Grace Matsiko & Samuel Egadu
29 March 2008
Kampala/Gulu — AS northern Uganda prepares for a post-war recovery programme that will see thousands of displaced people resume a normal life, arms trafficking is becoming a serious security concern among the stakeholders.
Security and local leaders fear that the problem of illegal guns and weapons said to be in the hands of former LRA combatants, Karimojong warriors, army deserters, robbers, arms traffickers from Southern Sudan, Somalia and DR Congo could seriously dent efforts to realize total peace in a region ravaged by the Lords Resistance Army (LRA) 22- year rebellion.
"Much as our people are heading home from poorly facilitated Internally displaced People's (IDP) camps there is still a problem of illegal guns held by wrong elements that pose a real threat to the resettlement project," Ms Eromina Ongom, an IDP representative in Pader said in an interview recently.
According to Pader Deputy Resident District Commissioner, Mr Charles Kulwa, Karimojong warriors exchange guns for sorghum, thereby increasing arms proliferation in the rural areas of Northern Uganda.
"The Topotha from Sudan, the Turkana and Pokot from Kenya have all been the key source of illegal arms in the region. Meetings have been held with the leaders of Topotha, the UPDF has deployed and that's why arms trafficking seem to have reduced a little bit ," Mr Kulwa said.
According to local authorities, there is fear that illegal guns will be used in settling land wrangles once a final peace agreement is signed in the South Sudan.
The Kitgum District LC 5 chairperson, John Ogwok Komakech said, "We can't rule out the possibility of illegal arms being used in solving land disputes in Acholi sub-region once the people return to their villages," Mr Ogwok said.
He argued that for the resettlement programme to succeed, the government should ensure it gets rids of all illegal arms in the region.
The UPDF has already suspended the amnesty for people who are holding guns illegally in the Karamoja and wider northern region.
The UPDF northern Uganda army spokesperson, Capt. Ronald Kakurungu identified the commonly trafficked arms as Sub Machine Guns and pistols.
"These arms pose a more immediate threat to the population in the region. Some of these arms have been used in robbing people already," Capt. Kakurungu added.
Since March 5, this year, UPDF, Internal Security, External Security and Chieftaincy of Military Intelligence recovered 20 AK-47 Rifles, three G-2 (PK) guns, 16 full magazines of SMG ammunitions, 2,313 loose SMG ammos, 2,547 loose ammo of G-2, 48 Tortoise hand grenades, four Anti-tank mines and 52 Anti-personnel mines from Yumbe district alone.
On March 10 to March 13, another assortment of arms worth millions of shillings were recovered from West Nile region.
The development followed the arrest of a suspect in Arua on February 28, who has been undergoing interrogation by Security and Intelligence operatives. Government in a statement released at the Media Centre said the captured arms are suspected to be coming from neighbouring DRC and Sudan.
Gulu RDC, Walter Ochora said there are thousands of guns still in the hands of former LRA rebels who surrendered to government and got amnesty.
He said in the last one month, over 40 guns have been recovered from former LRA rebels in Pader district after they launched an appeal for former combatants to surrender the weapons in their possession.
"There are a lot of illegal arms in northern Uganda. Most of LRA rebels who surrendered and got amnesty are still holding guns illegally. This is a big security threat," Ochora said.
"There are over 20,000 LRA combatants who surrendered. But if you go to the army, the records show very few weapons surrendered by the combatants. This means there are many guns still at hands of former rebels," he said.
Col. Ochora cited an example of former LRA director of operations, Alfred Onen Kamdulu who surrendered to the army without a gun, but was last year arrested for armed robbery. "Where did Kamdulu get the rifle?" Col. Ochora asked.
He said that in Gulu district, they have launched a project with United Nations High Commissioner for Refugees of registering former LRA rebels who hand in their guns.
In a recent report, the United Nations Office for the Coordination of Humanitarian Affairs noted that the presence of illegal small arms and unexploded ordnances in Gulu and Amuru districts remains a significant challenge for improved security.
"The lack of basic services/infrastructures in areas of return, and anxiety of insecurity amongst the population are amongst key factors posing a challenge for movement back home," the UN report obtained by Daily Monitor reads in part.
Northern Uganda regional police commander, Phineus Arinatwe Katureebe warned those in possession of illegal arms to surrender them or risk prosecution.
Be the first to Write a Comment!
Copyright © 2008 The Monitor. All rights reserved. Distributed by AllAfrica Global Media (allAfrica.com). To contact the copyright holder directly for corrections — or for permission to republish or make other authorized use of this material, click here.
AllAfrica aggregates and indexes content from over 125 African news organizations, plus more than 200 other sources, who are responsible for their own reporting and views. Articles and commentaries that identify allAfrica.com as the publisher are produced or commissioned by AllAfrica.
