The Independent Uganda: You get the Truth we Pay the Price
Kampala, Uganda | THE INDEPENDENT | Hundreds of residents in Latanya sub-county in Pader district on Saturday converged to remember more than 250 people who were brutally killed by the Lord’s Resistance-LRA rebels.
The third commemoration prayers held in Amoko village in Golo parish was in memory of innocent civilians killed in a space of only one month in August 1991.
The attack was carried out by the LRA rebels in the six villages of Laming Onyiko, Para Kaka, Amoko, Omwonyo, Olang Gang and Oruti.
Martin Olanya 78, a resident of Laming Onyiko who turned up for the memorial prayers says he lost 13 members of his family who included his children and wife.
According to Olanya, on the fateful day, LRA rebels came to his home after the then area LCI chairperson intercepted three fighters of LRA who had defected from the outfit.
He says the angry rebels decided to kill everyone in the area and notes that three of his children were also abducted and have never returned till date. Olanya wonders whether they are still alive or dead since he has not heard about them for 28 years now.
Olanya says he is still traumatized by the horrific events since he was the one who also buried all the 13 bodies at his home single-handedly.
He notes that his efforts to secure help from government for the loss of his family members have never yielded any fruit adding that he currently lives a miserable live while his only son who survived is unable to access school.
Denis Komakech a resident of Amoko village also the Central Organizing Committee chairperson for the memorial prayers says he lost his grandfather during the infamous raid by LRA rebels at their home in Latanya sub-county.
Komakech says the brutal killings left a negative impact on the lives of the resident.
He, however, notes that through intervention of CARITAS, a monument was erected three years ago were survivors have been converging annually to remember their departed relatives.
Komakech says there is need for the district through intervention of government and other stakeholders to extend health support inform of counselling, livelihood support and education to survivors of the killings.
He explains that although the current number of people killed in the area during the one-month insurgency in Latanya are put at 256, it’s estimated that those killed maybe around 300.
The LCV chairperson, Godfrey Oringa Largo says the local leaders are reaching out for information on the various atrocities committed in the district by unknown armed men in order to ensure the survivors are helped.
He noted that there is need for government through the parliament to intervene and advocate for allocation of fund that helps survivors of such atrocities committed in the region.
Similar brutal murders in the district carried by LRA rebels were also registered in Lagile and Dure in the sub-counties of Awere and Latanya respectively. Within Acholi sub region, mass murders by LRA were registered in Mucwini sub county in Kitgum district, Lukodi village in Gulu and Atiak sub county in Amuru district.
The two-decade LRA insurgency led by elusive leader Joseph led to death of tens of thousands of locals with more than 1.5 million people displaced.
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