The UN human rights and the Uganda Human Rights Commission have registered 36 new cases of human violations by security forces in the Karamoja sub-region.
The cases were recorded between the months of June and September 2022. The report released by the UN human rights during the Karamoja Regional protection meeting held on Friday in Amudat district indicates torture was the major case committed by UPDF followed by arbitrary arrest.
Grace Pelly, the UN Human Deputy Country Director said that the major cases recorded include torture, arbitrary arrest during the cordon, and search operations against illegal guns.
Pelly said they have tasked the security forces to explain the steps they have taken to address the irregularities within their command. She added that the cases will be taken forward for accountability and also ensure that the perpetrators of human rights abuse are brought to book.
She also noted that the joint forces were responsible for human rights violation and among the cases the commission is investigating includes torture, Arbitrary arrests, and detentions.
According to Pelly, some victims have been threatened by security forces never to report any case of human rights abuses, something that has left the community to die in silence.
Pelly says they have so far trained 1000 UPDF soldiers on Human rights protection and since then the cases have started dropping down compared to the previous years.
Isaac Oware, the UPDF 3rd Division Spokesperson said that they have always ensured that there is zero tolerance for any form of violation within their operational areas. Oware noted that the training they received from UN Human Rights has helped to mitigate some of the operational misconduct and violations.
‘’Our officers acquired skills on the importance of human rights, code of conduct adhered to when conducting the cordon and search operations’’ he said.
Oware added that some of their officers who have been implicated in human rights abuses have been prosecuted.
Nicholas Aisu, the Principal Magistrate Grade One in Abim District noted that there is an overall reduction of human rights violations cases committed by security forces.
Aisu says the training and the security engagement on human rights concerns have made the forces understand the value of respecting the rights of the local people in the community.
He noted that although the cases of violations are reducing, many still go unreported because the community is being scared by security agencies.
In March, the Uganda Human Rights Commission and UN Human rights reported 83 cases of human rights violations registered against security forces in Karamoja between January 2021 to March 2022. URN
