Kampala — An additional 2,600 ex-rebels who instigated civil strife in the West Nile region have received amnesty from the Government after denouncing rebellion.

This brings the total of ex-combatants with amnesty certificates in West Nile alone to 9,600. Previously, 7,000 had received theirs.

The head of the regional amnesty demobilisation and resettlement team, Ambassador Obitre Gama, said most of the ex-rebels belonged to the defunct West Nile Bank Front, an armed force that fought against the UPDF between 1995 and 1998. They were under the command of Juma Oris, who died of bullet wounds following a fierce battle with the UPDF.

The armed group also had two other prominent commanders: Haji Abdalatif Tiyua who now runs an ex-combatants association in Arua town, and Lt. Col. Moses Gala Yangu, who has a similar organisation in Koboko.

With bases in Sudan and the Democratic Republic of Congo, the group employed brutal tactics including the laying of landmines, kidnappings and violent raids in West Nile.

Obiter Gama said the ex-rebels had individually returned to their communities after the dissolution of the group in 1998, although they had not asked for amnesty.

Through our continued sensitisation on the importance of seeking amnesty, many came out recently to acquire certificates of amnesty, he said.

He said the certificates shield one from criminal prosecution or punishment in a national court for offences related to the insurgency.

The amnesty commission spokesman, Moses Draku, said giving out certificates started on Tuesday and is expected to go on for about three weeks.