Kitgum — UGANDANS should celebrate the death of UN peace keepers at the hands of the Lord's Resistance Army rebels in the Democratic Republic of Congo, district leaders have said.

The Resident District Commissioner, Lt. Santo Okot Lapolo and the LC5 Chairman, Mr Nahaman Ojwe, made the remarks during celebrations to mark NRM Day at Boma Ground on January 26.

Lapolo said the UN peace keepers (Monuc) refused to believe the Ugandan government when it told them that the LRA rebels, who had crossed to DRC under the command of Vincent Otii last year, were not seeking to surrender, but looking for a base to regroup.

"We told them that these are mad people, but the bazungu could not listen," he said.

" We should be jubilating that LRA rebels wamepiga hawa (They killed them). At last, they have also had the pinch. Sixteen peace keepers have been killed, they should be taught a lesson," Lapolo added.

On January 24, eight peacekeepers, from the Guatemalan special forces, were involved in a firefight with suspected LRA rebels in DRC's Garamba National Park. Five other UN soldiers were injured in the gun battle and were evacuated several miles to Bunia, the main town in the lawless Ituri district in Orientale Province.

Ojwe said it was impossible to talk peace to the Joseph Kony- led rebels, who are controlled by spirits.