Uganda: UN team assesses needs where rebels massacred some 200 civilians

A United Nations mission went to northeastern Uganda today to assess the humanitarian needs of survivors after more than 200 people were massacred in Lira district by a rebel militia on Saturday, the UN Office for the Coordination of Humanitarian Affairs (OCHA) said.

"Rebels from the Lord's Resistance Army (LRA) brutally attacked Barlonyo camp in Ogur county, Lira district. Preliminary information indicated that at least 203 people were killed in the attack, some burned in their shelters and others shot, bludgeoned, or hacked to death," OCHA said, raising the death toll from 190 victims previously estimated.

The mission of OCHA and UN Children's Fund (UNICEF) staff members found about 100 people in the camp trying to salvage their possessions. The Barlonyo survivors were relocated to Ogur and Agweng camps nearby.

"This senseless atrocity underscores the need for increased security in northern Uganda and protection of vulnerable civilians," said UN Emergency Relief Coordinator Jan Egeland.

Commenting on the long fight by the LRA to topple President Yoweri Museveni, he added: "There is urgent need for a workable solution to this 18-year tragedy."

Lira officials said they would assign 300 militia members and 50 soldiers to guard each camp.

The UN World Food Programme (WFP), which has 40 metric tons of food on hand, has scheduled food distribution for tomorrow, if security is adequate. The amount of food would feed 5,000 people for 15 days, but the population of the camps is estimated at between 130,000 and 170,000.

Noting that the LRA has been accused of many atrocities, including abducting children for use as sex slaves, the Acting UN High Commissioner for Human Rights, Bertrand Ramcharan, called for "the perpetrators of this appalling crime" at Barlonyo to be brought to justice in accordance with international norms.