One person was on Friday killed and 32 others injured in Amuru district in a tribal revenge attack.
Police identified the deceased only as Rogers, 17, a resident of Kayunga district. His body is lying at Gulu regional referral hospital morgue.
The incident, according to police, also left 200 people displaced at various police outposts in Amuru district.
Police says the attack followed rumours that a Boda boda rider identified as Brian Oola 21, a resident of Pabbo trading center, in Pabbo Sub County, had been killed and his motorcycle stolen by some unknown men.
The rumour angered locals in Pabbo trading center who mobilized and began attacking people believed to be from western and central Uganda alleging they were responsible for Oola’s death.
Although the rumour of Oola’s death sparked off the attacks, by the time of filing this story, there was no confirmation of his death.
The Friday morning attacks happened in the villages of Apaa, Tegot kilak, Molila and Okocho all in Pabbo sub-county where hundreds of charcoal burners and traders are based.
32 Injured Are ‘‘Foreigners’’
Some of the injured are Ronald Katanga, 35, from Masaka, Hassan Taisha 14, from Mukono, Bob Kirungi, 24, from Masindi, Christopher Omuse 25 from Bugiri district, Ivan Bbuka 22, from Kayunga, Benard Rosingya 22 from Namayingo district.
Others are Matthias Ssebuju 25, from Mukono district and Philemon Sewanyana 50 from Kayunga district.
The injured, 32 in number are receiving treatment at Gulu Regional Referral Hospital. They were transported to the hospital by police. An unspecified number of injured people are said to be receiving treatment at other health facilities in Amuru district.
One of the victims, Mr Sewanyana whose feet was cut by the irate mob told Acholi Times that he and his colleagues were stormed at their charcoal burning camp in Got Kilak by over 80 locals who were armed with machete and clubs.
He said the attackers held them hostage, tied their hands behind their backs (Kandoya style) and told them to lay face down before they started beating them with pangas (Machete) and clubs.
Mr Sewanyana added that although police rescued them shortly, one of his feet had already been chopped. At the time of the interview the chopped feet was still loosely hanging onto his leg.
Amuru District Police Commander Julius Ahimbisibwe confirmed to Acholi Times the incident and said investigations into the alleged death of Oola and the revenge attack is ongoing.
Four Suspects Arrested, Hunt for Others Continues
Ahimbisibwe said four people have already been arrested in connection with the revenge attacks and are being held at Pabbo Police Post while the search for other suspects continues.
The DPC warned locals to desist from taking law in their own hands.
Kilak South Member of Parliament, Gilbert Olanya when contacted by telephone on Saturday condemned the act of attacking foreigners and locals taking the law into their own hands.
Olanya said that locals should have sought for better means of resolving their grievances. He said the law should take its course on the perpetrators.
‘‘Stick- Wielding Chairman’’
The attack in Amuru comes barely four days after the Gulu District LCV Chairperson Martin Ojara Mapenduzi whipped charcoal traders in Gulu for destroying the environment by cutting trees. For his act, Mapenduzi was described by NTV as the ‘‘Stick Wielding Chairman.
Last year, over 100 residents of Pawel Adak in Patiko Sub-county Gulu district were left homeless after a revenge attack orchestrated by locals from Pabbo Sub-county in Amuru district over a mysterious death of one of their residents.
The attack was triggered by the discovery of the body of a Boda Boda rider identified as Walter Okwera 20, a resident of Pabbo sub-county who was reportedly killed by a clan member from Patiko sub-county prompting a revenge attack on Patiko by residents of Pabbo
2 Comments
I am particularly concerned about the editorial policy of Acholi Times. I find some of the language in this article inflammatory , irresponsible, ambiguous and vague. Does the writer really care about the impact of his semantic and dictions. ” tribal revenge attack” really? Can the writer prove beyond reasonable doubt that the Acholis as a tribe collectively attacked other tribes? What is the writer insinuating by dragging the unrelated clamp down on commercial charcoal illegal loggers depleting the forest cover? Does the writer have a personal vendetta against Acholi people? By so dragging their otherwise good name into a seemingly senseless vigilante mob actions. Lets please be careful about what we write and the impression it will create on Acholi as a collective whole.
Eni aye gin ma kilwongo ni lacan odonyo i dero. Acoli gukonyo lurok mwaki pyere ka dok en gin lurok gulokke kalweny i kom Acoli gin nyangkole ma yam lukwat. Man dok gudwogo ka tongo yen ii Acoli? Pingo pe lutino Acoli ma tic peke bot gi ni aye guyubbe i dul ki dul me kwanyo biacara magi ki i cing lurok. Wun wucwalo lurok i kin piny i Acoli? Think of your security first as a people.