The Arrow Boys
Obalanga Monument
2°12′10″N 33°35′31″E / 2.20265°N 33.59207°E / 2.20265; 33.59207
LocationKapelebyong District
Dedicated tothe 365 people who were killed during the LRA attack in Teso in 2003

Arrow Boys monument is also known as Obalanga Massacre Memorial and the Arrow group monument is the largest mass grave located in the Obalanga county in Amuria district. It contains 365 remains of the Lord's Resistance Army (LRA) victims. Annually on June 15, Teso leaders organize memorial prayers at the mass grave to remember the people who were killed and this started from 15 June 2003 to 2004.[1][2]

Location

The Arrow boys monument is located in Obalanga town council in Kapelebyong district which was cut off from Amuria District in Eastern Uganda.[2][3]

History

The arrow boys monument was erected in remembrance of over 300 people who were killed during the Lord's Resistance Army (LRA) attack in Teso in 2003.[2][4][5][6]

After the initial attack on 15 June 2003, Obalanga county in Amuria district was heavily affected by the LRA Rebels attack and was used as the entry point by the LRA rebels in Teso.[6][5][2] Many people were killed and others abducted including children, and also property destroyed.[6][2][5] Up to 100,000 people were displaced into camps.[2][7][1]

Under the command of Ecweru Musa, the Arrows boys rescued over 9,000 children who were captured by LRA and also killed 43 top LRA commanders.[8]

Annually on June 15, Teso leaders organize a memorial prayers at the mass grave to remember the people who were killed between 15 June 2003 and 2004.[2][3][7][5][1]

About the Arrow Boys

The arrow boys were local militia who were mobilized by Teso leaders to drive out the LRA out of the region. They used rudimentary tools like axes, machete, arrows and bows to defend themselves from the LRA attack.[9][4][10][8][11][1][12][13]

These were ex-soldiers of the Uganda's People's Army (UPA) who had fought against the government in late 1980s and early 1990s and had been out of action for at least 10 years. The ambushing of LRA led to their counter-insurgency.[4][10]

See also

References

  1. 1 2 3 4 "Teso attacks: Mukula, Ecweru seek Arrow Boys' safe hands". Monitor. 2022-04-08. Retrieved 2023-09-25.
  2. 1 2 3 4 5 6 7 "Free at last: Nine years after living as a rebel". New Vision. 2012-06-18. Retrieved 2023-09-21.
  3. 1 2 Salume, Among (2014-06-17). "Obalanga Massacre Memorial Day Passes Quietly". Uganda Radio Network.
  4. 1 2 3 "On the Trail of Uganda's Arrow Boys". www.crisisgroup.org. 2017-03-16. Retrieved 2023-09-21.
  5. 1 2 3 4 "Arrow boys monument in Obalanga Town Council | Kapelebyong". kapelebyong.go.ug. Retrieved 2023-09-21.
  6. 1 2 3 "10 MPs oppose venue for Arrow Boys’ party". New Vision. Retrieved 2023-09-21.
  7. 1 2 Joseph Eigu, Onyango (2018-06-16). "Obalanga LRA War Victims Unhappy With Gov't". Uganda Radio Network. Retrieved 2023-09-21.
  8. 1 2 "Wednesday: Uganda news in pictures". New Vision. Retrieved 2023-09-25.
  9. ↑ "Arrow Boys want old pay before new fight". Daily Monitor. 2022-04-12. Retrieved 2023-09-21.
  10. 1 2 "Arrow Boys want monument". New Vision. 2010-09-09. Retrieved 2023-09-21.
  11. ↑ Ojore, Godfrey (2023-07-12). "Former Arrow boys militia member accused of murder, illegal possession of gun". New Vision. Retrieved 2023-09-25.
  12. ↑ "MPs want Arrow Boys to fight cattle rustlers". Monitor. 2022-04-01. Retrieved 2023-09-25.
  13. ↑ "Capt Mukula attacks government over Arrow Boys". Monitor. 2021-01-15. Retrieved 2023-09-25.
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