The Forum for Democratic Change (FDC) has tasked government to investigate the killing of civilians and cattle raids in the Karamoja sub-region.
The Army and Police maintain that the majority of those who were killed are warriors involved in livestock theft but also admit that some civilians were part of the casualties.
Cattle raids continue to happen in the districts within and neighbouring Karamoja especially in Kapelebyong, Katakwi, Kumi, Bukedea, Abim and Agago where scores of lives have been lost and massive displacement of people continues on a daily basis.
Speaking to the media during a press briefing, the party president Patrick Oboi Amuriat said they continue to be concerned over the insecurity in the North East of the country caused by marauding cattle rustlers in Karamoja.
Approximately 1,626 suspected rustlers are reported arrested, 291 of those are reported to have been prosecuted.
“We are concerned about gruesome pictures of alleged rustlers coming from Karamoja which continues to be shared in the media after Lt. Gen. Muhoozi Kainerugaba swore to go after the warriors. Reports reaching us indicate that innocent lives have been lost out of the military operation against the raiders,” he said.
Amuriat said people who live in squalid continues with no food and shelter, adding that it’s sad that although 14,898 livestock have been recovered from the ongoing joint operation between the UPDF and the Police, return of the livestock to the rightful owners has not yet happened.
“We challenge government to ensure return of stolen livestock to the rightful owners. We also demand an inquiry on reports of that some elements with the Ugandan military are accomplices in the criminal raids devastating the region,” he said.
Amuriat asked the concerned government departments to extend relief assistance to displaced people some of whom now live in camps.
“As the FDC we propose that 360 degrees’ political solution be put into action because of Karamoja sub region’s special place in the geopolitics of the East Africana working socio economic package should be put in place for the region not mere political emptier as the government has done for past 30 years,” he said.
He suggested that truth and reconciliation programme be put in place to amend the broken communities to end the rustling for revenge activities and bring peace to the region and the neighbouring communities.
