Gulu, Uganda | URN | Forty-six former Lord’s Resistance Army (LRA) returnees repatriated from South Sudan are set to undergo traditional cleansing rituals as part of efforts to support their reintegration into Acholi communities. The group, comprising 23 adults (12 women and 11 men) and 23 children, arrived at Gulu Airfield on Monday morning aboard a chartered aircraft from Wau Town in South Sudan.
Their return came days after they reportedly trekked from Darfur in Sudan before being airlifted to Uganda. The returnees were received by the Chief of Defence Intelligence and Security, Maj. Gen. Richard Owili Otto, alongside security officials, local government leaders, religious leaders, and representatives from Ker Kwaro Acholi. They were later taken to the former SOS Children’s Village in Laroo-Pece Division, where they will undergo rehabilitation and support.
Martin Okumu, the Deputy Prime Minister of Ker Kwaro Acholi in charge of Finance, Planning, and Investment, said the institution will organize traditional reconciliation and cleansing ceremonies aimed at helping the returnees reconnect with their communities.
Okumu, who represented the Paramount Chief of Acholi David Onen Acana II, said the ceremony will include “Nyono Tong Gweno,” a traditional ritual where returnees step on an egg as a symbolic act of cleansing and reconciliation.
He added that another ritual known as “Cubo Lakareke” will also be performed, where a goat is held behind the returnee’s back before entering the homestead, symbolizing purification after years of suffering and violence. “The rebels went through hardships and many atrocities. This process is meant to cleanse them before they finally rejoin their families and communities,” Okumu said.According to Okumu, the final ritual involves pouring water at the entrance of the home before the returnee enters for the first time after years in captivity. He noted that many of the former rebels were abducted as children during the two-decade LRA insurgency led by Joseph Kony and were forced into rebellion against their will.
Out of the 46 returnees, five males are nationals of the Democratic Republic of Congo (DRC), while one female is from the Central African Republic (CAR). Maj. Gen. Otto said the government will document the returnees, grant them amnesty, and support them through rehabilitation before they are reintegrated into society. He called on communities to accept the returnees, noting that some were forced into the rebellion after being abducted.//Cue in:
Gen. Otto also revealed that 20 more groups of LRA defectors are expected to be repatriated to Uganda, although they remain scattered in the Central African Republic. He said engagements with their leadership are ongoing. Richard Ouma, one of the former LRA abductees who commanded the returnees, commended the government for extending amnesty to former fighters and supporting their return home.
Archbishop Emeritus John Baptist Odama praised the government and security agencies for facilitating the return of the former abductees and welcoming them despite the experiences they endured during captivity. “I want to thank the government of Uganda for this openness to its citizens. You have shown the spirit of a mother because children can injure you, incite you, and do all sorts of things, but you remain a mother to them, whatever the case.” Said Archbishop Odama.
Archbishop Odama urged Acholi leaders and communities to embrace the returnees and support them as they rebuild their lives. “These are now your children. You are going to take care of them and others will support you in this,” he said. Jimmy Fred Otema, the Head of Terra Renaissance Gulu Sub-Office, said the returnees will receive comprehensive rehabilitation support, including trauma therapy for both adults and children.
At least 51 former LRA abductees have been repatriated between May and June this year, including 13 mercenaries who fought alongside the South Sudan People’s Liberation Army in Opposition (SPLA-IO) in South Sudan. Ker Kwaro Acholi conducted similar cleansing ceremonies last year for another group of 146 former LRA returnees as part of ongoing community reconciliation efforts in northern Uganda following years of the LRA conflict.
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