{UAH} WHAT HAPPENED TO MUSEVENI'S 'SUCCESSFUL' DISARMAMENT IN KARAMOJA?

 WHAT HAPPENED TO MUSEVENI'S 'SUCCESSFUL' DISARMAMENT IN KARAMOJA?

Image may be subject to copyright

Image may be subject to copyright

CHANGE OF GUARDS - There has been a surge in incidents of fatal clashes between rival cattle rustling communities on one hand and between security forces and cattle rustlers on the other.  Since August 2019, the anti stock (rustling) security unit, ASTU, and the army have been battling armed cattle rustlers in the Karamoja region that is also affecting the neighbouring regions of Lango and Acholi. Around January this year, leaders from Karamoja called for government intervention. Parliament passed a resolution urging government to take immediate steps to restore peace and stability in that region. Consequently, on February 1, 2020 the Minister for Karamoja convened a joint high level security consultative meeting involving the CDF, Deputy IGP, 3rd Division Commander, all District Police Commanders and Prisons. The Division Commander informed the meeting that, so far, 33 rustlers had been killed by the army while 59 guns had been recovered. The meeting agreed to enhance security by reorganising and boosting the ASTU among other measures

The situation has not improved and as if he does not get security briefs from ISO and the army, around late last month, Museveni dispatched his Minister of State for Defence, Engola, to find out the source of insecurity in that region. According to the same Minister, illegal guns in the hands of the Karamajong still exist and there is fresh acquisition of arms from South Sudan and Kenya. He went further to make a finding that the current raids are not the traditional cattle rustling but armed thuggery before recommending that the army should intensify securing the border and the culprits should be tried by the Court Martial. Some sources reveal that the armed rustlers raided Kotido government prison and took arms but the information was suppressed. Earlier in May this year, the rustlers are said to have attacked and engaged the police at Napak police station for 30 minutes allegedly with the aim of acquiring arms. This was after the rustlers had allegedly ambushed and killed a medical officer working with Moroto Hospital. Some of the recovered cows that are kept in the army barracks are reportedly being sold off by commanders.

Cattle rustling in that region dates back to many decades. The rustling takes place among the Karamajong and even from the Turkana and Pokot of Kenya. The Matheniko of Moroto, the Jie of Kotido, the Dodoth of Kabong, the Bokora of Napak and Pokot of Amudat and those other communities of Pian, Nakapiripirit and Nabilatuk raid each other for cattle. The Turkana and Pokot of Kenya who regularly cross into Uganda, in search of pasture and water for their cattle, also do carry out raids. It is on this basis that in September 2019, Museveni and Kenya's Uhuru met in Karamoja where they signed an MOU. Dubbed Cross-border Sustainable Peace and Development, the said MOU aimed at ending hostilities between the neighbouring communities. Further, it aimed at joint development of the cross-border region. It was immediately after the signing of that initiative that hell broke loose in Karamoja. The armed Karamajong rustlers started attacking military detaches for guns. In an early December 2019 raid on an army detachment, the rustlers killed one LDU and took two guns.  Since then they have been carrying out ambushes and raids.

In July 2018, Kenya announced plans to launch a disarmament of the Turkana and Pokot in the North Rift Valley region. It went ahead to declare an amnesty for surrendering of arms but for unknown reasons the actual disarmament did not take place. Consequently, the well armed Turkanas and Pokot have been raiding the Karamajong in Uganda thus calling for the latter to prepare themselves for self defence. In 2000, Museveni opted to disarm the Karamajong and the fist phase that entailed voluntary surrender of guns was launched in February 2001 following an extensive sensitisation campaign.

Certificates of Compliance were being issued to those who voluntarily surrendered their guns. The deadline of February 2002 exercise did not yield the desired results. Immediately after, the army embarked on the second phase that entailed forced disarmament. The army would cordon off the target area and search houses for arms and ammunition. The conduct of the army was characterised by extreme brutality - unlawful killings, torture and ill treatment, arbitrary detention, theft and destruction of property.

The Irish Priest, Fr. O'Toole (31) of the Millhill Missionary who was based at the Panyangara Catholic Parish who publicly spoke out about the army's excesses was beaten up by the soldiers. He fled Karamoja for Kampala but was convinced by the government of his safety before he returned to Karamoja. Unfortunately, two weeks after his return, he was shot dead together with his driver on March 10 2012 near an army detachment. Two days later, junior soldiers were summarily executed by firing squad - a move that was seen as a cover-up for the state sanctioned murder of the Priest. The then 3rd Division Commander, Col. Sula Ssemakula, who was directly overseeing the forced disarmament was one of the hands in the summary execution of the four innocent souls. The brutal disarmament continued but at a low intensity.

In May 2006, Museveni renewed the forced disarmament and the brutality resumed too. Where arms were not recovered during the cordon and search, the owners of the households would be arrested and taken away for detention. The remaining family members were conditioned to produce the gun in return for the freedom of the detainee. By July 2006, a total of 189 civilians had reportedly lost their lives at the hands of the security personnel. The arrested suspects were charged with illegal possession of firearms before the military court martial. Some local Karamajong youth groups were formed and armed by the army into a Local Defence Unit (LDU) to provide security in their localities.

However, with the insurgency raging in neighbouring Acholi, Lango and Teso regions, many of them were ferried away to those regions to boost the army's counter insurgency operations. Coupled by poor welfare and the need to counterbalance the level of armament that the their neighbours were acquiring for their local counter insurgency auxiliary forces like Arrow Boys, Amuka and Rhino, many Karamajong youth deserted with guns. The top commanders from both the police and the army feasted on the emoluments meant for the Karamajong LDUs. In October 2006, the Inspector of Police ,James Obua, was arrested after he had stolen shillings 170m meant for these LDUs.

By 2010, when the forceful disarmament was concluded, about 40,000 guns had reportedly been recovered. It was also estimated that the Karamajong retained about 2,000 hidden guns. The Anti-Stock Theft Unit (ASTU) was formed supposedly under the police but its capability has been wanting and, instead, it is the army that has continued with engaging cattle rustlers. In May 2018, the Deputy RDC of Soroti, Francis Bwalatum, disclosed that ASTU Auxiliary Unit personnel were selling bullets to the Karamajong owing to delay in salaries. ASTU was copied from Kenya where it was established in 1965 as an independent paramilitary unit to deal with theft of livestock. It was reconstituted in 2018 and now operates as a unit of the Administration Police.

What is clear is that the resurgence of armed raids in Karamoja coincided with the December cold-blooded murder by LDUs of Apollo Dan the then LC 3 Chairman of Rupa Sub-County in Moroto district. The deceased, an elder brother of Museveni's former top spy turned opposition activist, David Pulkol, was shot as he tried to intervene in the forceful taking away of cows of his people by the said LDUs.

INFORMATION IS POWER AND THE PROBLEM OF UGANDA IS MUSEVENISM

--

Rehema
Patriot in Kampala,East Africa:Assalamu Alaikum

--
Disclaimer:Everyone posting to this Forum bears the sole responsibility for any legal consequences of his or her postings, and hence statements and facts must be presented responsibly. Your continued membership signifies that you agree to this disclaimer and pledge to abide by our Rules and Guidelines.To unsubscribe from this group, send email to: ugandans-at-heart+unsubscribe@googlegroups.com
---
You received this message because you are subscribed to the Google Groups "Ugandans at Heart (UAH) Community" group.
To unsubscribe from this group and stop receiving emails from it, send an email to ugandans-at-heart+unsubscribe@googlegroups.com.
To view this discussion on the web visit https://groups.google.com/d/msgid/ugandans-at-heart/CAAvJuBUw4rX5PPdMEbAbNhhebLj3DNjYx7BywOt1PMmjzmfYsg%40mail.gmail.com.