10 kidnapped, 40 huts razed in Apaa dispute
In ashes. A woman walks through her burnt hut during a previous attack by armed men in Acholi Ber village on February 14, 2018. PHOTO BY JULIUS OCUNGI
What you need to know:
- According to the Pabbo Sub-county chairperson, Mr Christopher Odongkara, many people sustained minor injuries. “We commend police and the army that responded immediately to calm the situation before it turned bloody,’’ he said.
AMURU/ADJUMANI. Ten people have reportedly been kidnapped by unknown armed men in renewed fights over the contested Apaa land bordering Adjumani and Amuru District, Daily Monitor has learnt.
Local leaders reported that men believed to be from the Madi community armed with machetes, spears, bows and arrows invaded Juka B village in Apaa Parish on Friday evening before setting ablaze 48 huts belonging to the Acholi people.
The incident comes in the wake of government’s concerted efforts to bring to an end the squabbles between the two communities over dispute of the 40 square kilometre piece of land.
In December last year, the Prime Minister, Dr Ruhakana Rugunda, who was appointed by President Museveni to oversee a committee on solving the Apaa land conflict called for calm between the two communities.
According to Mr Bosco Atube, 46, a resident of Juka B village, the attackers invaded his home at 9:30pm on Friday evening and set ablaze his eight huts. Mr Atube told Daily Monitor in an interview on Sunday that he lost several household property.
“I have 16 children who directly depend on me. The attackers burnt all the food stuff we were supposed to depend on, I don’t know how I will survive because they have also warned us not to plant anything in the garden this farming season,” Mr Atube said.
He said the attackers who were allegedly backed by men in Uganda Wildlife Authority [UWA] uniforms abducted 10 people from his village who have not been found yet.
He identified the missing people as Justine owor, Richard Ojok, David Ayella, Geoffrey Otukwo, Godfrey Akena, Michael Ojara, Alfred Kilara, Okot Labalpiny, Walter Komakech and Benson Okot. Ms Margaret Alanyo, 36, a, mother of five children, said the attackers burnt down four of her grass thatched huts. She is now living in a makeshift structure.
“This is not the first time my huts including all household belongings have been razed down, I have persistently been resistant to leave this area because it’s my home. We want the government to honour its commitment in ensuring the people in Apaa are protected but not tortured,” Ms Alanyo appealed.
What UWA says
Mr Tonny Olinga, the UWA commander for East Madi Wildlife Game Reserve, dismissed claims that the attackers were part of the UWA team.
“The area they alleged was attacked is purely outside the Zoka protected area, what happened there could be a tribal clash between the Madi and Acholi people,” Mr Olinga said.
The Adjumani Resident District Commissioner, Mr Peter Taban Dada, yesterday confirmed the incident saying the attack was in retaliation by the Madi community members following an earlier incident.
He, however, noted that only 43 huts were razed down in the attack adding that details of those suspected to have been kidnapped are still scanty. “The squabble was in retaliation to an earlier incident allegedly committed by the Acholi community who burnt down two huts in Zoka village,” he said.
