The government has kicked off the process of documenting former Lord’s Resistance Army (LRA) fighters in the Acholi Sub-region after a section of them threatened to protest over what they termed as neglect and unfair treatment. The exercise, spearheaded by the Office of the Prime Minister (OPM), is expected to last three weeks. The former LRA combatants complained that they had been denied their land rights.
They also accused the authorities of not giving them adequate psychosocial support and access to education opportunities, among others. The State minister for Northern Uganda Rehabilitation, Dr Kenneth Omona, last Friday announced that the government would document all the former LRA fighters, children born of war and rape. He made the remarks in a meeting with local leaders, security officers and some former LRA fighters at his office in Gulu City.
Dr Omona said the documentation would be done with support from the security agencies, non-governmental organisations and former LRA fighters.
‘As a government, we will register all the LRA fighters and children born of war. We have to get their details for planning and support. I am aware that some went through reception centres while others did not,’ he said.
Dr Omona said the government would use the details of the individuals to give them assistance. ‘These categories of individuals will benefit from government-funded programmes such as restocking, PDM and skills training,’ the minister added. He said the government was committed to reintegrating the ex-rebel fighters, former abductees and children born of the LRA war into communities.
Skilling
There are close to 1,000 children born to formerly abducted women. The minister added that there are plans to enrol former LRA fighters for skills training at the Acholi Presidential Zonal Hub in Oding, Gulu District. ‘Practical skills in masonry, carpentry and welding will make them self-sufficient,’ Dr Omona stated. Ms Pamela Angwech, the executive director of Gulu Women’s Economic Development and Globalisation (GWED-G), who attended last Friday’s meeting, urged the government to set aside funds to support the rehabilitation of former LRA fighters.
The former rebels were pardoned under the Amnesty Act 2000. According to the Amnesty Commission, since 2000, at least 27,000 former members of 26 rebel groups that waged war against President Museveni and his National Resistance Movement (NRM)-led government have been resettled to their homes.
During the over two decades’ insurgency, the elusive LRA leader, Mr Joseph Kony, reportedly abducted more than 50,000 children, young women and men.