By Joseph Abiria

Arua

Victims and survivors of the Ombaci massacre have commemorated the 42 anniversary, with calls for the government to compensate the affected family members.

It was a reign of terror in 1981, when government soldiers under Uganda National Liberation Army (UNLA) descended on innocent civilians in Ombaci. It is believed that over 90 people perished and were buried in mass graves next to Catholic Mission Church. This incident has led to a lot of painful memories and untold sufferings to the victims and survivors of the war.

60 Year old Veronica Eyotaru, a survivor of the war is appealing to government to come to their aid and support the war victims and survivors so that they can also live a decent life. “we are just requesting the government to compensate those who lost their lives, those who have wounds like me, those who lost properties, we are asking the government to compensate the people who really faced the war seriously”, she urged.


Veronica Eyotaru a survivor in an Interview

Many of the survivors are going through a lot of emotional and psychological trauma, Khemis Abima one of the survivors  asked the government to take a deliberate  decision and consider compensating the affected family members because they are currently facing a lot of challenges. “Our main aim is to request government to compensate us, so we are really looking forward for reparations, we think if government could make reparations, it will make us somehow happy, he emphasized”

The coordinator of Ombaci Massacre Association, Alex Aliga admits that memories of the brutal killings are still fresh in the minds of the victims and survivors who are undergoing a healing process. “So we are trying to work with them so that we can give them at least some hope and also drive the healing, healing is a lifelong process, but we believe that when we come together, when we conduct memorial masses like we do every single year, we try to move closer to the healing”, he remarked.

However the chief guest, Hon. Geoffery Feta in his closing  remarks said that  the reasons for delaying to advance compensation to the affected families is because of lack of dependable and reliable information on the particulars of the war victims and survivors.

The day ran under the theme, “truth telling, forgiveness, reconciliation, healing and hope for the victims and survivors”.

COVER PHOTO: Mzee Elarino Olezu, chairman Ombaci Massacre Association By Joseph Abiria