Kalalang commanded the attack in Abok; defense witness tells court

On 1^st November, a witness testified at the ICC about his abduction, LRA activities in Lango and Teso, Tabuley’s death and the attack on the Abok IDP camp. Opio a former abductee who was conscripted at age 11 said he was abducted by a rebel leader who he later learnt was called Kenneth, second in command to another leader called Lubul from the LRA group called Twinkle. He said Kenneth took him though routine trainings and he later became his bodyguard, “My role was to carry his bag, gun and chair.” he said. He told court that it took him three years to be given a gun of his own.

He also recalled a mission in Kitgum masterminded by Okot Odhiambo in which he was selected to take part. He recalled that the mission was to obtain guns from government forces. “The mission was not successful because we collected fewer guns than expected.” Opio recalled.

He further recalled that three weeks after the mission in Kitgum, they regrouped and went to Teso in a place called Obalanga. He noted that many deputies including Tabuley who was second in command to Odhiambo went to Teso. “Government soldiers in Obalanga attacked us first… Tabuley ordered us not to attack.” he said. He said the rebels instead tried to flee but in the process entered another ambush in which Tabuley was killed. “Lubul and Kenneth also died in Teso.” Opio added.

The witness also talked about the mission in Abok IDP camp in 2004 in which he took part.  He told court that they were selected by Okot Odhiambo to go specifically and collect food from Abok. He stated that about 200 people were selected but about 20 only had guns. The witness said Kalalang commanded the Abok attack. “Kalalang said we were not going to fight but to collect food only from civilians.”, he said

He explained further that they attacked civilians because they couldn’t give them food voluntarily so the rebels had to take by force. He was responding to a question by Thomas Obhof- one of the defense lawyers of Ogwen who examined him in-chief. He further narrated how the Abok attack was planned.

Mr. Opio told court that two girls were sent ahead to survey the place before the group could attack. He told court that the group collected the food but were intercepted by government forces before they moved far. While responding to Thomas Obhof’s questions on burning huts in the camp, he said, “I did not see any LRA rebel lighting fire with the intention of burning huts.” He further told court that due to pressure from government forces, they dropped the luggage [food] and retreated to their base in Akelo-Aliak where they stayed until the following morning when government soldiers followed them- a battle in which Kalalang was killed and others injured. As a result they fled to their main base called ‘Defense-Auma’ where Kalalang was buried.

While responding to Thomas Obhof about meeting Ongwen, the witness said he met Ongwen only once at a place called Lacek-Ocot which was a meeting point for the LRA commanders.

Talking about his escape from the LRA, the witness stated that he escaped during a mission at a place called Kalongo where they were sent to collect cassava. During the mission, he said the group entered an ambush in which three of his colleagues were killed, “In that mission only five people had guns and when three were shot I had to run my own way.” He said

He also told court that, “The UPDF shot you even if you surrender to them during an engagement.” He noted that during his time with the LRA, he witnessed UPDF shoot unarmed girls who surrendered during an engagement. In the process of running away, the witness said he met civilians who then took him to the camp where he was later taken to a rehabilitation centre.

Lead defense counsel- Ayena also asked the witness a few questions on why he remained in the bush for six years without escaping and what happens when a person violates orders such as burning huts or killing civilians when not told to do so. The witness responded that people who went ahead to kill or destroy property would be punished severely and if he had a gun, it would be taken away and the person demoted to a status of a trainee. He added that he didn’t escape because he was very young and that there were strict rules against escaping. “…they often told me not to think about my family or try to escape because they would come and kill everyone at home… that’s why I didn’t escape.”, the witness said