KONY FREES 100 IN PADER
Oct 12, 2003
THE Lord’s Resistance Army (LRA) rebels released over 100 captives they abducted on Friday morning together with the Acholi paramount chief, Owany-Ywakamoi, Pader security sources said.
THE Lord’s Resistance Army (LRA) rebels released over 100 captives they abducted on Friday morning together with the Acholi paramount chief, Owany-Ywakamoi, Pader security sources said.
The sources said the captives were handed to Rwot Oywak in Pader district on Sunday morning. The abductions took place during an attack on Pajule LDU Hotel detachment in Pader. Eleven rebels were killed by the LDUs in the morning attack.
The abduction of Owany had scared the people of Acholi because he is the traditional leader who has for the last three years been linking the Government and the LRA rebels for peace talks.
He has also been receiving captives who escape from rebels.
The UPDF officer in charge of Operation Iron Fist intelligence in northern Uganda, Lt. Col. Charles Otema-Awany said the rebels released the chief in Pajule.
He said the motive of the release was not yet clear.
This has been the first time in many years that the LRA rebels have abducted an Acholi Traditional chief, especially the one who has been linking them to the Government in attempts to have peace negotiations to end the war.
Attempts to contact the Rwot were futile.
Caritas, a Catholic NGO in Pajule, said it was trying to establish the number of freed captives and take them to its reception centre.
In November last year, the LRA former second in command, Vincent Otti freed 100 captives from Atiak in Kilak County.
After the release, the rebels resorted to wild killings and abduction of people in Gulu.
Otti is known for butchering over 300 people from his own home areas in Atiak in early 1995.
Meanwhile, three LDU personnel were arrested after they fired into the air scaring residents in Pajule internally displaced persons’ camp on Friday evening.
Ends
The sources said the captives were handed to Rwot Oywak in Pader district on Sunday morning. The abductions took place during an attack on Pajule LDU Hotel detachment in Pader. Eleven rebels were killed by the LDUs in the morning attack.
The abduction of Owany had scared the people of Acholi because he is the traditional leader who has for the last three years been linking the Government and the LRA rebels for peace talks.
He has also been receiving captives who escape from rebels.
The UPDF officer in charge of Operation Iron Fist intelligence in northern Uganda, Lt. Col. Charles Otema-Awany said the rebels released the chief in Pajule.
He said the motive of the release was not yet clear.
This has been the first time in many years that the LRA rebels have abducted an Acholi Traditional chief, especially the one who has been linking them to the Government in attempts to have peace negotiations to end the war.
Attempts to contact the Rwot were futile.
Caritas, a Catholic NGO in Pajule, said it was trying to establish the number of freed captives and take them to its reception centre.
In November last year, the LRA former second in command, Vincent Otti freed 100 captives from Atiak in Kilak County.
After the release, the rebels resorted to wild killings and abduction of people in Gulu.
Otti is known for butchering over 300 people from his own home areas in Atiak in early 1995.
Meanwhile, three LDU personnel were arrested after they fired into the air scaring residents in Pajule internally displaced persons’ camp on Friday evening.
Ends