3 July 2002
MPS from Acholi region have said they will not support the defence budget because the Army had failed to wipe out the Lord's Resistance Army (LRA) rebels, reports Edith Kimuli.
The MPs told a press conference at the Parliament on Monday that three months after the UPDF entered Sudan to hunt for rebel leader Joseph Kony, he is still at large.
Okumu Reagan (Aswa) said President Yoweri Museveni should "swallow his pride" and hold peace talks with Kony so as to end suffering for the northerners.
He said whether it was the LRA being killed or civilians it had to be noted that Ugandans were dying.
"Museveni must swallow his pride and talk to Kony, not because he is a good man, or he is fighting for a good cause, but because we want to save the Acholi.
He said Museveni paints Obote to the Baganda as the worst leader but he (Museveni) is Obote to the Acholi.
Michael Ocula Nyeko (Kilak) said soldiers had deserted most of the protected villages and rebels were attacking without facing resistance.
He cited Guruguru, and Giragira as some of the "protected villages" where civilians were living without protection.
He also said in other camps there were very few "homeguards" compared to the population therein.
He said in Olwal protected camp, there were 28,000 civilians being protected by eight homeguards.
"Most of the homeguards have been taken to Sudan to fight, that is why rebels can attack anyhow," Nyeko said.
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