Vincent Otti (''c''. 1946 – 2 October 2007) was a Ugandan rebel who served as deputy-leader of the
Lord's Resistance Army
The Lord's Resistance Army (LRA), also known as the Lord's Resistance Movement, is a rebel group and heterodox Christian group which operates in northern Uganda, South Sudan, the Central African Republic, and the Democratic Republic of the Co ...
(LRA), a rebel
guerrilla army operating mainly in northern
Uganda
}), is a landlocked country in East Africa
East Africa, Eastern Africa, or East of Africa, is the eastern subregion of the African continent. In the United Nations Statistics Division scheme of geographic regions, 10-11-(16*) territor ...
and
southern Sudan
South Sudan (; din, Paguot Thudän), officially the Republic of South Sudan ( din, Paankɔc Cuëny Thudän), is a landlocked country in East Africa. It is bordered by Ethiopia, Sudan, Central African Republic, Democratic Republic of the Con ...
. He was one of the five persons for whom the
International Criminal Court
The International Criminal Court (ICC or ICCt) is an intergovernmental organization and international tribunal seated in The Hague, Netherlands. It is the first and only permanent international court with jurisdiction to prosecute individuals ...
(ICC) issued its first
arrest warrant
An arrest warrant is a warrant issued by a judge or magistrate on behalf of the state, which authorizes the arrest and detention of an individual, or the search and seizure of an individual's property.
Canada
Arrest warrants are issued by a j ...
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
Atiak
Atiak is a town in the Northern Region of Uganda on the Gulu-Nimule Road, the primary trade route between Uganda and South Sudan.
Location
Atiak is in Kilak County the Amuru District. It is approximately , by road, north of Gulu, the largest cit ...
sub-county of
Gulu District
Gulu is a City in the Northern Region of Uganda. The regional headquarters are located in the city of Gulu, which is also the administrative capital of Northern Uganda The city consist of two main divisions... Gulu west and Gulu east.
Locatio ...
,
Uganda
}), is a landlocked country in East Africa
East Africa, Eastern Africa, or East of Africa, is the eastern subregion of the African continent. In the United Nations Statistics Division scheme of geographic regions, 10-11-(16*) territor ...
, and his parents died when he was young.
[Grace Matsiko and Samuel Egadu (10 November 2007). ]
Uganda: Otti's Relatives Plead With Kony Not to Kill Him
. ''The Monitor''. Accessed on 12 November 2007. He was working as a shopkeeper in
Kampala
Kampala (, ) is the capital and largest city of Uganda. The city proper has a population of 1,680,000 and is divided into the five political divisions of Kampala Central Division, Kawempe Division, Makindye Division, Nakawa Division, and Ruba ...
when he joined the Lord's Resistance Army in 1987.
[Noel Mwakugu (7 November 2007). ]
Profile: LRA deputy Vincent Otti
. BBC News. Accessed on 12 November 2007.
Lord's Resistance Army
Vincent Otti joined the Lord's Resistance Army when it was founded in 1987.
[ He rose to the rank of ]Lieutenant General
Lieutenant general (Lt Gen, LTG and similar) is a three-star military rank (NATO code OF-8) 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 ...
and became the LRA's vice-chairman, second in command to Joseph Kony
Joseph Rao Kony (likely born 1961) is a Ugandan militant who founded the Lord's Resistance Army (LRA), a Christian fundamentalist organization, designated as a terrorist group by the United Nations Peacekeepers, the European Union and various ...
.[ He was reportedly a member of the "Control Altar", the core leadership group that devises the LRA's strategy.][
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".][ He is alleged to have led the Barlonyo massacre in February 2004, during which more than 300 villagers were shot, hacked and burned to death.][
During the ]Juba peace talks
Juba () is the capital and largest city of South Sudan. The city is situated on the White Nile and also serves as the capital of the Central Equatoria State. It is the world's newest capital city to be elevated as such, and had a population ...
, which began in July 2006, Otti emerged as the chief spokesperson for the LRA. According to LRA defector Sunday Otto, Otti was also the LRA's leading advocate of joining the peace talks. Otti's push to negotiate an end of the conflict led to tension with Kony and a growing split in the LRA.[
]
Indictment by the ICC
On 8 July 2005, a Pre-Trial Chamber of the International Criminal Court
The International Criminal Court (ICC or ICCt) is an intergovernmental organization and international tribunal seated in The Hague, Netherlands. It is the first and only permanent international court with jurisdiction to prosecute individuals ...
found that there were reasonable grounds to believe that Otti had committed war crimes and crimes against humanity
Crimes against humanity are widespread or systemic acts committed by or on behalf of a ''de facto'' authority, usually a state, that grossly violate human rights. Unlike war crimes, crimes against humanity do not have to take place within the ...
, and issued a sealed warrant for his arrest.[International Criminal Court (5 July 2005). . Accessed on November 8, 2007.][International Criminal Court (14 October 2005). ]
Warrant of Arrest unsealed against five LRA Commanders
. Accessed on November 12, 2007. He was charged with 21 counts of war crimes (including murder
Murder is the unlawful killing of another human without justification (jurisprudence), justification or valid excuse (legal), excuse, especially the unlawful killing of another human with malice aforethought. ("The killing of another person wit ...
, pillaging, inducing rape
Rape is a type of sexual assault usually involving sexual intercourse or other forms of sexual penetration carried out against a person without their consent. The act may be carried out by physical force, coercion, abuse of authority, or ag ...
, 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).[
]
Death
In October 2007, sources in the Ugandan military 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 2 October, along with two other officers, and that Otti was the impetus behind the negotiations for peace,[Frank Nyakairu (11 November 2007). ]
LRA without Otti becomes faceless
. ''The Monitor''. Accessed on 12 November 2007. a view that is supported by the late conservationist Lawrence Anthony
Lawrence Anthony (17 September 1950 – 2 March 2012) was an international conservationist, environmentalist, explorer and bestselling author. He was the long-standing head of conservation at the Thula Thula animal reserve in Zululand, Sout ...
in his book ''The Last Rhinos'' (2012). Anthony writes that a few days before Otti was killed, Anthony had visited Otti in the bush to firm up an agreement that Anthony would help communicate the LRA's case at the 2005 round of peace talks, in exchange for the LRA's protection of endangered rhino species in the Congo. LRA spokesperson Martin Ojul has repeatedly denied that Otti was executed and claimed that Otti was simply suffering from cholera
Cholera is an infection of the small intestine by some strains of the bacterium ''Vibrio cholerae''. Symptoms may range from none, to mild, to severe. The classic symptom is large amounts of watery diarrhea that lasts a few days. Vomiting and ...
.[Alfred Wasike, Dennis Ojwee and Caroline Ayugi (8 November 2007). ]
LRA leader speaks out on deputy Otti
". The ''New Vision
The ''New Vision'' is a Ugandan English-language newspaper published daily in print form and online.
Overview
''New Vision'' is one of two main national English-language newspapers in Uganda, the other being the ''Daily Monitor''. It is publi ...
''. Accessed on 8 November 2007. On 7 November 2007, Kony told Gulu district
Gulu is a City in the Northern Region of Uganda. The regional headquarters are located in the city of Gulu, which is also the administrative capital of Northern Uganda The city consist of two main divisions... Gulu west and Gulu east.
Locatio ...
chairman Norbert Mao
Norbert Mao is a Ugandan political activist and lawyer. He has been president of the Democratic Party since 2010, three time presidential candidate and he served as the Local Council 5 chairman for Gulu District. He is the current minister for J ...
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
South Sudan (; din, Paguot Thudän), officially the Republic of South Sudan ( din, Paankɔc Cuëny Thudän), is a landlocked country in East Africa. It is bordered by Ethiopia, Sudan, Central African Republic, Democratic Republic of the Con ...
, Salva Kiir Mayardit
Salva Kiir Mayardit (born 13 September 1951), also known as Salva Kiir, is a South Sudanese politician who has been the President of South Sudan since its independence on 9 July 2011. Prior to independence, he was the President of the Governmen ...
, 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
The ''New Vision'' is a Ugandan English-language newspaper published daily in print form and online.
Overview
''New Vision'' is one of two main national English-language newspapers in Uganda, the other being the ''Daily Monitor''. It is publi ...
'' 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 raising questions about Kony's commitment to the 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."Kony confirms Otti’s death"
, ''The New Vision'', 23 January 2008
Notes and references
External links
Interview with Vincent Otti, LRA second in command
'' IRIN'', June 2007
Vincent Otti on Interpol`s List of Wanted Persons
{{DEFAULTSORT:Otti, Vincent
Lord's Resistance Army rebels
Fugitives wanted by the International Criminal Court
People indicted for crimes against humanity
People indicted for war crimes
2007 deaths
Year of birth uncertain