre, in which over 200 people were killed, was remembered in an annual prayer ceremony.
The incident, which marked the beginning of a series of LRA atrocities in northern Uganda, prompted the government to sever diplomatic relations with Sudan, which was accused of supporting the rebels.
Catherine Akwero, one of the few survivors of the Atiak massacre, told the New Vision what happened that tragic morning of April 20, 1995.
“The fighting started at around 5:30 in the morning,†Akwero, who was living at the trading centre, recalls.
“Through a crack in the wall, I saw rebels moving towards the barracks. I urged my children to run. But my 14-year old son, who had been abducted earlier, was too scared. I went over to him to comfort him.
“When dawn broke, I heard the rebels scream that they would set the houses on fire. I came out with my son. We were given goods to carry and ordered to move.
“More people were rounded up. We were very many. As we were moving, we heard the sound of a helicopter. The rebels ordered us to cover our heads with leaves.
“Just after crossing the second swamp, at Ayubi River, about six miles from the trading centre, the convoy was stopped. The rebel commander, Vincent Otti, born of the area, ordered everybody to sit down.
He was seated on a chair and was communicating by radio. “‘We have carried out a successful operation in Atiak,†he said.
“We abducted so many people, including students. We are going to show them our work. “Then Otti addressed us. He said, ‘You are useless people. You say our guns are rusting. We shall test them on you.’
“Some people were selected and separated from the main group. Otti personally pulled out some of his relatives. Because I was carrying a baby, I was also picked and told to go to the other side.
“People in the main group were ordered to lie down, facing the ground. My son was among them. He was in P7 at Oliya Primary School. Otti then gave the order for the shooting. He counted: one, two, three.
“They fired randomly at the people lying down. The shooting stopped. As some were still moving, he ordered for the second and third round.
“‘When the shooting stopped, he came over to our group.
‘Have you seen what we have done?’ he asked. ‘If there is anybody with relatives in that group, come and pick their bodies so that you can smoke them’, he joked.
“Before they left, they selected some boys in our group to help them carry the looted items. When they were gone, we ran back to the trading centre. I was totally shaken.†Akwero keeps quiet and starts crying.
She continues, “Later, the bodies were found of the boys who had been abducted.†“They had been stabbed. Some died in the hospital. All in all, 250 people were killed. “Among them were 45 students and three teachers of Atiak Technical School. Only four people survived the massacre, with multiple bullet wounds,†she said
. On the International Criminal Court, Akwero is sceptical. “Even if they manage to arrest him, he will find a way of defending himself,†she says.
Asked if she could forgive Otti, Akwero pauses, then says, “Since everyone is forgiving him, even the government, what can I say?â€
Ends