Ugandan President Blames Rebel Attack on Army Mistakes

Museveni Apologizes to Region's People

LIRA, Uganda -- President Yoweri Museveni on Tuesday blamed last weekend's devastating rebel attack in northern Uganda on "mistakes" by the army and apologized to the region's people.

Making a personal visit to the area where 200 unarmed civilians were hacked, shot and burned alive at a refugee camp, Museveni said the army should never have allowed the attack to occur. He recalled the region's commander to army headquarters for further training.

"It's very sad, on behalf of the government, or the army, I apologize to the people because the mistake is on the side of the army," a somber Museveni said after visiting a hospital packed with survivors. "They (the army) did not coordinate well but we have got a long struggle, we shall overcome. We shall win, like we have won all other previous challenges."

Rebels of the Lord's Resistance Army armed with mortars, assault rifles and rocket-propelled grenades raided the Barlonyo camp on Saturday evening, shooting people who tried to flee and burning others in their homes.

Museveni said the attack, one of the bloodiest in a 17-year insurgency, "was mainly caused by the mistakes of the army commander in the area."

In a statement to the state-owned New Vision newspaper, the president said the army had been negligent for allowing the camp to be set up in the first place, adding that it was insufficiently protected.

He said local army troops failed to notify other units until after the attack took place and the rebels had fled.

Local officials and witnesses put the death toll at more than 200, but Museveni said the number of dead was 84. Earlier, the army had also given the 84 figure, but some local officials accused the army of deliberating playing down the violence in an effort not to appear weak.

The camp, which was home to some 5,000 people, was guarded by some 30 members of a local defense unit, who were outgunned and quickly overpowered.

After destroying the camps' hundreds of mud and grass houses, the rebels escaped into to the bush.

The army has been sweeping the countryside in pursuit of the insurgents, but has so far not reported apprehending any of the perpetrators.

Dressed in combat fatigues, Museveni, who led his own bush war before seizing power in 1986, later drove around the area of the camp protected by scores of troops traveling in armored personnel carriers and dozens of trucks, supported by a tank.

The violence raised questions about the Ugandan government's claims that it is defeating the rebellion by the shadowy Lord's Resistance Army, which has abducted thousands of children to use as fighters, smugglers and sex slaves.

Government and army officials often claim to be crushing the rebellion, and Museveni regularly visits the north regularly to oversee military operations. But the attacks continue, and more than 1 million people from northern and eastern Uganda live in camps for fear of rebel raids.

The Lord's Resistance Army is led by Joseph Kony, who claims to have spiritual powers. It says it wants Uganda to be governed according to the Ten Commandments.