The Independent Uganda: You get the Truth we Pay the Price
Gulu, Uganda | THE INDEPENDENT | Hundreds of residents on Friday gathered at Lukodi Village in Bungatira Sub-county, Gulu District to mark the 19th anniversary of the infamous Lord’s Resistance Army rebel attack that left 69 people dead.
The LRA rebels raided the village located about 17 kilometers outside Gulu Town on the evening of May 19 2004 and committed one of the most brutal massacres in the region.
Today’s belated memorial is being held under the theme “transparency matters for victim’s reparation and recovery process”.
Gloria Akello 37 is one of the survivors of the senseless LRA attack who came with her family members to commemorate the dreadful event. Akello recalls the rebels raided the village at about 6 pm and began indiscriminate shooting and torching of grass-thatched huts.
She said six of her family members were killed during the raid before the rebels abducted her along with her three-month-old baby boy.
Akello noted that after trekking some distance away from Lukodi village, one of the rebel commanders ordered her to throw away her son since it was slowing her movement.
Akello added that when she resisted, she was forced to kill him by stepping on his chest, an order she painfully executed before abandoning the unconscious toddler in the jungles.
She however said her child survived after escaped abductees found her on the way from captivity.
More than a decade after the raid, Akello said she still feels traumatized and guilty of making an attempt to kill her own son to save her life.
Wilson Kilama 67, another survivor of the massacre recounts how he escaped from the rebels when they raided Lukodi village on the fateful evening. He said about 200 rebels rounded the village and overpowered the few Uganda People’s Defence Forces Soldiers who were deployed to guard the civilians.
During the attack, Kilama said his father and a younger brother were mercilessly killed by the rebels.
Kilama said although the wounds of the attacks have healed, the scars are still visible since many people like him are still suffering from trauma. He believes the memorial prayers held in honor of those killed and the survivors of the war will help in healing.
The attack on Lukodi village was reportedly commanded by former LRA rebel commander Dominic Ongwen.
Ongwen who commanded the LRA‘s Sinia Brigade was extradited for trial at the International Criminal Court (ICC) in 2015 and has since been convicted and sentenced to 25 years in prison for 61 counts of war crimes and crimes against humanity committed between 1 July 2002 and 31 December 2005.
Relatives of those killed and survivors of the attack however say with the sentencing of Ongwen by the ICC, there is a need for the World Court to expedite the process of reparation.
Kilama like many of the survivors said time is no longer on their side, especially for those ailing and have been waiting for compensation for the atrocities committed under the command of Ongwen.
Several war victims from other parts of Acholi, West Nile, Teso, and the Rwenzori region, political, religious, and cultural leaders are attending the ongoing memorial service being led by the Northern Uganda Diocese Bishop Rev. Godfrey Loum.
The memorial event was expected to be presided over by the State Minister for Northern Uganda Rehabilitation Grace Freedom Kwiyucwyiny.
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