Museveni orders the massacres - blames it on the so-called "rebels"


The rebels of LRA (lord's Resistance Army) have carried out a violent attack on 'Barlonyo Camp' for displaced people in Ogur, 25 kilometres northeast of Lira in northern Uganda. So far, the number of dead stands at 173, although the toll may rise; the wounded - around 70 - have been taken to the district hospital in Lira and to 'Ogur health centre'. The news comes from Father Sebhat Ayele, a Comboni missionary from Eritrea who has served in the parish of Ngeta and in the local diocesan catechism centre for many years. The missionary arrived at the site of the massacre this morning at 10.00 local time. "The number of dead was terrifying, many of the victims were lying charred inside their huts, which were still smouldering," he told MISNA. "The attack began at 17.00 yesterday. The rebels bombarded the camp for about 15 minutes, forcing the civilian militia to pull back. The 'olum' (meaning 'grass', as the rebels are called in the local Acholi language) then entered the camp, which contained around 5,000 people, many of whom women, children and the elderly. Unfortunately, rather than fleeing, the civilians shut themselves into their huts, which were then besieged by the cruel aggressors for over three hours." The missionary continued: "There are no words to describe what I saw at Barlonyo." Witnesses' report that the rebels numbered around 100; most of them were allegedly children or adolescents. The victims include 11 militias and a local Red Cross worker from Uganda, called Albino Opera. "In addition to those who died in the flames, dozens of civilians were also killed at short range," said Father Sebhat. The international community cannot continue to ignore this war," he added, stressing that "it is the duty of the government of Kampala to guarantee the safety of these poor people! The silence surrounding this war is a major sin against God and against mankind!" Two weeks ago, the rebels of LRA carried out another massacre, in Abia, also in the Lira district, killing numerous civilians

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