Ugandan authorities Saturday began deploying troops to disarm gun-toting cattle breeders in the northeastern Karamoja region, a senior military official told AFP.
"We started today by putting troops in their positions. We have already deployed some and the rest are still coming," Colonel Geoffrey Taban, who is in charge of Karamoja region, told AFP by telephone from the eastern town of Mbale.
The disarmament programme is aimed at collecting some 20,000 guns from the Kotido and Moroto districts, inhabited by the Karamojong herder community.
Some 5,000 guns will remain in the hands of vigilante groups who will use them to combat cattle rustling in the area.
Five extra batallions have been called in from other parts of Uganda to provide support during the three-phased exercise, which is due to last seven months.
The soldiers will set up collection points for weapons in 39 sub-counties across the two districts, according to Taban, who also confirmed reports that Ugandan soldiers earlier this week killed 10 civilians in the region.
"There were some Karamajong who came into Katakwi district (neighbouring Karamoja) and stole some goats and some cows about four days ago.
"The Karamajong later sneaked back into Karamoja, and our soldiers tried to follow them. However the soldiers ended up killing 10 civilians in a confrontation. We have arrested those soldiers responsible, and they will be charged in a military court," Taban added.
The disarmament programme will begin with an awareness campaign, followed by voluntary disarmament and a final phase during which the military will carry out searches to disarm those who resist handing in their weapons.
Since the late 1970s when the Karamojong began acquiring guns, violence has escalated in the remote arid region, with sometimes as many as 500 people dying in cattle raids.
Karamojong men frequently rustle cattle to secure the bride price required to marry.
President Yoweri Museveni initially tolerated the Karamojong keeping their guns for self-defence.
However, after a number of government troops were killed while trying to mediate between two warring clans, Museveni announced last year that he would begin disarming the Karamojong -- KAMPALA (AFP)
