Not all those kidnapped happy with Ongwen judgement

Speaking to three women, all former abductees, who were here in Gulu, northern Uganda, to watch the guilty verdict of rebel Dominic Ongwen’s trial being delivered, it became clear that not everyone wanted him to be convicted.

“I was not satisfied because some of the LRA commanders came home and were given amnesty and they’re living normal lives. So why is Ongwen the only one being tried?” said one.

“I’m opposed to the court’s decision of finding him guilty of those crimes. The court should have acknowledged that he handed himself over, he wasn’t captured,” said another.

The third one said: “I was abducted like Ongwen too, but he was a commander in the LRA, so he should be given the maximum sentence, considering what they did to me and lots of children from this region. The ruling today has touched me very much.”

She shed tears, and her voice broke, as she described what happened to her.

Quote Message: When I was taken in 1996, I was two months’ pregnant. We walked for hours between the border with Uganda and Sudan. Along the way, the rebels asked if any of us had an issue that meant we couldn’t continue on the journey.
When I was taken in 1996, I was two months’ pregnant. We walked for hours between the border with Uganda and Sudan. Along the way, the rebels asked if any of us had an issue that meant we couldn’t continue on the journey.

Quote Message: I put my hand up. The commander asked the young soldiers to beat us with sticks. They said they would have to kill one of us that day, to discourage the young ones from trying to escape. They beat me all over the stomach and chest.”
I put my hand up. The commander asked the young soldiers to beat us with sticks. They said they would have to kill one of us that day, to discourage the young ones from trying to escape. They beat me all over the stomach and chest.”

She managed to escape after a week in the bush.