The call was made by the Human Rights Committee of Parliament which is currently conducting public hearings about the violations that marred the recent elections across the country. This includes the excessive use of force by law enforcement agents, resulting in the killing and wounding of civilians, and arbitrary arrests and detentions of opposition supporters.
Religious and other
opinion leaders have been asked to lead post-election reconciliation
processes for the recovery of persons traumatised by events from the recent general election.
The call was made by the Human Rights Committee of Parliament which is currently conducting public hearings about the violations that marred the recent elections across the country. This includes the excessive use of force
by law enforcement agents, resulting in the killing and wounding of
civilians, and arbitrary arrests and detentions of opposition supporters.
The recommendation
was made after statements of anger and retribution
from several victims of human rights violations that came to testify before
the committee, as it inquired into reports of violations that occurred in the Greater Masaka region.
Frank Kasule and
Zainabu Namugumya, some of the victims who sustained gun wounds during sporadic protests that emerged after the
declaration of presidential results accused security agencies of targeting them even when they were not part of the protests. Kasule accused the security agencies of exhibiting biases against opposition supporters and agents.
He narrated how he
how was arrested before with his gun wounds and detained in a military barracks
at Kissajagirwa where he was inhumanely treated.
//Cue in; “sifunangako ku ssimu…
Cue out…n’ebankuba migo.”//
Gulu Municipality MP Lyandro Komakech noted that the testimonies from victims in the area
are indicators of a deep political conflict with a potential of progressing
into a deep crisis if the responsible local stakeholders don’t find time to reconcile
the parties involved.
He says that his interaction
with the different groups of people established that many people that were affected by the violations are still living with a lot of
bitterness against their violators.
//Cue in; “conflict indicator….
Cue out…look at Syria.”//
Lucy Achiro, the
MP for Aruu North County challenged the Office of the Masaka Resident District
Commissioner to take the lead in forging post-election reconciliation in the
area, arguing the situation seems to be fragile.
