OLARA OTUNNU STARTS TOUR OF NORTHERN UGANDA (PHOTOS)

by Uganda Election News | May 30, 2010 at 11:41 pm

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Former UN Under Secretary General for Children in Armed Conflict Olara Otunnu returned to Uganda last August after 23 years in exile. Otunnu was elected president of one of Uganda's oldest opposition parties, the Uganda People's Congress, earlier this year.

Otunnu began a tour of Uganda's northern districts last week and is pictured here greeting supporters in oil-rich Amuru District.

Heritage Oil announced in January 2009 the find in Amuru could be "the largest onshore discovery in sub-Saharan Africa."

The former UN diplomat has been outspoken about alleged crimes committed by the Ugandan government during the northern Ugandan conflict, and has deemed it a 'secret genocide.'

"I have in the open criticised the Government on the incredible galloping corruption, human rights abuses, safe houses which are a euphemism for torture chambers, land grabbing, how national institutions have been destroyed, lack of democracy, rigging of elections, the invasion and plunder of DR Congo and division of nationals according to their ethnicity," the New Vision quoted Otunnu as saying shortly after his arrival in the country last August.

Otunnu faced arrest a few weeks ago, due to remarks he made about the war on local radio. Harvard professor Charles Ogletree (who also taught President Barack Obama and Michelle Obama at Harvard), has joined Otunnu's defense team.

[Photos taken by Sam Lawino.]