Vision Reporter
30 May 2007
Kampala — The United Nations World Food Programme (WFP) has suspended its operations in Karamoja following the killing of one of its drivers in an ambush on Monday.
WFP was distributing food to half a million people affected by drought in the region.
"WFP condemns this vicious attack on a clearly marked WFP humanitarian convoy in the strongest terms and demands that the killers be pursued and brought to justice," said WFP country director Tesema Negash, who visited the site of the ambush yesterday. "We had no choice but to temporarily suspend our activities in Karamoja until security is improved."
The organisation says it is aware of the humanitarian implications of this suspension. "We will take action as soon as possible to ensure that the people for whom WFP is working in Karamoja don't suffer," a press release said.
Richard Achuka, 41, was shot in the neck and shoulder and died on Monday, when the gunmen attacked a convoy of four WFP trucks in Kotido district. The convoy was returning from delivering food to schools and other sites in neighbouring Kaabong district.
Achuka was driving the lead truck in the convoy, which was escorted by the army. The attackers fled as the escorting soldiers and three other trucks arrived at the ambush site.
"It was unfortunate that the driver drove so fast and left behind the escorts," commented Maj. Felix Kulayigye, the UPDF spokesperson. "We shall not rest until the culprits are apprehended. The incident has underscored the urgent need to continue disarming the warriors."
Kulayigye said WFP's move to suspend its activities was not necessary. "The security had greatly improved. Testimony to that was the glowing tribute to the UPDF from the area MPs in the House last week. This was an isolated incident."
He appealed to WFP to resume its operations soon. "We urge WFP to continue assisting the affected people in Karamoja. The UPDF is still committed to protect the aid agencies operating in the region."
In January this year, WFP started food distributions to 500,000 people hit by a third drought in six years. The rations are meant to provide 50 percent of the minimum daily energy requirement of 2,100 kilocalories and bridge the gap between basic food needs and what people can produce or buy in the market.
Another 200,000 people in Karamoja were receiving WFP assistance through other projects.
Malnutrition is the leading cause of mortality in Karamoja.
The five districts covering the area suffer the highest rates of severe and moderate malnutrition in the country. It was the first killing of a WFP staff member in Uganda in almost a decade. In July 1998, a WFP driver was killed in an ambush in Arua.
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