10/24/2003

This man was displaced in June when the LRA entered his village near the town of Soroti in eastern Uganda.  He has been living inside a church for almost five months.  When the rebels entered his village, his ten-year old sister was abducted.  She was playing with other children in the yard.  The older children saw the rebels and ran away.  His sister could not run fast, and they caught her.  She has not returned yet.  The rebels took six children that day from his village.  Now his whole village has been displaced to Soroti.  He walked the 15 kilometers to Soroti with his family.  They carried whatever they could, but they had to leave most of their belongings at home.  He owned a shop in his village, but everything was looted.  He is staying at the church with his wife, his two children, and his mother and father.  They have received some food, but there are no blankets, no medicines, and he is unable to find work.  The government has encouraged them to return to their home but he is too afraid.  In the meantime, he, along with 500 other IDPs, is waiting to see what will happen next.