Survivors and residents of the Obalanga Massacre in Kapelebyong District have renewed calls for the government to gazette the Obalanga Mass Graves as a historical tourism site and fulfill long-standing pledges made to improve the welfare of war survivors. The appeal was made during the 22nd annual commemoration prayers held on Monday, observed every June 15 to honor victims killed during the Lord’s Resistance Army (LRA) incursion into the Teso sub-region and to support survivors still affected by the violence.
On June 15, 2003, LRA fighters entered Obalanga Sub-county, which became a key operational base, leading to widespread killings, abductions, and clashes involving government forces and the Arrow Boys militia. Survivors say that despite repeated government pledges since the early 2000s, little has been done to develop the site or adequately support affected families.
Sam Elotu, one of the survivors, said the community feels abandoned despite numerous promises made over the years. He recounted how he narrowly escaped death during the attack after being warned by motorists not to proceed home as rebels had arrived in Obalanga. “I managed to get back to Amuria district, where I took refuge for some time, and as the LRA rebels advanced to Amuria, I fled to Soroti days later,” Elotu said.
He added that while he survived, his 11-year-old brother was abducted and remains missing to this day, noting that many children were taken during the attack despite attempts by the Arrow Boys to resist the rebels. Elotu said the first night of the attack saw several killings and widespread destruction, including the burning of homes and livestock, forcing residents to flee the area.
Josephine Adipo, another survivor, said the scale of loss in Obalanga should be formally recognized and preserved as part of national memory. She said the government had previously pledged to transform the site into a memorial ground but had not followed through. “A lot happened here, but surprisingly, the government seems to have forgotten,” Adipo said.
She added that while official figures cited 365 bodies, the actual death toll was likely higher due to bodies left in bushes and consumed by wild animals. Adipo said survivors continue to live in poverty and lack adequate government support, adding that gazetting the site would also promote historical tourism and awareness of what occurred.John Patrick Olinga said the mass graves are located on government land and were designated as a central burial site after bodies were collected from different parts of the community. He recalled that during a visit to Soroti in 2006, President Yoweri Museveni was invited to the site and reportedly pledged to establish a secondary school and a technical school in the area, commitments that remain unfulfilled.
He urged the government to revive and implement the pledges, adding that the graves remain exposed and require proper protection and infrastructure to support tourism development. David Esangu noted that despite annual prayers and repeated appeals, government commitments have remained unimplemented, with non-governmental organizations being the only consistent support actors at the site.
Peter Ocaro, the LC1 chairperson of Omission Cell, said no compensation has been received by affected families, despite years of waiting for government intervention. In response, Eunice Kansiime, Communications Head at the Ministry of Tourism, said preparations are underway for the gazetting of the Obalanga Mass Graves as a tourism site. The Obalanga mass graves, marked by the Arrow Boys Monument in Obalanga Town Council, are considered the largest mass burial site in Uganda, holding the remains of 365 people killed during the 2003 LRA incursion into the Teso sub-region-URN. Give us feedback on this story through our email: kamwokyatimes@gmail.com
