Vincent Otti
Encyclopedia
Vincent Otti was deputy-leader of the Lord's Resistance Army
(LRA), a rebel guerrilla army operating mainly in northern Uganda
and southern Sudan. He was one of the five persons for whom the International Criminal Court
(ICC) issued its first arrest warrant
s on 8 July 2005. Rumours of his death began to circulate in October 2007 but were not confirmed until January 2008.
sub-county of Gulu District
, Uganda
, and his parents died when he was young. He was working as a shopkeeper in Kampala
when he joined the Lord's Resistance Army in 1987.
and became the LRA's vice-chairman, second in command to Joseph Kony
. He was reportedly a member of the "Control Altar", the core leadership group that devises the LRA's strategy. During the Juba peace talks, which began in July 2006, Otti emerged as the chief spokesperson for the LRA.
He is alleged to have led the Balonyo massacre in February 2004, during which more than 300 villagers were shot, hacked and burned to death. In 1994, the LRA attacked Atiak, Otti's home town, killing more than 200 people. Otti's brothers reportedly fled the village after the family was accused of breeding a "killer".
found that there were reasonable grounds to believe that Otti had committed war crime
s and crimes against humanity
, and issued a sealed warrant
for his arrest. He was charged with 21 counts of war crimes (including murder
, pillaging, inducing rape
, forced enlisting of children
, intentionally directing an attack against a civilian population, and cruel treatment of civilians) and 11 counts of crimes against humanity (including murder, sexual enslavement
, and inhumane acts of inflicting serious bodily injury and suffering).
reported that "Otti was killed on or around 8 October 2007 during a high command meeting that Kony convened at his base camp in Garamba", following a disagreement with Kony over the peace process. LRA defector Sunday Otto, who claims to have been present during the execution, states that Otti was killed on October 2nd, along with two other officers, and that Otti was the impetus behind the negotiations for peace. However, Member of Parliament Reagan Okumu claims to have spoken with Otti by telephone on or around 19 October 2007, but says he has since been unavailable. LRA spokesperson Martin Ojul has repeatedly denied that Otti was executed and claimed that Otti was simply suffering from cholera
. On 7 November 2007, Kony told Gulu district
chairman Norbert Mao
that Otti was alive and had been detained for plotting to kill Kony and "conspiring with the enemies of the LRA". Kony also stated that Otti would not be allowed to speak with anyone until the LRA decided it was appropriate.
The President of Southern Sudan, Salva Kiir Mayardit
, said on 7 November 2007 that Otti's status remained unclear. The government of Southern Sudan has sent a team to the Congolese border to investigate Otti's fate.
The government newspaper New Vision
reported on 22 November, based on statements from LRA defectors, that Otti had been executed by firing squad, along with "many others", on 2 October. Defectors said that he had asked Kony to allow him to speak to his son before his execution. "To strengthen Kony's spirit", Otti's body was said to not have been buried for three days after his death. Defectors also claimed Otti had been killed because of his enthusiasm for peace, thus questioning Kony's actual commitment to peace negotiations. On 21 December 2007 a diplomatic briefing claimed that Otti was executed on 2 October 2007 at Kony's home. According to this account, when Otti arrived there he found that the home was surrounded by Kony's guards, and before entering he made a phone call to Kony due to his concern about this, but was reassured by Kony. Inside the house, however, LRA commanders held Otti at gunpoint and told him that he was arrested; he was then bound, blindfolded and taken outside, where he was shot, despite his pleas for mercy. Kony subsequently claimed that Otti had received foreign funds and was trying to kill him. On 23 January 2008, Kony confirmed that Otti was dead, but did not offer any details.
Lord's Resistance Army
The Lord's Resistance Army insurgency is an ongoing guerrilla campaign waged since 1987 by the Lord's Resistance Army rebel group, operating mainly in northern Uganda, but also in South Sudan and eastern Democratic Republic of the Congo...
(LRA), a rebel guerrilla army operating mainly in northern Uganda
Uganda
Uganda , officially the Republic of Uganda, is a landlocked country in East Africa. Uganda is also known as the "Pearl of Africa". It is bordered on the east by Kenya, on the north by South Sudan, on the west by the Democratic Republic of the Congo, on the southwest by Rwanda, and on the south by...
and southern Sudan. He was one of the five persons for whom the International Criminal Court
International Criminal Court
The International Criminal Court is a permanent tribunal to prosecute individuals for genocide, crimes against humanity, war crimes, and the crime of aggression .It came into being on 1 July 2002—the date its founding treaty, the Rome Statute of the...
(ICC) issued its first arrest warrant
Arrest warrant
An arrest warrant is a warrant issued by and on behalf of the state, which authorizes the arrest and detention of an individual.-Canada:Arrest warrants are issued by a judge or justice of the peace under the Criminal Code of Canada....
s on 8 July 2005. Rumours of his death began to circulate in October 2007 but were not confirmed until January 2008.
Early life
Otti was born around 1946 in the AtiakAtiak
Atiak is a town in Northern Uganda. It is one if the municipalities in Amuru District, the others being:* Amuru Municipality* Bibia Municipality* Pabbo Municipality-Location:...
sub-county of Gulu District
Gulu District
Gulu District is a district in Northern Uganda. The district is named after its chief municipal, administrative and commercial center, the town of Gulu.-Location:...
, Uganda
Uganda
Uganda , officially the Republic of Uganda, is a landlocked country in East Africa. Uganda is also known as the "Pearl of Africa". It is bordered on the east by Kenya, on the north by South Sudan, on the west by the Democratic Republic of the Congo, on the southwest by Rwanda, and on the south by...
, and his parents died when he was young. He was working as a shopkeeper in Kampala
Kampala
Kampala is the largest city and capital of Uganda. The city is divided into five boroughs that oversee local planning: Kampala Central Division, Kawempe Division, Makindye Division, Nakawa Division and Lubaga Division. The city is coterminous with Kampala District.-History: of Buganda, had chosen...
when he joined the Lord's Resistance Army in 1987.
Lord's Resistance Army
Otti joined the Lord's Resistance Army when it was founded in 1987. He rose to the rank of Lieutenant GeneralLieutenant General
Lieutenant General is a military rank used in many countries. The rank traces its origins to the Middle Ages where the title of Lieutenant General was held by the second in command on the battlefield, who was normally subordinate to a Captain General....
and became the LRA's vice-chairman, second in command to Joseph Kony
Joseph Kony
Joseph Kony is an African terrorist who is the head of the Lord's Resistance Army , a guerrilla group that is engaged in a violent campaign to establish theocratic government based on the Ten Commandments in Uganda...
. He was reportedly a member of the "Control Altar", the core leadership group that devises the LRA's strategy. During the Juba peace talks, which began in July 2006, Otti emerged as the chief spokesperson for the LRA.
He is alleged to have led the Balonyo massacre in February 2004, during which more than 300 villagers were shot, hacked and burned to death. In 1994, the LRA attacked Atiak, Otti's home town, killing more than 200 people. Otti's brothers reportedly fled the village after the family was accused of breeding a "killer".
Indictment by the ICC
On 8 July 2005, a Pre-Trial Chamber of the International Criminal CourtInternational Criminal Court
The International Criminal Court is a permanent tribunal to prosecute individuals for genocide, crimes against humanity, war crimes, and the crime of aggression .It came into being on 1 July 2002—the date its founding treaty, the Rome Statute of the...
found that there were reasonable grounds to believe that Otti had committed war crime
War crime
War crimes are serious violations of the laws applicable in armed conflict giving rise to individual criminal responsibility...
s and crimes against humanity
Crime against humanity
Crimes against humanity, as defined by the Rome Statute of the International Criminal Court Explanatory Memorandum, "are particularly odious offenses in that they constitute a serious attack on human dignity or grave humiliation or a degradation of one or more human beings...
, and issued a sealed warrant
Arrest warrant
An arrest warrant is a warrant issued by and on behalf of the state, which authorizes the arrest and detention of an individual.-Canada:Arrest warrants are issued by a judge or justice of the peace under the Criminal Code of Canada....
for his arrest. He was charged with 21 counts of war crimes (including murder
Murder
Murder is the unlawful killing, with malice aforethought, of another human being, and generally this state of mind distinguishes murder from other forms of unlawful homicide...
, pillaging, inducing rape
Rape
Rape is a type of sexual assault usually involving sexual intercourse, which is initiated by one or more persons against another person without that person's consent. The act may be carried out by physical force, coercion, abuse of authority or with a person who is incapable of valid consent. The...
, forced enlisting of children
Military use of children
The military use of children takes three distinct forms: children can take direct part in hostilities , or they can be used in support roles such as porters, spies, messengers, look outs, and sexual slaves; or they can be used for political advantage either as human shields or in...
, intentionally directing an attack against a civilian population, and cruel treatment of civilians) and 11 counts of crimes against humanity (including murder, sexual enslavement
Sexual slavery
Sexual slavery is when unwilling people are coerced into slavery for sexual exploitation. The incidence of sexual slavery by country has been studied and tabulated by UNESCO, with the cooperation of various international agencies...
, and inhumane acts of inflicting serious bodily injury and suffering).
Death
In October 2007, sources in the Ugandan militaryUganda People's Defence Force
The Uganda Peoples Defence Force , previously the National Resistance Army, is the armed forces of Uganda. The International Institute for Strategic Studies estimates the UPDF has a total strength of 40–45,000, and consists of land forces and an Air Wing.The IISS Military Balance 2007 says there...
reported that "Otti was killed on or around 8 October 2007 during a high command meeting that Kony convened at his base camp in Garamba", following a disagreement with Kony over the peace process. LRA defector Sunday Otto, who claims to have been present during the execution, states that Otti was killed on October 2nd, along with two other officers, and that Otti was the impetus behind the negotiations for peace. However, Member of Parliament Reagan Okumu claims to have spoken with Otti by telephone on or around 19 October 2007, but says he has since been unavailable. LRA spokesperson Martin Ojul has repeatedly denied that Otti was executed and claimed that Otti was simply suffering from cholera
Cholera
Cholera is an infection of the small intestine that is caused by the bacterium Vibrio cholerae. The main symptoms are profuse watery diarrhea and vomiting. Transmission occurs primarily by drinking or eating water or food that has been contaminated by the diarrhea of an infected person or the feces...
. On 7 November 2007, Kony told Gulu district
Gulu District
Gulu District is a district in Northern Uganda. The district is named after its chief municipal, administrative and commercial center, the town of Gulu.-Location:...
chairman Norbert Mao
Norbert Mao
Norbert Mao is a Ugandan lawyer and politician. He is the current president of the Democratic Party, and the Local Council 5 Chairman for Gulu District.-Background:He was born on March 12, 1967. His father was Acholi and his mother was a Munyankole...
that Otti was alive and had been detained for plotting to kill Kony and "conspiring with the enemies of the LRA". Kony also stated that Otti would not be allowed to speak with anyone until the LRA decided it was appropriate.
The President of Southern Sudan, Salva Kiir Mayardit
Salva Kiir Mayardit
Salva Kiir Mayardit is the first President of the Republic of South Sudan.-Sudanese civil wars:In the late 1960s, Kiir joined the Anyanya in the First Sudanese Civil War. By the time of the 1972 Addis Ababa Agreement, he was a low-ranking officer...
, said on 7 November 2007 that Otti's status remained unclear. The government of Southern Sudan has sent a team to the Congolese border to investigate Otti's fate.
The government newspaper New Vision
New Vision
New Vision is one of two main national newspapers in Uganda.-History:It was established in its current form in 1986 by the Ugandan Government. New Vision is broadly sympathetic to the government of President Yoweri Museveni. It was founded in 1955 as the Uganda Argus, a British colonial government...
reported on 22 November, based on statements from LRA defectors, that Otti had been executed by firing squad, along with "many others", on 2 October. Defectors said that he had asked Kony to allow him to speak to his son before his execution. "To strengthen Kony's spirit", Otti's body was said to not have been buried for three days after his death. Defectors also claimed Otti had been killed because of his enthusiasm for peace, thus questioning Kony's actual commitment to peace negotiations. On 21 December 2007 a diplomatic briefing claimed that Otti was executed on 2 October 2007 at Kony's home. According to this account, when Otti arrived there he found that the home was surrounded by Kony's guards, and before entering he made a phone call to Kony due to his concern about this, but was reassured by Kony. Inside the house, however, LRA commanders held Otti at gunpoint and told him that he was arrested; he was then bound, blindfolded and taken outside, where he was shot, despite his pleas for mercy. Kony subsequently claimed that Otti had received foreign funds and was trying to kill him. On 23 January 2008, Kony confirmed that Otti was dead, but did not offer any details.
External links
- Interview with Vincent Otti, LRA second in command, IRIN, June 2007