UGANDA: THE FORMER LRA WAR LORD GEN. DOMINIC ONGWEN CONDEMN TO 61 GUILTY VERDICTS, WORRY ACHOLI SUB REGION.

The just concluded January 14, 2021 high level open ballots boxes stuffing in a gazette polling center in all Uganda People’s Defense Forces UPDF military barracks speaks value.

The ICC 61 guilty verdicts, the glory spell the long crisis of international law.

GULU CITY-UGANDA: Gen. Dominic Ongwen, the former Lord’s Resistance Army LRA commander, was convicted on 61 counts of war crimes yesterday among which includes crimes against Humanity, rap, sexual slavery, guilty of crimes of forced marriage before Judge Bertram Schmitt backed by two other judges Peter Kavacs and Judge Raul Canon.

Justice Bertram Schmitt in his ruling asked the Defense Counsels team to appeal within 30 days if they are not content with the judgment.

“The conviction day is set to April 12 to 16, 2021, there are many countries that have applied to allow Ongwen to serve his prison term.” Justice Bertram Schmitt disclosed.

Okot Jimmy, the Director Coal Convent Construction Company says “the verdict of guilty on Gen. Ongwen Dominic is like sacrificing Acholi Sub Region and forcing them into the National Resistance Movement bandwagon gunned with fear leaving almost all worried for their lives.”

Okot observed that the current politics of top bottom approach is unrealistic while in the ancient past politics was from bottom top approach. Issues of government were collective distribution from the grassroots.

He argues that although the ruling NRM party organs are appointing their own sons and daughters in high positions, critical thinkers are of the view that the political space is being sealed off in a bottom – top approach. The decision making body is amazed by men from the south, he asserted.

Sabina Ayoo 64 years old, a mother of 12 children. Who hails from Pabbo Sub County, revealed that she was resident in Pabbo by 1994 but was forced to move to Gulu after two of her sons were abducted.

Ayoo decries that even after Gen. Ongwen trial of yesterday by ICC judge that ruled with a punch line of guilty verdicts of 61. She is remorseful that yes Dominic Ongwen could have committed heinous crimes against humanity and war crimes. But as a mother, Ongwen should not be condemned on behalf of LRA chief Joseph Kony.

“Dominic Ongwen must be forgiven and given Amnesty because it is not his fault” Ayoo noted.

Florence Lawino, from Opiri village Koch Ongako Sub County, Omoro district among other people who attended the ICC live ruling at Oweka Market in Layibi Division, Gulu City. Recalls her days at Cwero Internal Displaced People’s Camp and was quick to say that, with the glaring memories of the war she could actually not miss out on the verdict.

“Two of my sons were abducted around 2001, but they managed to escape back home” Lawino said.

With a request that, ICC should reconsider forgiving Ongwen as propagated in Acholi’s culture forgiveness dubbed “Mato Oput” which she says is the only way that the region can achieve lasting peace.

She further revealed that her in-law was killed by LRA and her co-wife son’s lip chopped by the LRA and yet the family has forgiven the war lords.

47 years old, John Bosco Oryem, a disable person hailing from Puranga Sub County in Pader district was among the people who turned up to watch Ongwen verdict at Oweka Market, recounts how he and others in 2000 while travelling from Puranga centre to Gulu his condition of being disable forced him crawl but still mindful that ICC should forgive Domonic Ongwen.

“ICC should consider Ongwen being a child soldier to benefit from Amnesty.” Oryem urged.

The northern Uganda post LRA war is not different from the situation of the occupation for conqueror where the defeating forces should dance to the tune of their master in order to win their loyalty. So let it be, the Acholi Sub region community is no different from that we are now dancing to the tune.

We have now new colonial masters amidst the Acholi community, we are implementing the regime occupational decree, the generals and the Local Government Chairman are the hallmark of tyranny regime enslavement.

Infect their true colors has been seen in the last Jan.14 2021 president and parliamentary polls, even goats, was used to solicit votes in Kitgum, that is Chaw West County. One man who is associated to Oyeny Yeng publications says the extent how our community has become vulnerable even to vote for UGX 5,000 is a mist