By Mulengera Reporters
Mr. Phil Dimon, who speaks for the US Embassy in Kampala, says at least 6 influential members of the Uganda security forces have been slapped with travel bans meaning they can never enter United States. Dimon says this is proof that the US government takes human rights violations very seriously and the Ugandan govt soldiers should commit acts of torture well knowing there will be very serious consequences. According to State-owned New Vision, the 6 officers include policemen and soldiers from UPDF. They were meant to attend a leadership capacity building training at the FBI National Academy at Quantico Virginia. They had earlier been invited but their participation in the Arua torture of Bobi Wine and other opposition leaders has prompted the US government to impose travel sanctions on them. The letters communicating the travel ban for the 6 officers were signed by Besty Bartko, the US Legal attache based in Nairobi. The US government has rejected explanations by the 6 officers that they are innocent because they acted on orders from above. Bartko insists that acts of torture attract personal consequences its now time for the individual state actors to feel the heat. He says they will only be permitted in the US once the ban is lifted upon review. But the torture acts similar to that of DP activist Yusuf Kawooya outside Christ the King Church yesterday that went viral throughout the night might make things only more complicated for Ugandan officials. The Kawooya video has already attracted massive condemnation and outrage. The State newspaper confirms that the affected officials were linked or participated in the Arua skirmishes that left some victims with severe forms of disability. After being attacked by Speaker Kadaga in a letter, President M7 ordered IGP Ochora and CDF David Muhoozi to investigate the Arua incident but the report was never made public.
