Daily Monitor: “K’jong MPs want govt to certify disarmed warriors”

In an April 7 letter to Defence Minister Crispus Kiyonga, the MPs said the rampant detention of innocent civilians by the army is damaging the good intentions of the on-going disarmament exercise in the region.

They said issuance of certificates to those who have already surrendered their guns to the UPDF would reduce on the on-going illegal arrests in the region. “The new tactics applied by the 19th Battalion of the UPDF has shocked many of our people, especially in Nakapiripirit and other areas. After failing to get any gun in villages during their cordon and search, they just arrest all ablebodied men and take them to barracks for detention,” the letter reads In part.

“The detention which takes two to seven days has been associated with both physical and mental torture. One recent example is that of May 2, where two villages of Lochengenge and Chepongos were cordoned and searched and no gun was found, but 66 men were arrested and taken to Amdat UPDF detach.”

But when Daily Monitor contacted 3rd Division spokesperson Henry Obbo, he denied the alleged illegal detention. “There is nothing like illegal arrests. Our soldiers professionally conduct cordon and search following critical instructions, which have nothing to do with torture and mistreatment of civilians. Those MPs should stop inciting people because the government is committed to bring peace in Karamoja.”

According to Pokot MP Francis Kiyonga, the practice has made all other men in Pokot villages to sleep outside their homes for fear of being arrested. “It’s painful to see our people being arrested even when some have given out their guns. We want the government to intervene and save our people before it’s too late.”

It is alleged that the people detained had already surrendered their guns on August 20, 2006 when 400 guns were received by the 33rd UPDF Battalion, in a record of only three days, according to the letter.

Mr Kiyonga said 10 people out of the 66 arrested are still in detention. “The detainees complained of torture, denial of food, water and have received threats of further detention or imprisonment if they don’t admit that they have more guns hidden outside their homes,” he said.