Members of Acholi parliamentary Group headed by honorable Aol Betty Ocan, the Gulu city woman MP have today condemned the arrest of civilians by UPDF soldiers over unclears circumstances regarding eviction of balao herdsmen from Acholi sub region.
The condemnations emerged following the arrest of five civilians who were yesterday handpicked from Lugore trading centre in Owalo sub-county.
The five were arrested while they were mobilizing the communities using the public address system to go for a meeting called by Rwot Abwoch Patrick Adonia of Palaro chiefdom who was addressing his subjects over Balaalo infiltration in his area of jurisdiction.
The arrested people include; Acila Martin aged 32, Francis Okello aged 32, Onencan Henry aged 18, Opwonya Ronald aged 26 and Ocwee Betty aged 35. These people were arrested along with a public address system loaded in white pickup vehicle registration number UBN 356M.
The MP today told Journalists during a press conference held at NUMEC that yesterday at around 5:pm UPDF officers mounted a road block at Lugore trading centre and arrested five civilians accusing them of inciting violence against Balalo.
However today at around 1.34 pm When favor FM visited the Police custody at Bucoro Police, these detainees revealed to the reporter that they were arrested and taken to fourth division infantry headquarters in Gulu city.
Meanwhile today at around 11:00am, they suspect were driven away from an Army barrack by UPDF soldiers to police CPS in Gulu district following the pressure mounted by the politicians who were making a number of phone calls to many upper authorities.
During the press conference, the Agago North MP, honorable Okot John Amos who doubles as secretary general for APG expresses his dissatisfaction to the UPDF office for arresting people who are non-volatile.
Amos however cautions that civilians should be handled by police but not soldiers.
However, when contacted, Maj, Telesphor Turyamanya the 4th division army spokespersons says thwy were rreated for dismantling fences belonging to balalo.
Recently, the state minister for northern Uganda Ms. Grace Freedom Kwiyucwiny warned that no one should take law into their hand to evict Balalo but should leave the eviction of balao to government agencies to execute the presidential executive order number 3.
