Ugandans are told of Irish concerns over executions

UGANDA: The Government's concern over the murder of Father Declan O'Toole in Uganda, and the subsequent execution of his killers, was conveyed to the Ugandan authorities for the second day running yesterday.

The Irish Ambassador, Mr Mairtin O'Fannin, returned to the Ugandan foreign ministry in Kampala yesterday morning, only hours after he pleaded on Monday evening for a more transparent trial for the two soldiers accused of killing Father O'Toole.

It is now understood that as the Ambassador left the ministry on Monday, he had not been told that the two soldiers, Corporal James Omediyo and Private Abdullah Mohammed, had already been executed.

One of the executions took place in the town of Kitido, about 400 km from Kampala, the other in the town of Moroto, about 60 km away. Both men had been tied to trees in public and shot.

However, an army spokesman, Maj Shaban Bantariza, said there had been no need to delay the soldiers' execution because the incident was a clear case of violent robbery and, in any case, the field court martial has no appeal process.

The incident has prompted the Irish aid agency GOAL to call on the Irish Government to withdraw the Ambassador from Uganda as a matter of urgency and cease all official involvement with what the organisation claims is "one of the most repressive regimes in Africa".

In a statement, Mr John O'Shea, GOAL's chief executive, said: "The fact that these men were taken out and put up against a tree and shot dead stinks."

He repeated his call to the Taoiseach to cease all Government aid to Uganda, adding that the aid was "legitimising murder and grand larceny". Irish Government aid to Uganda is expected to amount to €35 million this year.

The family of Father O'Toole, who lived near Headford, Co Galway, has expressed concern about the speed of the military trial in Uganda following his death, and the immediate execution of the two men.

The murdered priest's sister, Ms Ita O'Toole, said yesterday: "Nothing is going to bring Declan back. Executing two people like this proves nothing."

A spokesman for the Mill Hill missionaries, Father Cornelius Skilders, also expressed concern about the speed of the executions, speaking to Galway Bay FM from Kampala yesterday.

However, the Mill Hill missionaries, to whom Father O'Toole was attached, have said that ending aid to Uganda would be damaging to the Ugandan people who Father O'Toole had sought to help.

Father O'Toole, who was 31, was shot dead on Thursday as he was returning from peace talks involving government forces and rebels in northern Uganda. His body is expected to arrive in Dublin at about 4.30 p.m. today.

Requiem Mass at Headford is scheduled for 9 p.m. tonight.

The funeral will take place in Claran, Headford, tomorrow at midday.