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1.0 SCOPE OF THE PRESENTATION

~ Over view of the human sacrifice situation in the country~ The current state of child sacrifice in the country~ Causes and contributing factors to human sacrifice in Uganda~ Action taken by Police~ Challenges / Observations / Way forward

2.0 OVERVIEW OF HUMA.N SACRIFICE IN THE COU"NTRY

It is common belief among many communities of Uganda that shedding of blood of. ).' some kind. is necessary to celebrate success or to chase away evil spirits or to

protect some one from misfortunes. In most communities such sacrifices are madein form of slaughtering chicken, goats or even cows. It is a common practice insome communities that when one buys a new vehicle or when a foundation for abrick house is made, some anirnal is slaughtered and blood sprinkled around.

This' shows that the idea of sacrifice has lived amongst the Ugandan communitiesfor generations. The biggest concern is that it has now gone to the level ofsacrificing human beings.

According to Police records, 03 homicide cases of suspected human sacrifice wererecorded in 2007, while 25 were record{(dduring the year 2008 and nlost of thedead were children. Since the beginning of this year (2009) to date, a total number24 adults and Juveniles have been kHled under circumstances suspeeted to belinked to human sacrifice.

3.0 THE CURRENT STATE OF CHILD SACRIFICE IN THECOUNTRY

Since the beginning of this year tQdate, there have been a total of 13 children deadunder circumstances suspect~d to be linked to human sacrifice. It is possible thatsome of the incidents could have been ordinary homicides but which could havebeen disguised to look like ritual murders.

The scare of human sacrifice has led to some fears amongst the general public inthe country and any least suspicions of missing persons have been reported toPolice. Since the beginning of this year, a total of 862 children have been reportedto have gone missing and thus suspected to be possible victims of human sacrifice.However, 739 of them have been traced and confirmed alive and safe and effort areon to establish the fate of the remaining 123.

According to explanations by those who have been traced, among the reasons fortheir missing are:- delay to go back home after school, going for visits, gettingadmitted in hospitals or changing employnlents without informing others, loosingway back home from school, and elopement of some young girls with men. Basedon these examples, it is highly hoped that most of those whose fate has not beenestablished yet, are alive and safe. It is also possible that some persons were tracedbut Police has not been notified yet.

3.1 Statistical Summary Information at a Glance for .Jan- 31st Oct' 09

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3.2 Trend of Suspected RituallVlurders per Month and District.~andArrests l\1ade ; Taken to ,Court

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Total of Reported suspected-Ritperson;Missin2 Persons murders

Adults Juveniles Adults Juveniles' Adult!.

253 862 11 13 167..

raced Persons fate yet Suspe'cts Suspects.unknown arrested taken to

courtluvenUes Adults Juveniles739 78 131 111 44--

-- --c-- - ..Sino Month Murders District Arrests Made

Adults Children. Total Court-- --- f--.01 Jan 01 mla Kampala (0 1) 06 0302 Feb 03 m/a 0211} Kampala (03), Mityana,(OI), 27 11

01 f/a 01 m(j Kamuli(Ol), Soroti(Ol),- Ntungamo(OI), Bushenyi (01)

03 Mar 0 I f/a 01mlj, Pader(OI), Kaliro(OI), 18 0701m1a 01 it Kiboga(Ol) Rhkungiri (01)- .r!1_-

04 April - 01'!!2 Gulu(Ol) 04 03----- -05 May - 01 m/; Jinja(OI) 06 0506 June 01m1a -

JiI\ia(Op, Mbale (01) 10 0301f/a -'-'-

07 July - J!}m/; Mukono(O 1) & Ovam (01) 11 04--08 Aug Olmla 01mlj Jinja (01), Kitgum(Ol), 06 02

Olfli Apac(Ol) -09 Sept 01mlj 0Iji] Mpigi(OI), Mityana(OI), 19 06

0Ir/; Ibanda(O1)10 Oct. - -

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Total - 11, '. L3 111 44

4.0 CAUSES AND CONTRIBUTING FACTORS T() THECRIME OF HUMAN SACRIFICE IN: UGANDA. Existence.of people who believe in witchcraft and dem.onic p.owers f.or

wealth, enlpl.oytnents and g.o.odhealth.. Existence.of traditi.onal healers and herbalists wh.o pr.ofess t.o be having

such witchcraft and dem.onic p.owers that can give g.o.od luck, chase evilspirits and cure any diseases

. Existence .offake traditi.onal healers and herbalists wh.o ext.ort ex.orbitant

am.ounts .of m.oney fr.om some people and end up demanding f.or the parts.of human b.odies t.o scare .off their victiIns.

. Laxity.on the side .of some individuals and th.ose entrusted with takingcare .of the children, thus making them easy preys t.o the criminal mindedpers.ons.

. General deteri.oration in m.orals and respect f.or humanity whi;ch temptss.ome pe.ople t.o develop evil ideas .of selling their children .or relatives t.owh.o ever can get them some m.oney.

5.0 ACTION TAKEN BY POLICE

5.1 Formation of Anti Human Sacrifice & Trafficking Task ]?orce

Ar.ound mid January 2009, the Inspect.or General .of P.olice, Maj. Gen KaleKayihura instituted the Anti Human Sacrifice & Trafficking Task F.orceunder thec.ommand .of ACP BINOGA MOSES. The Task F.orc'~has. membership fr.omPolice, ISO, Immigrati.on, Ministries .ofEducati.onand Culture. .

Am.ong the functi.ons of the Task Fotce is t.o direct, .oversee hnd c.o.ordinatetheinvestigati.ons, intdligence c.ollecti.orl:;.liaison and m.obilization .of the generalpublic against the crime .ofhuman sacrifice.

A c.o.ordinatingdesk has been established at CID headquarters with a t.oll free lineno 0800199499. Link c.ontact desks have been established at all P.olice Districtsand Divisi.onal headquarters under the respective Crime Intelligence .offict~rs.

The District Security C.ommittees all over the c.ountry have been advised t.o f.ormsimilar task teams at all the district under the respective District P.oliceC.ommanders, t.o enhance the fight against hUlnan sacr!fice and a numbe:r .of themhave already c.omplied.

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5.2 Enhancement of Public SensitizationA nationwide public sensitization has been enlbarked on by the p'olice to enhancepublic consciousness against the crime of hunlan sacrifice, through various ways,including the media.

5.3 Enhancement of Police Investigations and Intelligence CollectionInvestigations and intelligence collection on the crime of human sacrifice has beenenhanced all over the country. ,Many reports of suspicious characters have beenreceived and investigated. Some individuals have been put under watch by thesecurity agencies on suspicions of involv~ment in human sacrifice.

5.4 Arrest of SuspectsSince the beginning of this year, a total of 111 suspects have been arrested inconnection with suspected human sacrifice offences out of which 42 have beenproduced in court, charged with cases of murder, abductions, kidnaps, sellingchildren and practicing witchcraft respectively.

5.5 l\1obilization of Traditional Herbalists and HealersUsing the existing leadership of the various groups of traditional healers andherbalists in the C()untry, the Police have established a link with tradition.al healersand herbalists as a way of sensitizing them against criminal acts and to be able toeasily identify those who practice any criminal acts, including human sacrifice.

,~~6 ," Teaming Up )Vith Some NGOs to Fight the Crime ,

The Police have very oft~ri,worked hand in hand with willing partners ]likeNGOsand individuals who have offered various fOlms of assistanc~ to supplement thefacilitation of Police investigations and protection of victims (witnesses). At thisjuncture I wish to register our sincere appreciation to some NGOs like ANPPCAN- Kampala and FEPAD - Lira for their continued support to the Police in the fightagainst this vice.

5.7 Training Assistance and Provision of Equip~ent by the AmericanGovernment.

Weare grateful to the United States Government for the sponsorship of training ofover 2000 Police personnel as first responders in the investigations of humantrafficking and the provision of some computers, cameras, binoculars andvideo/voice recorders.

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6.0 CHALLENGES I OBSERVATIONS / WAY FORW AJID

. It is sOlnetimes not easy to differentiate certain genuine cultural practicesfrom the criminal or fake ones until it results into death or silckness orloss of money.

. The biggest challenge is that belief in demonic or witchcraft plOwersis apsychological disorientation which is not so easy to detect and eliminate.

. Despite the above mentioned, the Uganda Police has taken the threat ofhuman sacrifice with a lot of concern and have put in place somemechanism to contain the situation.

. The crime of human sacrifice can be mitigated through a number of wayswhich include deliberate actions by not only the Police or other relevantGovernment organs but also by the individuals and the entire community.

. The Police shall continue with the intensified investigations andintelligence mobilization coupled with public sensitization against thecnme.

. The Task Force has been advocating for a Government to put in place aspecific law or Policy which regulates the operations of traditionalhealers and herbalists in the country. We hope this shall go a long way tohelp the Police and the communities to easily identify criminal traditionalhealers and herbalists.

. Meanwhile, we wish to call upon all melnbers of the public bothindividually and collectively to be security conscious all the time withthemselves and the children they are entrusted to take care of; to reportsuspicious persons to police for hnmediate follow up; to provide thePolice with any known information related to human sacrifice incident,and most of all to.desist from dernonic and witchcraft acts.

Together,We CanDefeat ThisCrime!ThankYoufor L-istening

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