LRA warned against regrouping
May 25, 2009
FORMER Lord’s Resistance Army (LRA) rebels have been warned against regrouping to fight the people of northern Uganda.
By Chris Ocowun
FORMER Lord’s Resistance Army (LRA) rebels have been warned against regrouping to fight the people of northern Uganda.
Gulu resident district commissioner Col. Walter Ochora said the security committee had got a report that two former senior LRA commanders, Maj. Odong Kao and Maj. Santo Otto, had been meeting former rebels in Cerelendu, a suburb near Gulu town.
The meetings are reportedly aimed at regrouping the LRA rebels.
Ochora made the remarks on Radio Mega on Thursday. He ordered the two former LRA commanders to report to his office and not wait to be hunted by security agents.
The UPDF regional spokesman, Capt. Ronald Kakurungu, also said: “These two former LRA commanders returned from rebel captivity and benefited from amnesty. However, they have been engaging in suspicious activities, which we, as security agents, are getting concerned about.â€
In 2006, security operatives netted Odong Kao with two wives of LRA chief Joseph Kony trying to sneak back into Garamba, where Kony and his rebels were at the time.
Kakurungu also said the former deputy speaker of Gulu municipal council, Alex Okot Langwen, was recently arrested over security related crimes.
He said Langwen was briefly detained at Gulu barracks before he was transferred to Kampala.
Kakurungu added that security operatives were still investigating Langwen’s case.
This is the second time Langwen is being arrested on allegations that he has connections with the LRA rebels. In 2006, he was arrested and charged with treason before he was released after receiving amnesty.
Last week, Patrick Otim, a freelance reporter with Rupiny newspaper and Radio Mega, was also arrested by unknown security operatives and up to now his whereabouts are unknown.
FORMER Lord’s Resistance Army (LRA) rebels have been warned against regrouping to fight the people of northern Uganda.
Gulu resident district commissioner Col. Walter Ochora said the security committee had got a report that two former senior LRA commanders, Maj. Odong Kao and Maj. Santo Otto, had been meeting former rebels in Cerelendu, a suburb near Gulu town.
The meetings are reportedly aimed at regrouping the LRA rebels.
Ochora made the remarks on Radio Mega on Thursday. He ordered the two former LRA commanders to report to his office and not wait to be hunted by security agents.
The UPDF regional spokesman, Capt. Ronald Kakurungu, also said: “These two former LRA commanders returned from rebel captivity and benefited from amnesty. However, they have been engaging in suspicious activities, which we, as security agents, are getting concerned about.â€
In 2006, security operatives netted Odong Kao with two wives of LRA chief Joseph Kony trying to sneak back into Garamba, where Kony and his rebels were at the time.
Kakurungu also said the former deputy speaker of Gulu municipal council, Alex Okot Langwen, was recently arrested over security related crimes.
He said Langwen was briefly detained at Gulu barracks before he was transferred to Kampala.
Kakurungu added that security operatives were still investigating Langwen’s case.
This is the second time Langwen is being arrested on allegations that he has connections with the LRA rebels. In 2006, he was arrested and charged with treason before he was released after receiving amnesty.
Last week, Patrick Otim, a freelance reporter with Rupiny newspaper and Radio Mega, was also arrested by unknown security operatives and up to now his whereabouts are unknown.