The "Arrow Boys" 



Origins

The ‘Arrow Boys’ are a pro-government militia established by the Ugandan Government in 2003 to support the Uganda People’s Defence Force (UPDF) in its efforts to protect communities and internally-displaced persons (IDPs) camps specifically in the Teso region of North Eastern Uganda, primarily against attacks from the Lord’s Resistance Army (LRA) but more recently against armed cattle raids carried out by Karimojong cattle raiders.
The name ‘Arrow Boys’ stems from their reported ability to identify the precise location of the LRA and act as a guide for the UPDF. According to an Arrow Group Commander in Soroti :
“The UPDF had two main shortcomings when it came to Teso. First, they didn’t speak the language, so they weren’t getting precise information. Second, this area has very flat land – there are no physical features to guide you, so they didn’t know the terrain. So it is our mission to plug this gap. We picked young men who had knowledge about warfare, and we use them for intelligence gathering and guidance. This is where the name Arrow comes in – the Arrow flies as if it knows where it’s going. It’s a codename for precision. This was our original mission, to help guide the UPDF.”
The Arrow Boys have generally been quite successful in flushing LRA rebels out of the Teso region (comprising the districts of Kaberamaido, Amuria, Soroti, Katakwi and Kumi) and in preventing further LRA incursions into Eastern Uganda. As a result, they have earned widespread community support. For example, they reportedly killed and captured more than 40 LRA commanders since they were established in 2003.
 

Location / Main area of operation

Though originally established to provide security in the Teso region to counter LRA attacks, the Arrow boys have since been deployed to other districts in and around the Karamoja region, in Moroto, Kitgum and Kotido.


Objectives

The original aim of the Arrow Boys was to provide security for local communities against LRA attacks. However, after successfully preventing further LRA attacks within Teso, as well as, preventing the LRA from expanding their activities further east to Mbale and Tororo, they have been increasingly sought to protect local communities from armed cattle raids carried out by armed Karimojong warriors, who operate in Karamoja but also launch attacks in Katakwi, Soroti, Kumi, Kitgum, Pader and Lira districts.
The Karimojong commonly cross into the Teso region to seek water and land for their cattle, as well as to launch armed raids on local communities, including IDPs camps, in Teso in order to obtain cattle, as well as property and food. These raids often involve the use of small arms, and frequently result in deaths, injuries, rapes, and displacement. For example, in January 2006, the Arrow Boys clashed with Karimojong warriors during an attempted cattle raid which resulted in the death of five Karimojong. This attack prompted the Arrow Boys Coordinator to issue a directive on 7 January 2006 for the Arrow Boys to shoot any Karimojong warriors found grazing their cattle on Teso land.
Thus far, some Arrow Boys have been integrated into the police and the UPDF and are reported to have received training, weapons and an income. Those which became Special Police Constables to monitor the presidential elections will reportedly remain in these posts. In an IRIN news interview with President Museveni, when asked about the future of the Arrow Boys and Amuka Boys once the conflict in Northern Uganda has ended, he replied “We shall recruit some of them into the police and train the others in the polytechnics.”
However, local leaders in Teso are concerned about the recruitment of Arrow Boys into the police and army, fearing that their departure will leave communities vulnerable to attack from the LRA and increasingly, Karimojong warriors.
 

Number of Members


In 2003, the Arrow Boys numbered approximately 11,000 but have reduced in number to roughly 8,000. This number may have been further reduced given that some Arrow Boys are being integrated into the police force and UPDF.

 

Type : National

The Arrow Boys are a pro-government militia. They should not be confused with other pro-government armed groups currently or previously operating in Karamoja, namely the vigilantes, Ant-Stock Theft Units (ASTUs), and Local Defence Units (LDUs), also established by the government to address security concerns.

 

Conflict Status : Active

The Arrow Boys are currently active. While attacks from the LRA have subsided since October 2005 (when the LRA reportedly launched several attacks on civilians, killing and injuring aid workers in the area, and resulting in the temporary suspension of relief work and withdrawl of relief agencies to towns), the region is still plagued by armed violence associated with cattle raids perpetrated by Karimojong warriors.
Desertions have becoming increasingly common among the Arrow Boys. For example, approximately 500 Arrow Boys (out of the roughly 11,000 originally formed in 2003) in 12 battalions in the districts of Amuria, Katakwi, Soroti, and Kaberamaido were reported to have deserted over non-payment of salaries for four months and have allegedly returned to their villages with their arms. Another 150 Arrow Boys in the newly created district of Amuria were reported to have deserted as of March 2006, although Arrow commanders refuted this, claiming that the Arrow Boys has simply returned to their homes to cultivate their fields and would return to resume their duties. Several concerns have been flagged in relation to their establishment such as their future once they are disbanded, whether they will be persuaded to lay down their arms and whether they will be integrated into the UPDF.
Moreover, prior to and during the run-up to the presidential and parliamentary elections in February 2006, selected Arrow Boy members received police training in order to monitor the elections as Special Police Constables and take part in military operations given the lack of sufficient police to guard polling stations. They received some pay and training from the armed forces. For example, some underwent training at Masindi Police School and were used to guard offices, government officials, and to escort election materials. Many speculated that this was part of Government efforts to use the Arrow Boys and other militia groups to intimidate opposition supporters in the run up the elections. “Aside from the fact that the Arrow  Boys have previously been accused of abusive behaviour towards civilians, this is a serious conflict of interest as the Arrow Boys are commanded by a candidate for office, the State Minister for Health, Mike Mukula, [a] member of parliament. ”

 

Structure of the organization

The Arrow Boys consist primarily of men and youth from local communities, often former soldiers and generally aged between 20-45 years. Between 65% and 80% of the Arrow Boys are former members of the army under Obote’s government and many joined on the basis of government promises to equip them with arms, uniforms, food and remuneration.
The Arrow Boys generally move in small groups, similar to the tactics of the LRA, and are willing to pursue them to their hideouts. They have similar battle drills/tactics as the LRA/UPDF, including the tendency to be frugal in their use of ammunition. They have been particularly successful in tracking down the LRA in Teso, as compared to the UPDF, due to their detailed knowledge of the flat terrain, as well as their local language skills and high levels of trust with local communities. According to one Arrow Boys Commander: “Our trick is to track what they do. When they split up into smaller groups to try and lose us, we do the same.”
One key aspect of the relative success and effectiveness of the Arrow Boys has been the strong community support that they receive as well as their efficient intelligence network.
 

Leadership

The Arrow Boys are commanded and controlled by the government through the Uganda People’s Defence Forces (UPDF) .
The commander of the Arrow Boys is Mike Mukula, State Minister for Health and Soroti Municipality MP. He reportedly campaigned with the Arrow Boys in Soroti in the run-up to the Parliamentary elections in February 2006.
Moses (also referred to as Musa) Ecweru is the deputy commander of the Arrow Boys. He is also MP-elect for Amuria County, and is a former member of the Uganda People’s Army (UPA). Complaints have been filed against him for harassment, intimidation, arbitray detention, and murder.
Robert Adiama Ekaju is one of the founders of the Arrow Boys, and served as its top intelligence officer and is now a top district official in Soroti.
Colonel J. Arocha is Commander of the Arrow Boys in Katakwi district .


 

External aid/Third party involvement

As the Arrow Boys are deployed by the UPDF, they are known to work closely with them in tracking down the LRA and sharing intelligence. For example, the UPDF support the Arrow Boys by securing roads, and supplying them with arms and ammunition.

The Arrow Boys also work closely with the UPDF in trying to prevent and deal with armed cattle raiding by Karimojong warriors. For example, in February 2006, the Arrow Boys and the UPDF were involved in fierce clashes with roughly 100 Karimojong in Katakwi which resulted in the death of 10 Karimojong, and the recovery of eight sub-machine guns, 58 head of cattle and three donkeys .

 

External effects of the NSAG's armed activities

No information available on this matter.

Funding

Members of the Arrow Boys reportedly earn 60,000 (Ush) per month although many are not paid on a regular basis. There are concerns that with the poor pay and living conditions of Arrow Boys, many will desert the force, take their arms and use them to engage in banditry and other illegal activities. For example, in March 2004 in Soroti, frequent reports of indiscipline by Arrow Boys were reported. The Soroti resident district commissioner Max Omeda has attributed rising violence and murders committed in the district to the number of unaccounted arms in the hands of Arrow Boys, many of whom have gone a long time without being paid.
The Arrow Boys, unlike other militia, receive overwhelmingly support from local communities, who often provide them with food and other forms of assistance to supplement their often poor or non-existent pay from the Government.
 

Relationship with the international community

Books

  • Balencie, J-M & de la Grange, A. (2005), Les Nouveaux Mondes rebelles (Paris: éditions Michalon).
  • German, Richard & Taylor, Elizabeth (2004), “Uganda," in Szajkowski, Bogdan (ed) Revolutionary and Dissident Movements of the World 492 (London: John Harper Publishing).
     

Articles and Chapters

  • Lamwaka, Caroline, “Civil War and the Peace Process in Uganda 1986-1997," 4 2 East African Journal of Peace and Human Rights (1998), available at link
  • Piquemal, Leslie, “La guerre au nord de l’Ouganda: une ‘solution militaire’ sans issue ?," 1 209 Afrique contemporaine (2004), at 141-161.
  • James Bevan, ‘Fuelling Fear.’ in Small Arms Survey 2006: Unfinished Business (2006) Oxford University Press, available at link
  • Westbrook, David, “The Torment of Northern Uganda: A Legacy of Missed Opportunities", OJPCR: The Online Journal of Peace and Conflict Resolution, Issue 3.2, June 2000. Available at : link
  • Bruce Baker, “Popular Justice and Policing from bush war to democracy: Uganda 1981-2004”, International Journal of the Sociology of Law, n°32, (2004), 333-348, available at: link
  • Rwengabo Sabastiano, “The role of the Electoral Commission in election administration” Monthly Research Report February CMI and Makarere University, (2006), available at: link
  • Ngozi, Beatrice, “The State of Constitutionalism in Uganda.”, Eastern Africa Centre
    for Constitutional Development, (2006) available at :
    link

 

Reports and resolutions of intergovernmental organizations

  • UNDP/EC, Baseline Survey: Analysis of conflict as it relates to the production and marketing of drylands products - The case of Turkana (Kenya) and Karamoja (Uganda) cross-border sites, November 2004.
  • IRIN, Uganda: Some key names, 17 November 2004, available at : link
  • UN OCHA, Humanitarian Update Uganda, March 2004 Volume VI, Issue III, 31 March 2004, available at : link
  • UN OCHA, Report on Teso Region (Soroti, Katakwi and Kaberamaido), Joint Inter-Agency Assessment Mission, from 08-13 November 2004.
  • IRIN, Uganda, Interview with President Yoweri Museveni, 9 June 2005, available at : link
  • UN OCHA, Uganda Humanitarian Situation Report No. 1/06, 1-15 Jan 2006, available at : link=
  • UN OCHA, Uganda Consolidated Appeals Process 2006 Revision, 4 May 2006, available at link
  • International Organisation on Migration, Uganda : Internally Displaced Persons in the 2006 National Elections – Action Plan. May 2005, available at link
  • United Nations Security Council, Document, S/2005/620, 3 October 2005, available at link

 

Governmental reports

  • Gersony, Robert, The Anguish of Northern Uganda, Results of a field-based assessement of the civil conflicts in Northern Uganda, Submitted to: United States Embassy, Kampala USAID Mission, Kampala, August 1997. Available at: link

Reports of think tanks and non-governmental organizations

  • Refugee Law Project, Lomo, Zachary and Lucy Hovil, Behind the Violence: Causes, Consequences and the Search for Solutions to the War in Northern Uganda, Working Paper No.11,February 2004, available at : link
  • Human Rights Watch, In Hope and Fear: Uganda’s Presidential and Parliamentary Polls, February 2006, available at: link
  • Peter Eichstaedt, Ugandan Milita Fights Off LRA, IWPR, No.51, 19 January 2006, available at link
  • SNV & Pax Christi Nederland. 2004. Breaking the Cycle of Violence: Building Local Capacity for Peace and Development in Karamoja, Uganda, A study by Gomes, N. & K. Mkutu. Kampala: SNV
  • Nathalie Gomes, Interregional cattle rustling in Northern Uganda: Triple standards for offence management? French Institute for Research in Africa, 2002. Paper presented at BEEA/IFRA conference “Crimes in Eastern Africa, Past &Present perspectives” Naivasha, Kenya, 09.07.2002.
  • Paul, Diane, Fulfilling the Forgotten Promise: The Protection of Civilians in Northern Uganda, InterAction, January 2006, available at : link.

 

Press Information (in chronological order)

  •  “In come the vigilantes”, African Confidential, 26 September 2003, Vol 44, No.19, link
  •  “Arrow Boys Unruly”, Biryabarema, Elias, The Monitor, 22 December 2003, available at link
  • “Amuka, Arrow Boys to Monitor Polls”, Ariko, Charles, The New Vision, 6 January 2006.
  • “Arrow Boys to Remain Reserve Force Under Army”, Odomel, James, The New Vision, 4 June, available at link.
  • “Arrow Boys Families’ Rewarded”, Omoding, John, The New Vision, 16 February 2006.
  • “Slow disarmament exercise dismays Teso camp residents”, The Monitor, 24 October 2006, available at link
  •  “Girls wielding guns against LRA rebels”, The New Vision, 11 May 2004, available at: link
  • “Omeda decries murders”, The New Vision, 6 July 2006.
  • “Arrow Boys a thorn in LRA's side”, Tim Cocks , Mail and Guardian (South Africa), 11 Oct 2003.
  • “UPDF, Arrow boys kill 10 Karimojong cattle raiders in Katakwi”, The New Vision, 22 February 2006
     

Interviews

Internet resources

Statements of the armed group

Agreements involving armed groups