Information service of the Pontifical Mission Societies since 1927
Kampala (Fides Service) – “Unfortunately there is no confirmation of reports that some of the seminarians, hostages of rebels of the Lord’s Resistance Army LRA, have escaped” Comboni missionary Father Joseph tells Fides Service. For the past seven years, Father Joseph has been parish priest at Kitgum in northern Uganda on the border with Sudan. On May 14 certain Ugandan press agencies said that a few of the boys had managed to escape from the hands of the rebels by whom they were kidnapped in Lachor on Sunday 11 May. Unfortunately this information has not been confirmed locally. “I am afraid these rumours were spread purposely by the rebels so the army would decide not to intervene so as not to worsen the situation of the hostages” says Father Joseph in whose parish the boys were reported to be sheltering.
Last Sunday, 11 May, about 40 students were taken hostage by a group of LRA rebels which broke into local minor seminary in Lachor in northern Uganda. One eight year old boy was killed during the attack. For years guerrilla groups in northern Uganda have kidnapped boys who are then sent to military training camps and made to fight.
“The world must realise what is happening here” says Father Joseph “these unending incursions by the rebels make life impossible for the local people. In our parish we have about 300 boys aged 8-15 who feel safer under our roof, but there are many others who have nowhere to go”. LM (Fides Service 14/5/2003 EM lines 23 Words: 280)
