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