Don’t forget Kasese massacre, say women activists

The women’s movement representing individuals and organizations across the country called upon all Ugandans to join the initiative to ensure that the memories of the dead are not forgotten.

Women activist groups Isis-WICCE and Centre for Conflict Resolution (CECORE) said last week that the attack on the Obusinga Bwa Rwenzururu had a huge impact on women with lasting effect being felt to date.

Isis-WICCE and CECORE said they have carried out research to document women’s experience of the conflict and to understand its historical perspective.

The women said one of the obvious issues found was gross human rights violations and the huge impact of the conflict on women and children.

One year since the incident in Kasese where many Ugandans were killed, with hundreds arrested including female royal guards, Isis-WICCE and CECORE said they are dedicating their annual 16 days of activism campaign against gender-based violence  to the assault on the Obusinga Bwa Rwenzururu.

Isis-WICCE and Centre For Conflict Resolution (CECORE) said their assessment undertaken in October 2017 found that there are 193 people currently detained at Luzira, Nalufenya and Kirinya.

The women activists said there are close to 1700 orphans because of what it calls “these unfortunate events”They are planning two solidarity visits agreed upon including visiting the women in Kirinya prison on 20th November 2017 and the communities in Kasese on 24th – 26th November 2017.

The women expect to provide psycho-social support and economic empowerment capacity building for the women in Kasese to enable them to sustainably fend for their families.Human Rights Watch in a statement in March said the government should facilitate independent and transparent investigations with international expertise into the November 2016 killings of civilians in Kasese.

Almost a year after the joint police-military operations in Kasese, there have been no investigations into the security forces’ operations.