GULU, UGANDA: The Lukodi Massacre Monument built in memory of the people killed by the Lord Resistance Army rebels in Lukodi village Bungatira subcounty Gulu district was on Monday shifted to its permanent site after the owner of the land repossessed it.
The monument was built about 17 kilometres north of Gulu City Business Centre along Gulu-Patiko road.
Following the request of victims of the atrocity to Foundation for Justice and Development Initiative-FJDI, the monument was on Monday shifted northward by approximately 800 meters away along the same Gulu-Patiko road.
Benard Loum, head of Office, FJDI said the decision to relocate the monument was to leave the land it was standing on for development.
“We relocated this monument because the owner of the land where it was standing said he want to develop his land” said Loum, adding that “And the victim of Victim from Lukodi reached out to Foundation for Justice and Development Initiative and requested that we secure a piece of land for them and have this monument and today we shifted it.”
According to Loum, the monument is important in healing, reconciliation and memory to ensure that the gross human rights violation that happened in the past does not repeat.
He said FJDI is partnering with the association of victims of the Lukodi massacre to implement a holistic development plan on the two acres of land to have a museum, conference facility, visitors home and learning facility.
About the Monument
The Lukodi Massacre Monument was initiated in 2005 and built-in memory of the 62 people killed on the 19th of May 2004 by the LRA rebels under the command of the International Criminal Court convict, Dominic Ongwen.
Dominic Ogwen was sentenced on 6th May 2021 to 25 years of imprisonment following the Trial Judgement in which he was found guilty for a total of 61 crimes consisting of crimes against humanity and war crimes committed in Northern Uganda between July 2002 and 31st December 2005.
In honour of the people killed, The Child Voice International erected a monument bearing the names of people killed on the one-acre land offered by Thomas Okello.