Government to compensate Barlonyo Massacre survivors
By Denish Ongora (denish.ongora@vol.co.ug)
Lira District.
President Yoweri Kaguta Museveni has directed the Ministry of Justice and constitutional affairs to compensate the survivors and relatives of victims of the Barlonyo Massacre.
According to the Minister of state for Northern Uganda, Grace Freedom Kwiyocwiny, the President has written to the Ministry of Justice and Constitutional affairs to work on the modalities and have all the relatives of the victims compensated.
Kwiyocuny revealed this on Wednesday during the annual commemoration and memorial prayers held in Barlonyo, Agweng Sub County Lira district.
On the 21st of February 2004, Lord’s Resistance Army (LRA) rebels attacked Barlonyo internally displaced people’s camp and killed over 100 people.
She asked religious and cultural leaders to offer psychosocial support to survivors and relatives of victims of Barlonyo massacre.
Kwiyocuny says there is need to rehabilitate people who were affected by Barlonyo massacre who are still living with the memories of bizarre murders they witnessed during the massacre.
The minister also danted10 ox-ploughs and 2 million shillings to relatives of Barlonyo massacre victims, and pledged 106 iron sheets for re-roofing Orit P7.
State minister for tourism Mugara Martin pledged to fence and rehabilitate Barlonyo massacre site.
Mugara asked Lango leaders to identify other potential tourist sites to be developed alongside Barlonyo, Abia, and Abok massacre sites.
Speaking at the same function, former minister of lands and clan leader of Otengoro Olang, Daniel Omara Atubo called on leaders in Lango to put in place memoirs at Barlonyo massacre site to remember different people who died in Lango.
Arak Ongoda clan head Patrick Abal pledged commitment of cultural leaders to work with Lira district leaders to develop tourist sites. He asked Lira University to conduct research in actual number of people killed in Barlonyo massacre.
Erute county North MP, Akello Christine Ogwang said they are following up on government pledges to relatives of Barlonyo massacre victims including compensation of 973 affected by the massacre.
Principal of Barlonyo Technical Institute Phillips Madima called for construction of a workshop, classrooms, staff houses, fencing of the school and procurement of a school bus among others.
Bishop emeritus of west Lango diocese Alfred Acur Okodi called for psychosocial support to locals of Barlonyo to curb violence and murders. .
Rev. Venerable Paul Eguny the arch deacon of Lira North Archdeaconry attributed rising violence and murders in Barlonyo on lack of psychosocial support to Barlonyo massacre victims who are still haunted with dark memories of the massacre.
The President has over the years fulfilled some of his pledges to the people of Barlonyo including constructing Kaguta Bridge which connects Lira and Otuke districts, construction of Barlonyo Vocational Institute and establishment of Barlonyo Health Center 111.
