The Independent Uganda: You get the Truth we Pay the Price
Moroto, Uganda | THE INDEPENDENT | The police and army will on Saturday launch the second phase of the disarmament exercise in Karamoja.
Michael Longole, the Karamoja regional police spokesperson says that the joint force operation will first begin with voluntary disarmament. Voluntary disarmament involves a peaceful recovery of guns where an individual holding a gun hands it over without any force.
“We highly encourage our community leaders to encourage the community the importance of disarmament, “he said.
According to Longole, if the armed warriors abuse voluntary disarmament, the security personnel will have no option but to switch to forceful disarmament that will include cordon and search operations.
Major Peter Mugisa, the UPDF 3rd division spokesperson says that the disarmament exercise is expected to last for three months. He asked political leaders in the Karamoja region to support the exercise so that the region becomes peaceful and develop.
John Lokut, a resident of Kambisi ward in South division, Moroto municipality however said the disarmament exercise will be effective if the UPDF also collects all guns in the hands of the Karimojong Local Defence Unit personnel.
According to Lokut, it is going to be hard to know the exact number of guns collected because the guns given to the LDUs have got mixed with those of the cattle rustlers.
“The UPDF will end up recovering their guns not the hidden ones from cattle rustlers,” he said.
Sarah Nakiru also supported that the UPDF should have first removed the guns from the Karimojong Local Defence Unit and put them aside so that the guns collected in Karamoja be purely for cattle rustlers.
Last month, leaders from Karamoja called for an inclusive second disarmament process where the UPDF should involve elected and religious leaders, civil society and community leaders to minimize cases of human rights abuses.
During the first disarmament process that ushered in a window of peace for at least 10 years, there were reports that the UPDF soldiers used inhumane methods including torture that is illegal. Residents reported having been tortured by soldiers to disclose where they kept the illegal guns. Some have allegedly suffered permanent disabilities and deformities while others reportedly died due to the alleged torture.
*****
URN
