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Moroto, Uganda | THE INDEPENDENT | Members of Parliament from the Karamoja sub-region have raised concerns over the cycle of revenge attacks in the region.
The region has experienced continuous waves of cattle raids mainly fueled by revenge attacks among the communities of Jie, Bokora, Pian, Dodoth, and Matheniko.
Christine Tubo Nakwang, the Vice-Chairperson Karamoja Parliamentary Group condemned the continuous revenge cattle raiding and targeted killing of local leaders suspected to be conniving with security personnel.
According to Nakwang, the attacks are happening despite an ongoing disarmament exercise in the region.
Nakwang observed that the system of alliance is boosting insecurity because the raiders collaborate with their colleagues from another community to attack others and the unity gives them energy.
Peter Lokeris, the State Minister for Minerals and MP for Chekwii County in Nakapiripirit district says the emerging cycle of counterattacks has worsened and if a solution is not found, attacks will escalate.
Lokeris asked the elders to use their powers in the shrines to curse the youth who are still terrorizing the communities because several calls to stop raids have not yielded fruits.
“We have given the youth enough time to come out of the jungle and repent, unfortunately, they are not willing, so we can’t wait anymore, I request the elders do something about these wrong elements,’’ Lokeris lamented.
Loruk Apaa Namer, an elder in Kaabong district said several security meetings have been held to seek solutions to insecurity but unfortunately the youth are not allowed to speak.
Namer said it would be wise to hear from the youth and to understand their grounds as to why they are not willing to embrace peace.
He noted that whenever meetings are organized, it is only elders struggling for solutions and yet the perpetrators are not involved.
Mateo Lochoro, the Chairperson of Kotido Elders council told URN that the only permanent solution to insecurity is to scrap off the cluster division among Karamojong communities.
Lochoro says the division has greatly contributed to the revenge attacks engulfed with collaborations among the criminals.
He said the warriors use phones for collaborating with their colleagues in another district to raid cows and later they share the money.
Paul Loreng, a youth and a resident of Karenga district says they have never engaged in cattle raids but he is surprised why the raiders are including them in their revenge attacks.
He says that sometimes when the raiders from Kotido cross to Kitgum district to raid and their mission fails, they attack the people of Karenga because they are not armed.
Loreng appealed to the Jie and Dodoth to embrace peace so as to get an opportunity to return to the gardens they abandoned over their attacks.
James Onyanga, the LCIII Chairperson Morulem sub-county in Abim district said that the youth from Kotido and Kaabong started raids at a slow pace until it escalated and is now three years down the road no action is being done to avert the situation.
Lilly Nabere, the Chairperson Kaabong women’s peace forum attributed the rampant cattle raids to high bride prices which she says the elders should revise because it is partly contributing to raids since the youth are looking for animals for bride price.
Currently, the MPs across all the nine districts are traversing the region seeking better solutions to end the insecurity in Karamoja.
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