The Independent Uganda: You get the Truth we Pay the Price
Moroto, Uganda | THE INDEPENDENT | 284 civilians have died in the Karamoja Region in the last six months during cattle raids and operations against illegal guns. The civilians were killed by both security forces and suspected cattle rustlers.
Michael Longole, the Mt Moroto Regional Police Spokesperson says that they have registered 284 civilians killed between the months of July 2022 and January 2023 following the ongoing disarmament process.
According to Longole, the number of people who have died could be higher than what they have because many who died in the bush were not recorded.
Longole said, despite the ongoing security meetings with communities, they have continued registering cases of murders, cattle rustling, and attacks on neighboring districts of Teso, Acholi, and Sebei. He blamed the persistent cattle raids on communities who have failed to provide security with information regarding the movements of the rustlers who live with them in the same area.
Longole said despite all the challenges faced by the joint security forces, they will continue to maintain the prevailing peace and deal with warriors who are causing havoc.
However, the recent escalations of raids have been attributed to the prisoners who escaped from Moroto Prison in 2020.
Paul Komol Lote, the LCV Chairperson Kotido said that the escapees are luring the youth to destabilize the region. Lote adds that the criminals are freely moving with their guns and arresting them is becoming a challenge because they are wild and willing to die if anyone tries to intercept them.
He appealed to the security forces to step up the level of intelligence so as to deal with these wrong elements that have colonized the communities.
John Bosco Akore, the Secretary for Kotido Elders Council observed that the only way of handling the warriors who are still insisting on their guns is through granting amnesty.
The joint security forces have so far recovered 719 illegal guns, 4527 ammunition, and 31014 cattle from 45,000 which were stolen since the launch of Usalama Kwa Wote operations in July 2021.
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