Ogolo South, LRA Massacre: Liri Parish, Arinyapi sub-county, Adjumani
Ogolo south village massacre site is located 22 kilometres north eastern of Adjumani district. The massacre site is situated at about 1 kilometre from the main road and accessible by footpath. Ogolo south village was known for simsim and peas production, an activity which stopped in the aftermath of the Lords’ Resistance Army conflict and has still not recovered. 13 years after the massacre, Ogolo south village remains uninhabited and the conflict memories remain fresh. Despite being busy and not easily accessible, some of the people still exactly remember the killing site and can easily locate it.
The LRA attacked Ogolo village on 7th July 2006 and killed 5 people. According to survivors, the community had a get together to enjoy a Madi traditional marriage and were totally unaware of the LRA incursion. The event had community members from within Ogolo and those invited from neighboring villages of the bride and the groom. The rebels’ bullets left 5 dead on the ground, while unknown numbers ran away with bullet wounds and injuries.
On the 7th of January 2006, the Lord’s Resistance Army (LRA) overpowered and attacked innocent civilians in Ogolo south village, in liri parish, Adjumani district. As a result of the violent attack at least 5 people were killed as the LRA shot at them in a hut. The five people killed
were: Mundru Christopher, Eriga Simon, Areko Stephen, Genge Charles, and Amazuru Patrict.
A survivor of the massacre narrated that “It happened at about 25mins to 1am in Ogolo south village at the home of the late Mzee Jurugo. We were celebrating a marriage that was organized by one young man from this village. We were for a disco and that is when they shot at us”.
The Ogolo killing site is very close, just a few meters from Oyaa stream which is a tributary of Tete River. The manner in which the massacre happened was through indiscriminate shooting by the LRA. The 5 people who were killed were buried in different places. Three were buried in Arwenyi village, one in Ogolo South village and the other in Madulu North village.
Charles Etega who is now 34 years old and a survivor from the scene of the massacre recalled how a peaceful village Ogolo was before 1986. But from 1990 to 2006 the LRA war in northern Uganda spilled over to Adjumani and to this particular village which became a victim of several attacks.
“This happened when I was also inside and I was supposed to also be killed, but due to logic I played. Being a lame person and already on the floor, two people were shot dead on spot and fell next to me. I crawled and moved their bodies to cover me. Then when the LRA entered here, they saw collected some things from here. Then they started chasing people here with guns, others were being shot on the leg, others on the head. One was shot down some meters from here and killed. Then the other was shot from there. And on that very day, there were others shot in the stomach. One who was called Ndega Charles died from the hospital of Adjumani hospital. Those who were just killed here around are; Christopher Omondo from Orenge village, the father is Awelio, then Eriga Simon son of Rocenzion Areko, Stephen son of Genge Charles son of Okudu Michael then Erichaa, the father is Ruule Those were the one who died here. But that is really a bad incidence which has happened since the LRA broke into this part of ours here. On that very day, there is a man called Jurugo who is a young boy who got married. He had organized this disco so that people enjoy the traditional local marriage. So he organized for the marriage which took place here”. Narrative from Charles a survivor.
Compensation and community frustration
The villagers being robbed of their joy haven’t seen processes that could better their lives after the violence. “Frankly let me tell you, there is no compensation which has happened right from the time of the massacre” one survivor bitterly lamented. Once this thing happened, there was no compensation. Since 2006 up to now, there was no conversation and this is the first time for you from Refugee Law Project has visited this area.
The Ogolo south village massacre site is at GPS coordinates
(N03.52839, E031.99102) Elv 604m
Olikwi Village Massacre Site: Arapi Parish, Arinyapi Sub County, Adjumani District
Site scoped with funding support from EU (Promoting Sustainable Peace,Security and Justice in West Nile Sub-region)
Olikwi village massacre site is located 32km from Adjumani town. It is found in Arapi parish, Arinyapi sub county. Olikwi is said to have been affected in the 1970s by the Uganda Liberation war, then by the 1980s war, then Alice Lakwena rebellion in the late 1980s, and the Lords’ Resistance Army conflict from the late 1980s to 2006 according to respondents. In all those war times, locals were either displaced to neighbouring districts or sought exile in neighbouring countries of Congo and South Sudan. However much of internal displacements were a result of the LRA incursion into West Nile through the porous borders of northern Uganda.
On the 20th March 2004 the LRA stormed Olikwi village and killed 5 people in the night. Two of the elderly people killed were buried in th
e family grave yard 15 meters away from killing site and two others were killed along the way as they attempted to flee for their lives. Those that survived the attack sought refuge in Arinyapi sub-county headquarters. To date only a few people have settled back in Olikwi simply because of the bad memories and the fear they still carry despite the absence of the LRA. According to one witness “people have not resettled entirely; just a few are returning”. On a positive note the return has not led to land disputes unlike in other LRA-affected communities. This is because the land in which the attack took place is occupied by one clan.
Recollecting his memories, one witness narrated that …. “It was on 20th March, 2004, we were from a funeral. That’s when the LRA attacked and killed my brothers. News had reached us of approaching LRA from Southern Sudan. During the attack, they also raided and took away with them some animals. In an attempt to escape death people were forced to run across river Tete. After the attack life became very difficult. People continued to stay in fear. During the day, the people sneaked back to their homes because the LRA mostly attacked at night. For safety then, the locals took to the bushes across river Tete whenever night time falls. The trend continued till this massacre happened – and then people were forced to flee to Arinyapi as IDPs…”
Though not clearly visible and without marks/signs to locate the killing sites, members in the community still clearly remember points and places where the killings took place.The manner in which people were massacred was a very painful one. In the words of one witness in Olikwi “People were not shot but were knifed; my father was knifed 8 times, and my brother 7 times, they died badly”. To date some individuals in Olikwi village attribute the high rate of poverty to the LRA attacks. Some allege that they lost over 60 head of cattle and more than one hundred goats.
GPS Location of Olikwi LRA Massacre is (N3.480353,E32.016051), Elv 632m-
A burial site of two elderly victims
In summary: On the 19th of May 2004, the Lord’s Resistance Army (LRA) raided the village of Lukodi, and carried out a massacre that led to the death of over sixty people. Lukodi village is located seventeen kilometres north of Gulu town, in Gulu district. It is one of the many villages in northern Uganda that suffered from persistent LRA attacks, leading to the death of several people. Northern Uganda has been under conflict for over twenty years, as a result of a civil war waged mainly between the rebels of the LRA and the Government of Uganda (GoU). The impacts of the conflict have been devastating, characterised by the displacement of over 1.8 million people into IDP camps, loss of lives, and abduction of over 38,000 children by the LRA to serve as child soldiers and sex slaves. Lukodi, like many other villages in northern Uganda, was severely affected by the conflict, leading to the displacement of the inhabitants of the village who were forced to seek refuge in the congested camp of Coope for three years. The people of Lukodi were able to begin returning to their homes as a result of the relative peace which ensued in northern Uganda after the conclusion of the Juba peace talks in November 2008.
More Articles and video links to the massacre bellow;
During a five-day spell, between April 14 and 18, 1991, the village which lies 16 kilometres northeast of Gulu town was turned upside down by NRA soldiers from the 22nd Battalion which was commanded by Major Reuben Ikondere under the auspices of Operation North, whose overall commander was the then Maj Gen David Tinyefuza.
A media article covering the incident is available here.
At least 35 men were placed in a hole on the ground and 5 died immediately. the number that died after the incident is still unknown. According to those I spoke to, Villagers were suffocated by burning peper and directing the smoke to the people pilled in the hole. It was just three years ago that groups of civil society organisation together with community constructed a monument to remember the killing. while an official apology has been given by government, the community’s request for monument was answered by CSOs. what still pending is the issue of compensation that needs to happen.
NRA (National Resistance Army) Massacre of 45
In the earlier attainment of power, soldiers of the NRA wouldn’t settle for news of rebel collaborators. In Lobolatek, it started as rumours that one village man was a rebel fighter and had in his possession a gun. Locals knew him very well. Time and again he would return to their home and stayed with his people shortly before he furnishes into the thick bushes. according to family members and community around the memorial, news about the rebel fighter somehow reached the NRA. on this fateful day, a group of the soldiers came and surrounded the entire village, arresting and torturing people as the moved along with. Pregnant mothers, children and elderly were spared by sending them away. the 45 killed were those gathered from around the villages and were accused of hiding amidst them a rebel who had guns. And that according to local residents were the motives for the massacre.
A monument constructed in memory of those killed in this place. Commonly known as Lobo Latek, in Latany Sub county, Dure parish, Pader district
Achol Pii Massacre, 4 July 1996
Achol-Pii refugee camp is situated in Pader, a newly created district that used to be part of Kitgum District. It has a long history of hosting refugees, starting with Sudanese refugees in the early 1960s fleeing the first stage of fighting in the Sudan war. A group of Congolese came to Achol-Pii in the mid-1960s, and the Sudanese were resettled to Karamoja following ongoing disputes with nationals. The Congolese remained until the fall of Amin in 1979 when they were attacked and forced to return to Congo having been regarded as allies of Amin.
In 1993 when brutal fighting between divided SPLA factions forced many Sudanese Acholi and Lotuko to leave their homes. Perhaps the most significant event in the history of the camp and surrounding area was a two-day rebel attack on Block 14 of the settlement and the camp administrative center, Agago, 13th—14th July 1996. On the first day, two drivers and two police officers were abducted and an estimated 22 refugees were killed. The following morning, approximately 76 refugees were rounded up and systematic ally shot, hacked or clubbed to death. An additional 21 were seriously wounded by the LRA rebels. (Source)
Further reading.
Ombaci Massacre, 24 June 1981
Yearly Memorial Prayer congregation at the mass grave site
List of Victims
On Wednesday, June 24, 1981, the Uganda National Liberation Army (UNLA) attacked civilians who had taken refuge at Ombaci Colleges, located just 4 kilometers north-west of Arua town on the Kaya Highway/Rhino Camp Road, in Arua District is Ombaci College, claiming the lives of close to 100 people and leaving countless wounded. The massacre was by all accounts extremely chaotic, with groups of soldiers entering from all sides of the school and mission and roving from room to room shooting and looting.
Author: Okot Komakech Deo
The battle to overthrow Amin from power greatly inflicted terrible suffering on the people of west Nile. As the saying goes “when two elephants fight it’s the grass that suffer”. UNLA (Uganda National Liberation Army) a combination with Tanzanian solders that over threw Amin had significant number of northerners and commanders already fed up of the regime of Amin. Rape of women, looting, and burning of private properties were among terrible events that unfolded in most west Nile district during the downfall of Amin. Most of these killing were executed on revenge tendencies, a typical characteristics of human rights violation Uganda has had to deal with over a number of regime changes.
Introduction: In 1980, groups of UNLA (Uganda National Liberation Army) chasing fighters of Amin ended up in a village of Ringili, Arua district and killed 16 people at Ringili primary school. The civilians where rounded up from neighboring villages and slaughtered at the place now a primary school. According to community members, the event marked the beginning of fleeing into exile for most people in and around Ringili. Congo at the time was only way out of the troublesome UNLA soldiers. The soldiers targeted majorly men as they feared where either collaborators or camouflaging soldiers of Amin. Mostly women’s lives where spared but never escaped being rapped.
Ochoko Rachel (Survivor) I am 55 years old now but about 34 years ago, I found my self-living in a village called Ringili in Arua. I lived in the home of late mzee Eliza with my other siblings. It was in the year 1980 when I show what is known as war in Uganda as a young girl of 17 years. Before that, I knew nothing about war. It was a Wednesday morning and was drizzling. We were all at our home in Ringili theological college that is the current Uganda Christian university Arua campus. At around 9am in the morning, we show soldiers scattered running everywhere through the village telling us that they have secured the government and were advancing towards Bondo. All of a sudden, they retreated as though soldiers were chasing them. Those I assumed must have been the Tanzanians.
As they advanced towards our home, what I show as a young girl was the ordering of people to surrender. And since they got us by surprise, they didn’t give us time to hide or explain our self. From a far, I could see houses burning. Then they forcefully surrounded my brother and father. The rest of us were chase 200metres away from the home. Men were separated from women and women were ordered to go back home. My dad, brother and many others were led to Ringili primary school where they met their death at around 11am. Amidst those killed were student at theological college by then. As they were being driven to place were they were to be killed, I was distant away but heard only the gun shot. Soon after that I show my brother running while holding one of his harms telling us that our dad has passed away then from there I didn’t know what happened next’s, there was a European lady known as madam Lora who offered to take those who survived to Kuluba hospital for treatment, among the 16 people who were presented to be shot, only one person survived even without bullets touching himself, but for my brother about 3 bullets were shot at him but he survived and now he is a living testimonies of that war of 1980, and that is all I can remember as a little girl of 17years old about the 1980 war.
To me personally, it was and still is a very tragic moment and a grate loss on the dear ones on, those tragic incidents left a very big gap in the affected homes that to dates can’t be filled. Because as a young girl it wasn’t easy to be educated after my dad left. I suffered the consequence of war and I do believe that others who also lost their dear ones to war at those tragic moments also suffered the same thing. Secondly the war had a serious effect on us and on our children because of hunger. We went through a very difficult moments after the war as survivor. Homes were disorganized was not secure any more. We were left to struggle on our own as children.
After the killing we were then displaced. My brothers and others whom they survived together, went to the hospital to received treatment but because he had a serious fractured on his left harms, we had to push him to Angaro hospital for better medical service. It was also not easy in Angaro hospital. The tribal segregation with Alur and Lugbara was at its peak…
On our way back from hospital, my brother almost met his death in front of an army barrack. Soldier arrested him as a deserter- a runaway soldier. It was a very difficult night at Bondo army barrack. But the next day by God’s wills, we were able to return back to Bondo hospital a life. Upon our release, the Lorry driver to take us to Arua wasn’t willing. He then forced us to sleep in an army barrack. but among many soldiers. We were put in separate rooms with my brother. My niece and me were left in a single room. We were disturbs so much until one of the army officer came and protected us the whole night. So that is the experience I passed through when I had a terrible night in Bondo army barrack. Though the car didn’t break but they said that is where its journey ends and couldn’t proceed to Arua. The army soldiers wanted to rape me.
We left Ringili village on Wednesday 15th Oct 1980. On that fateful day of the war we couldn’t live there any more. So we took refugee at Kuluba hospital where many others also did the same. so when we came back from Angalo hospital my family were still living in Kuluba hospital were we later join them. From there we didn’t move back to Ringili anymore when my father was killed, I had an uncle in Kisuku where we went and join his family
The message I have for others is that we really need peace, and we need a peaceful Uganda. Because war has many result including displacement and all I argue is that the leaders should join hands together in order to lead Uganda in peace. So that we are no longer affected by such problems. The loss is so grate to imagine. we didn’t expect it and indeed the 1980 war made us to separate. it’s a lost that is not easy to forget. I believed others who also found them self in my step as survivors of the family needs helps from the government so that we can recover from the trauma we are going through by at least doing some thing if not compensation. Because nearly all people from west Nile suffered the consequences of that war and they have tried to move forward by working very hard to rebuild the lost properties like houses but that is enough. It will be much better if the government come up and give them aid to hold up there hands.
Emerging issue: Family members are demanding for compensation from the current government while they continue to pull out resources together to conduct yearly memorial prayer.
Recommendation
There is need to further trace out for more survivors of the attack for in-depth documentation of the massacre. West Nile where however torn in between being loyal to the UNLA or their tribes man’s army of Amin. A deeper search would facilitate the understanding on the complexities how such loyalty would be factors that attributed to the cruel some treatment and targeted killing of men in west Nile
Author: Okot komakech Deo
The infiltration of LRA into Teso Region left a legacy whose story is yet to be told. Obalanga is one Amurias district sub county Teso sub-region in eastern Uganda Amuria is a town in the Eastern Region of Uganda. In June 2003, the LRA infiltrated Teso sub-region in eastern Uganda for the first time. The civilian population and the government army were caught unaware, a factor which had disastrous humanitarian implications. The first village that fell victim to the LRA attacks was Angica A village in Alito Parish, 30 kilometers north of Obalanga. In line with their trademark pattern of atrocities, the rebel soldiers carried out killings, abductions, maiming, looting, rape burning and pillaging. By the time the UPDF repulsed them almost 8 months later, approximately 90% of the population in Teso sub-region had been displaced into internally displaced persons (IDP) camps, several thousand children had been abducted and thousands of people had lost their lives and property. Obalanga sub ‐ county is located about 27 kilometers north of Amuria town and is one of the sub ‐ counties that was arguably most affected by the LRA incursion. Given its location on the border with Lango sub ‐ region, it was used as strategic point of entry for the LRA. The sub-county headquarters later became the largest IDP camp in Teso sub‐ region, sheltering over 40,000 internally displaced persons. Obalanga is also home to one of the largest mass graves in Teso, with approximately 365 remains of victims buried in it.
Author: Okot Komakech Deo
Research and Documentation Officer
Location: 1980 10 15 Ewuata, Vura s/c
Perpetrator were militia.
The private land owner and caretaker of the monument display tablets with names of those killed
Introduction
West Nile like the rest of Uganda experienced significant historical conflicts that built up to one of Uganda’s greatest history of violence, suffering, poverty and persistent grieve. In its current state of a relative peaceful, it’s constantly being reminded by the scare of bloodshed and unaddressed legacies of the violence. Muni village in Arua town west of Uganda was a place terrorized by the then soldiers of UNLA (Uganda National Liberation Army) on 15th October 1980 killing several unarmed civilian who where living in Muni. On the fateful day about 11 people were arrested and led towards a catholic mission. Shooting started when one of those abducted identified by his profession as a teacher cut himself loose and ran away. Instantly those that remained where forced to the ground and shot in cold blood while a little boy and a girl left standing to witness the brutality.
Life became increasingly difficult and oppressive for Muni residents. Most of who ran to exile in Congo. As a reminder to the incident, a monumental mass grave was constructed on a private facility at location of the murder. Yearly family members and Christian communities of St. Andrew & Nicholas, Cou Lulucaku village Muni parish come together to commemorate and remind themselves of the painful past. The attacks and looting of private properties disrupted social, economic activities in the area forcing culminating into mass displacement to secure area across the borders between Uganda and congo as refugees. It took them the entire UNLA regime change to slowly return back to Uganda. Many perished in exile while a handful return to reconstruct their lives.
Motives for the killing
According to community members, atrocities committed by government forces of the UNLA date shortly in 1979, when the UNLA Government under the leadership of President Milton Obote 11 came to power after ousting Amin. Among West Nile local population, the killings and suffering has been alleged resultant to direct thirst for accumulated vengeance by Northern tribes as the UNLA overthrew a government widely perceived as a regime of Lubgwara led by their son Amin. Amin’s leadership however is widely perceived a dictatorial by nature under which thousands of Ugandans where killed. Amin’s targeted tribal execution especially to those directed at Acholi and Langi who then dominated the UNLA has a direct link to this massacres and wide spread violence in west Nile at the time.
Stone quarry- an economic activity around the mass grave site.
The massacre survivor account one:
William Daniel Ongala, when this thing started happening we were home here at night closing into early morning. I ran into the bush where we stayed for long and when I returned a bishop whom I don’t know the name had collected the people already killed waiting for burial. The grave was already dag ready for burial in the bushes. The Bishop asked me whether I was the owner of this home and I said yes. Then I suggested burring the people here in my compound. The burial was done and we stay here only for three days and people advised I leave the place immediately. I refused and told them, “I am not leaving”. Shortly soldiers returned one night and looted everything including our iron sheet on the roof. I was forced to run for safety in the bush till when they left was when I got back home. We then reconstructed a grass thatch huts for a house and as well care for the burial sites never to get busy to date. The relatives for those are coming to me that they want to build a big house on top of the grave but I said “no I only gave the small piece of land for grave”. Those people killed were living in muni they included the Head teachers, local leaders, religious leaders and many others. and these what am holding are their names as you can see.
Sign post of St. Andrew & Nicholas church next to the monument
Angole Godfrey, a Parish Chief of Nyo parish in Muni and it happened that during the 1980, early morning when the Ugandan UNLA in combination with Tanzanian soldiers stopped here and started chasing us. They were very angry and started killing people from Ringili Village (Ringili Massacre) up to here. That time teachers and student were converged. It was election campaign period. People were cooking, eating and enjoying themselves before the tragic attack. People had gathered into a church leader’s home and ready to take their meal. Eventually news reached that soldiers were approaching. People were running and shooting all over the place, The church leader actually wanted people at the gathering to escape… so there was this MP (Member of Parliament) whose campaign agent was the Head Teacher stopped the people not to run away because he was a MP and a member of the ruling party by then the UPC (Uganda People’s Congress). so they remain home and then soldiers, came surrounded them and grab every body. The arrested were immediately being led away from Muni to army detached of the UNLA. Shortly before they could reach, one teacher decided ran away for his life. the soldiers in a quick respond to the escape force laid every body to the ground and shot them all sparing only a young boy and girl to go back home as witnesses to what happened. Later on the family members gathered and build this monument to remember what happened to their dear ones. That’s all!!…
Emerging issues
The families have for years longed for compensation for the loved one that was killed by the very soldiers that was to protect them. It’s evident that mostly during memorial prayers that survivors use the platform to share there though and call for compensation. Keen knowledge of the role of the state to protect the civilian is the driving force onto appeal to the current government to repair the damages committed during the regime of Obote in 1979. It’s believed that regime changes have no link to its duty to address or no address historical human rights violations and injustices. On that note, the affected community members are pressuring local leaders to ensure that victim’s are compensated.
Locating a mass grave in a private land has hindered victim’s family member from expanding the memorial into a more attractive and meaningful site. The church and Christian community has consistently attempted to convince the landowner to accept construction of a memorial church right besides the mass grave, but this has been in vain.
Recommendation
There is need for civil society organizations within and outside of west Nile to look into critical documentation of west Nile war history as a starting point to push for compensation. A lot of what happened in west Nile before the intrusion of the LRA was violence inflicted on political grounds. Most of which were not taken keen consideration as regimes flip over. Therefore RLP need to do more extensive engagement with families of victims across west Nile and beyond Arua.
1971 Corner Ogwech Massacre
(Field Marshall Idi Amin Dada)
About 417 civilians fleeing the terror of Amin’s regime met their death in the center of Lokung sub county in April 1971. Lokung was in Kitgum at the time and now is one of the sub counties in current district Lamwo. The Group was reportedly killed by Idi Amin and Brigadier Joseph Lagu, the leader of the then Anyanya fighting group. They were taken captive, charged with attempting to enter a military training camp with an intention of organizing to overthrow Idi Amin’s government. They were later killed at a place known as Corner Ogwech.
In Owiny Kibul, already assembled were those from Acholi, Lango, Teso and West Nile sub regions, was training in South Sudan when Anyanya soldiers under Lagu’s command rounded them up on Amin’s orders. The civilians were prepared to join fellow liberators in Tanzania on their journey through Owiny Kibul in South Sudan before the interception
The persons were later handed over to soldiers of Idi Amin for the massacre at Ngom-Lac Primary School in Lukung Sub County and later buried in a mass grave at Corner Ogwech
Oboth Ofumbi, the Defence Minister in Idi Amin’s government saved four people from the group. They were flown away on a helicopter and they were about was never known. The 417 Ugandans killed by Field Marshall Idi Amin Dada in over forty years ago until today, the victims remain unidentified.
The Milton Obote II government which was formed after the overthrow of Idi Amin had committed to develop the site into a modern tourism site with institutions of learning and a museum. This however did not come to pass.
Lamwo district local government intend to develop a master plan to construct an international tourism site in remembrance of the massacre in honor of the gallant sons of the country that fought for the liberation of the country.
Interview “When they reach Owiny Kibul, they were intercepted by Anyanya one led by Joseph Lagu who was by then friendly to idi Amin who order for the arrest of this people. When this people were arrested, the government of Uganda sent the army who went and collected this people and brought them back to Uganda. They were packed in one of the schools in Lokung. A school called Ngom lac primary school. Some of them were made to go and dig big graves for their burials. They then started transporting them from the class room, to a place called Corner Ogwec where the mass grave now lies. And they would line them along the grave and then they would shoot them one by one until they all fall in the grave. They would go and ferry the next loot. For three consecutive days, they were just busy killing this innocent people”.
Links: https://ugandaradionetwork.com/story/lamwo-to-construct-memorial-site-for-amin-anyanya-massacre-victims
1986 NRA Massacre
19th August, 1986 Namokora, Wi-gweng NRA Massacre, Kitgum District
The monument and a mass grave in which 26 of the victims of the massacre were buried by a Roman Catholic Priest Luyaramoi. Today this memorial was demolished and a fresh one built upon. The victim and their association made the decision to include names of those other victims that were not buried at the spot. On the latest memorial prayer has the total number of those killed added to 78. This massacre happened in Pugoda East village,Namokora sub county, Kitgum District
The victims were suspected by NRA 35th battalion for being rebel collaborators
LRA attack on IDP camp on June 3rd 2004, during which 60 people were killed. Kalabong Village, Namokora Sub-County, Kitgum District
Here lies the remains of three great heroes; 1) Tibamwenda the chieftain, 2) Nyamustwa the Medicine-man and 3) Kapolyo the Trumpeter who were hanged and buried in one grave at this spot on 14/4/1921 for resisting colonial rule. the foundation stone was laid on 8/10/1997 by Barnabas Bamusede Bwambale, Chairman Kasese district council on behalf of the local councils who constructed this monument.
The tree trees planted together signifies the number of those 3 killed, mean while on the mass grave is a concrete monument.
Pella Wicere, Uganda – December 5: Memorial for victims of crossfire between LRA and UPDF on 2 January 2003. 18 people buried here, believed to be abductees. Others buried elsewhere. Pella Wicere village, Omiyanyima Sub-county, Kitgum district December 5 2011
The battle/ clashes between the LRA and UPDF on 02, Jan 2003 left over 18 people dead in the village of Pella Wicere, Omiyanyima Sub-county, Kitgum district.
21st February, 2014 Barlonyo LRA Massacre, Lira District
LRA Rebel leader Odyambo Commanded the attack on the IDP- Internally Displaced Person. Victims bodies where buried in trances of the local Militia “Amuku” local defence. The exact number of victims today has not yet been established. The memorial in-place as it stands has numbered the killings to 350. Family members, survivors and residents of Barlonyo are not in support of the government constructed monument and continues to question the numbers engraved on it. Barlonyo victims continue to hold memorial prayers yearly with support from refugee Law project and other stakeholders
Tony from Barlonyo; During 2004, I was General Secretary of Barlonyo IDP camp. Its 24 kms north east of Lira town. Now during that time when this massacre happened on 21 September, 2004 on Saturday around 5:44pm when these LRA arrived from the eastern part of Barlonyo camp. Now during that time there were local militia were about 49, and some were killed during that massacre. During that time the house holds were 479 in IDP camp. Now the bombs they were using were very complicated, they were using recoilless bombs, RPG and others. Those who were killed there were beaten, shot and some died in hut inside with fire burning under command of Okot Odhiambo. The Amuka commander was Olunga Fred. The number of people killed were 301 and this the list submitted. The number of people admitted Lira hospital where 49, and one child 3 month named Fiona was taken to Gulu family home so number remaining 47.
Barlonyo as I saw on list was in Ogur Sub County and now is in Agweng sub county Orit parish, in Lira district.
Now this number of these people who were killed we counted physically because there one army commander called Ondoga who mistreated those who escaped, and by the time of coming he had made the army to destroy some huts to hide some people. Then at that time there were two MPs, Oryetmoi from Erute north and MP for Alebtong plus the police who came there in the morning of the following day Sunday. Now these people some were killed at pit latrine being dug around the camp.
Now from there these people were counted and then buried in army trench around the put in kavera and placed along the trench. And some of them, their relatives took them at their respective home to bury. Now some of these people at the Lira Referral hospital some of them died, so now as I talk some of them have died because had wounds. The good thing we have is Action Aid and Ayinet is working with the people to remove the bullets from those who got this incidence.
Now what I have seen for this sitting it can remind us to see what is good and what is bad for us to victims or those who were traumatised. Now as I talk, various NGOs working trying to counsel affected people. Now as I talk people are becoming better, we have religious and traditional leaders who been talking to our people. Now the attitude has started changing. Even though when you go there you will see that the Trading Centre is developing very fast.
We asked for Agro technical school has been given by president and we have Kaguta bridge has been build and that is our achievement.
Grisly pictures of the massacre of 28 residents of Gang Pa Aculu trading Centre,
On October 23rd 2002, an estimated forty-four fighters of the Lord’s Resistance Army (LRA) entered Omot Sub County from Par Samuelo Acak, near the river Agogo. They were given instruction by their LRA Commander, as soon as we cross the river, abduct whoever you come across until we reach Corner Gang pa Aculu in Opota Trading Centre.The team, consisting mostly of young soldiers, first moved North East, abducting twelve people in Lawal Ode, an additional eight people in Lalur Onyol and finally another twelve people were abducted from Latin Ling before they reached the point of slaughter. The Opota Trading Centre at Corner Gang Pa Aculu was the site where twenty-eight people lost their lives in the brutal and dehumanising Omot massacre. People were murdered, cut into pieces and then placed in cooking pots in front of dozens of witnesses.
The rebels chopped some of their victims into pieces and stuffed the body parts into a big black pot, to be cooked in the middle of a road at the trading centre.
Local sub-county leaders identified the victims. The incident was reported by Ugandan newspaper (The New Vision) as a punishment to the villagers for allowing a captive to escape through their village with some valuables belonging to the rebels.The rebels struck, asking the villagers the whereabouts of one of their fighters only identified as Ogong who had allegedly escaped with a gun, a large sum of money and a Polaroid camera. The rebels had just lost a battle to the UPDF in Pader. In their attempt to trace the fugitive, the rebels rounded up eight men and 20 women from Lawol Oder village, where the man was said to be hiding. After failing to get the runaway, the rebels turned their vengeance on the villagers. A horrified witness, who feared to be named, narrated how the rebels tied the victims kandoya-style (hands tied tightly at the elbows from the back), using sisal ropes. The victims were herded to Gang Pa Aculu village where they were executed in the middle of the road. After the massacre, the rebels then set a huge pot on three stones, chopped off the victims heads and limbs and stuffed the parts in the pot. Fortunately, the UPDF arrived at the scene in armoured vehicles and dispersed the rebels.
The local leaders identified two victims, Okidi Doctor and Ochan Lomoi, whose parts were stuffed in the pot. Other captives reportedly waited for execution in turns while others were told to eat roasted human flesh. Other victims were Martin Ocii, Alphonse Econg, Dennis Nyuta, a teacher at St Charles Lwanga, Kalongo and Okello Otwoli, who was roasted and placed on a dish.
Others were Kastorio Ogwal, Nyeko Aguda, Philimeto Okech, Christine Abiya, Cantina Alanyo, Andrew Kiwel and Night Oali, all from Bar Otiba and Patongo sub-counties.
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