UGANDA: ACHOLI COMMUNITY SPEAKS OUT ON JOSEPH KONY TRIAL IN ABSENTIA, LABELS IT A SHAM

A tough looking Joseph Kony, Lord’s Resistance Army rebel leader now lined up for trial in absentia because he has eluded capture since 1987 (Photo Credit: Stuart Price/AFP)
The majority of the Acholi community interviewed by The Black Star News describe the impending trial of the Lord’s Resistance Army (LRA) rebel leader, Joseph Kony by the International Criminal Court (ICC) in absentia as a sham.
Maria Mabinty Kamara, International Criminal Court Outreach Coordinator for East African countries while addressing Northern Uganda Media Club (NUMEC), in Gulu City Thursday, 21, November 2024 had this to say.
“The Trial of Joseph Kony will take place either in Gulu City or Lira City in absentia as he has alluded arrest and failed to surrendered for the last 19 years. We know Joseph Kony is under surveillance 24/7 hours, we tracking wherever he goes, we know he has been around,” Kamara said.
GULU CITY – THURSDAY 21, NOVEMBER 2024
By Okumu Livingstone Langol
Random interviews in Gulu City indicate that there is divided opinion about the impending trial of the LRA warlord Joseph Kony by the ICC in absentia. The majority of the city residents say there is no need for the ICC trial.
The Black Star News Correspondent conducted face to face interviews at Gulu City Cereleno Market, Gulu Main Market, Olayo-Ilong Market, and Wilobo Market in the two city divisions of Pece-Laroo and Bardege-Layibi. Sentiments expressed included the view that the trial is a waste of tax payers’ money. Others said it is a waste of time because the ICC does not seem ready for reparation programme. Most respondents prefer that Joseph Kony be behind bars as a precedent for the trial.
Labongo Richard, 52 years old, a resident of Pece Pawel village, who is a market Vendor in Wilobo Market, says in Luo language. Nyeri olwenyo, obedo lalweny ma lamal, dok pud tye ka lweny. En labal ka kome peke ipido ningning? Literally meaning the guy (Joseph Kony) fought many wars, and he is still fighting. He is a criminal, if he is not there physically, how do you put him on trial? He adds, “Do you carry out trials with spirits?”
Margaret Ochen, 65 years old, a vendor at Cere-leno Market who hails from Bobi Sub-County, Omoro District said. Pe opore ni ki pid ikome ma en peke. Pe ki romo pido do? Kong kome obed tye. Literally, it is not right to try him in absentia, let him be there.
Akot Regina, 63 years old, a market vendor from Olayo-Ilong Market in Layibi-Bardege, Gulu City Division, hailing from Omel said, An awaco ni ka nonge omyero ki pid ikoma, laco ni olanyo Acholi ki tim malit. Wan lega wa tye ni miri oti i kome. Wan macalo Acholi gubu wa peke.
Literally, “I say if he could be found, he should stand trial, he painfully inflicted lots of damage against the Acholi. “We pray that authorities deal with him. “As Acholi we are helpless, but he should first be arrested,” Akot Regina said.
Otto Sam, 31 years old, a local contractor in Cere-leno Market says Joseph Kony is a spirit, the ICC will never arrest him. “The purported ICC trial chamber in Gulu City or Lira City is just a money-making project by President Museveni and former ICC state Prosecutor Ocampo and those who work for the ICC,” he asserted.
“To the people of Northern Uganda especially the young generation born during the Internally Displaced People’s Camps (IDP), we know that Kony was a revenge project against the Acholi who fought against Museveni’s National Resistance Army (NRA) during the Dr. Obote II era in Luwero Triangle,” said Otto.
“Let the ICC stand tall to pay reparation for the atrocities committed by President Museveni’s armed forces, the most corrupt military forces in the Great Lakes Regions. “Is Joseph Kony war Lord looting timbers in eastern D.R. Congo? Are the LRA the only forces that killed people in Northern Uganda?” Otto questioned.
Ojok Tokwaro, 58 years old from Odek Sub-County laughed off the statement made by the ICC during the press conference, saying “if Joseph Kony has alluded the UPDF and the international community for the last 19 years, and still remains at large, what miracle does the ICC have to try a spirit?
For starters, the LRA spirits movement started in 1987. One Evening when Joseph Kony was walking toward Wang Orwaco, Agwengtina Stream to have a shower, he met three wise men who adorned flowing dresses called Kanju. The men stopped him and told him to go and join an insurrection by a section of the Acholi. They assured him that the Museveni regime would be alienated and crushed.
Then, Joseph Kony did not hesitate, he obliged and within one month, news began to spread that a young man from Odek, son to Obol Aluzi from Palaro clan is commanding a rebellion that will crush the NRA, Ojok Lukwang narrated.
ICC press conference in Gulu
According to information provided by Dahirou Sant-Anna, Cooperation Advisor, Office of the Prosecutor, Joseph Kony has been indicted for hundreds of child abductions, hundreds of pillages, and hundreds of enslavements of children and women as far back as 1 July 2002 until 31 December 2005.
“As leader of the Lord’s Resistance Army, Kony carried out a widespread and systematic attack directed against the civilian population of Northern Uganda, engaging in a course of conduct that resulted in multiple commissions of acts amounting to crimes under the Rome Statute,” Sant-Ann argued.
Sant-Ann says the allegation against Mr. Joseph Kony concern having a common plan together with other Lord’s Resistance Army’s members to commit jointly and through others the following conduct as well as ordering and abducting people to become LRA fighters.
According to Sant-Ann, Kony is alleged to have directed attacks against the civilian population, murdered them and attempted to do so; tortured, and or severely abused and mistreated them cruelly. He allegedly pillaged and destroyed property; and persecuted Civilians on political grounds (counts 1-14). Those alleged crimes were amongst others committed in the context of the LRA attacks on Lwala Girls School on or about 24 June 2003 and the following attacks on the IDP camps: Pajule, Abia, Barlonyo, Odek, Pagak, Lukodi and Abok.
The Prosecution also charges Mr. Kony with having perpetrated in the same manner crimes against hundreds of women and against hundred of children allegedly integrated into LRA, in the period of July 2003 until 31 December 2005 in northern Uganda, enslaving women and civilian, sexual slavery of and forcing women and girls into marriage; raping women and girls, forced pregnancy, torturing and/or severely abusing and mistreating and cruelly treating women and children, Dahirou Sant Anna revealed.
The Prosecutor filed the document containing the charges on 19, January 2024.