By Olule Augustine
Karamoja women under their umbrella Karamoja Women Peace Forum have challenged their leaders to join them in the formation of Ateker group.
Ateker group if formed will aid in bridging the diminishing peace between the Karamojong community and its neighbors of Teso, Lango and Acholi.
The idea for the formation of the Ateker group comes after the leadership of Kapelebyong district in Teso sub region burnt the movement of Karamoja pastoralists to their district accusing them of stealing their animals in the process of grazing.
Pascal Akello the chairperson of Karamoja Women Peace Forum says the decision by the leadership of Kapelebyong district to burn Karamojong pastoralists from grazing cattle in their land is not good but might have come due to the habits of Karamojongs.
According to Akello, Karamojongs have inflicted pain to the neighboring regions of Teso and Acholi by stealing their animals and also killing the innocent people. Akello however called upon the people of Karamoja to be deceased from such actors and reunite with their neighbors.
However, the Karamoja affairs minister Mary Goreti Kitutu says she is going to meet with the minister of internal affairs, minister of security and the minister of defence to discuss the way forward of reconciling the two regions.
Kitutu added that the decision by the district leadership might have come because of the havoc inflicted to the people of Kapelebyong by the Karamojong worries that go there in the names of grazing animals and end up stealing them.
For years now districts of Katakwi, Kapelebyong and Amuria which are bordering Karamoja in Teso have suffered animal theft and killing of innocent people by the Karamojong cattle rustlers who are in search of animals.