There was excitement at Gulu UPDF air base on Tuesday when a UPDF trainee pilot reunited with his sister who was abducted by the Lord Resistance Army-LRA rebels in 2005. Solomon Oola could not hold back his tears when he saw his 24-year-old sister Dillis Abang. Oola was one of the UPDF trainee pilots and technicians who were deployed by the army to receive LRA abductees from the Central African Republic-CAR.
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Abang was abducted by the rebels from Panjok village in Minakulu town in Oyam district together with her three siblings. At the time of her abduction, Abang was a primary six pupil at Adel primary school in Minakulu town. Her family had long forgotten about her since, two of the people she was abducted with returned home. Abang who returned with three children was married to Domnic Ogwen, one of the top LRA commanders.
She explained that her priority was to return home since the LRA was disintegrating and that there was no food to eat. Abang said she was excited to return home and meet her parents and siblings. Abang is among the 33 women and children who were reportedly released by the rebels on August 6th at Bili in the Democratic republic of Congo. Two of the abductees who returned with Abang are Nighty Arach and Acan Yasinta from Agago and Lamwo districts respectively.
They were accompanied with 11 children, the youngest being three weeks old. Mark Mutono, the 4th Division army spokesperson says they expect more returnees as the LRA are getting weaker.
The UPDF estimates that the LRA rebels should be less than 300.
Alex Otto
Freelancer
