He left me for dead…

I was abducted on the 29th Aug 2003 while I was sleeping with my siblings. One of my sister and two brothers were also abducted together with me however, my elder brother was released shortly after reason being, he was quite big and may inspire the young ones to escape. The other brother and the sister managed to escape hence I was the only one from my family faced with the challenge of escaping from captivity which is not any easy.

Before the abduction, my parents had died and my elder brother took the role of parenthood at 16. I was therefore afraid I might be killed and this bothered me every time the leaders tell me they would kill me if I try to escape.

After my abduction, the rebels walked with us towards Aswa River which boarders Gulu and Kitgum. We were carrying heavy loads at that age and we were beaten if you can't catch up with the pace of the adults (LRA). We stayed at the bank of Aswa River for a month but could not stand the constant attack by the UPDF hence our group shifted to Pader where we met similar trouble. We then came back to the bank of Aswa from Kitgum side where we spend 4 months before setting off to Nyono Hill in Kitgum. The UPDF were attacking us frequently so we had to shift location to Palabek at the foot of Lalak Hill. We resisted the UPDF attack till the end of 2004. In Aug 2005, we took off to Leria Hill where we met the Head of the Operation Room Otti. He then divided us into two groups of which one was under his command and he led them to Congo. On the other hand, the group that I belonged to under the command of Colonel Lamola moved to the Sudan.

Life in the Sudan

In the Sudan, we made constant attack on the Dinkers in order to get food stuffs and water. We were all the time on standby since any militia (Arabs, Dinkers and UPDF) can attack anytime.
They managed us by attacking at the time we were cooking since we run and leave the food being cooked and other food stuffs in row form and also they denied us access to water sources which made it very difficult since it was very hot.
With constant attack, I was given SMG gun (lugoch) without any training. I was given tips of how to clean, shoot and assemble the gun. This worried me a lot since I wasn’t sure of handling the confrontations

My fateful day,

One day, other three children and I, under the command of Colonel 'Doctor' were sent to raid the Dinker’s [ethnic tribe] home and check on the simsim (foodstuff) they had hidden and get more food stuff. On our way however, the commander got a radio call demanding us back immediately. Lieutenant Otto was with me and was telling me to move fast yet, I was having injuries on my foot due to over moving and using oversized gumboots. Shortly, Otto started beating me and told me to pour the sorghum I was carrying so as to move a bit faster to avoid the attack by both the Dinkers and the UPDF. While I was bending down to do what Otto had said, he shot me on the head and the bullets passed from my cheek. I fell down and he thought I was dead. He urinated on the barrel of his gun, took my gun and fired a shot in the air so that he could say I committed suicide because I couldn’t walk. He did report I shot myself. In the morning (the next day), I gained my conscious and started following them. I moved the whole day and could not get them, in the evening around 8:00pm; I was able to get them. They queried me about what happened and I told them everything and they jailed him over the night. I was given first aid since there was no proper medication and food was given to me. However, I couldn’t open my mouth at that time.

The next morning, we walked a long distance and met the rebel leader Joseph Kony in southern Sudan and the commander narrated all that happened to me, but he ignored and said I shot myself. There was nothing I could do to make him realize it was done by his colonel. I was bitter but had no option!

I was in Sudan for 4months i.e. from Aug 2005 until the end of Dec 2005. It was only after the raiding of 60 cattle from the Dinkers that the Whole six groups that had come together was scattered by the attack of UPDF which was very timely. We started to walk towards Uganda and I was very thirsty yet there was no water. It was too much and I couldn’t walk any more hence had to remain behind. I sat under some tree and spent 5days in the bush alone without food and water, I was just imagining death. I decided to remove all my cloths and remain naked since it was very hot but that couldn’t help either. I cried and prayed. But all was worsening. I picked my gun and put it at my chest with an intension to die but! A voice inside me said "Geoffrey, it’s yet early to do that! Hang on... you will get water soon". I then fired that bullet in the air and dropped the gun and started the search for water. I realized a river was just about a mile from where I had wanted to end my life. I took six litters of water before I could stock it and go back to where had dropped my gun because I realized I may need it for my protection. I then walked to a different location after getting the gun.

My way home….

I suddenly found out that the UPDF had just left there a few minutes ago. I ate their left over and took water before following them to their new location. I was surviving on remains of food that was thrown by the UPDF since I had no alternative. I could wait till they had gone to patrol then sneak in to their base and eat left over in their rubbish pit. I thought of going to Juba but couldn’t do that because of the phobia of the Arabs. I then sat at the river bank for 3days and on the 3rd day I heard the UPDF talking much close from where I was this gave me the feeling that it was my opportunity to go back home. I handed myself to the UPDF who took good care of me for a night. They asked me about life with the rebels and then in the morning, other children and I were driven to Nicitu (UPDF base). We took off for Aruu at 3:00 Pm and the next day I was brought to Gulu CPU and later I was brought to GUSCO My brother and sisters have come to see me and it was amazing to hang around them after all this years . Am very happy to be at GUSCO where I am getting medical treatment following the injuries I sustained in captivity.

Future ambition
"When I go back home, I want to study to become a pilot of Uganda Airline" said Geoffrey