UGANDA

COMPENDIUM OF CONFLICTS IN UGANDA
Such manifestations leave the living feeling troubled and unsafe. For example, a
participant said;
“We had organised weekly prayers around
Bucoro massacre site and some strange voices
were projected to us that we are shouting for
them and should leave before they attack us.
We all ran away … in different directions and
hurt ourselves.” 341
Such manifestations go beyond individual hallucinations or delusions as multiple people
experience the same apparition. Participants observed that the spirits were protesting
against past injustices perpetrated against them and seeking revenge. If the spirits were
not appeased and given a decent burial, participants believed they would continue their
war against the living, causing multiple unusual psychosocial problems and restlessness
in the land.
68. Boo Kec attacks on the community (1988 – mid-1990s)
As well as giving rise to numerous armed insurgencies in northern Uganda, the 1986
military overthrow of Tito Okello Lutwa by Museveni’s NRA opened an avenue for the
unlawful use of guns to either rob or perpetrate violence against civilians. Participants
attributed the illegal possession of guns to the existence of an arms and ammunition
black market that arose during the late 1980s and early 90s. It is also due to the fact
that many former Uganda National Liberation Army (UNLA) fighters returned home with
their guns after their defeat in 1986, and began using them against the NRA and to rob
civilians as a means of supporting themselves.
One of the most well-known groups of armed robbers is referred to as Boo Kec (literally
“greens are bitter”, implying “we want to eat meat”). These groups consisted of thieves,
self-described rebels, home guards or Local Defence Units who ambush and rob civilians.
Their perceived aim was to enjoy a luxurious life through armed robbery, and to feed on
only meat, whether they are living in the bush or in an urban environment.
The participants looked at this group as a major source of insecurity, while the
Government seemed to underrate the threat they posed. Among the most notable acts
of violence committed by Boo Kec were ambushing vehicles to loot business people,
robbing boda boda drivers and pedestrians after they have sold their agricultural
products, and targeting trading centres and homes of well-to-do people in villages and
urban centres.
They were initially most active in Kitgum and Pader and later in Gulu Districts, where
they staged ambushes along major travel routes in villages and towns. Some participants
argued that attacks by Boo Kec continue today. A man in Awach sub-country, Gulu District
said;
341 Research conducted in Gulu District
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