Abductions by Joseph Kony’s rebel army have contributed to thousands of missing children throughout East and central Africa. This is a story of one still missing.
Okera Richard’s older brother, Ocitti Geoffrey, was abducted by the Lord’s Resistance Army (LRA) in 1991. Geoffrey was 17 years old then.
“He had left home with one of our cousins to Kitgum town. We waited for them and when they never returned, we feared for the worst,” Richard said.
His family later learned that they were abducted that evening while returning home. The LRA took them and their bicycles, and Richard has never set eyes on them since.
“We grieved because the LRA were so brutal. We prayed for their lives to be spared so they can come back home one time.”
He said that it has been awhile since they heard any news of Geoffrey, but they did learn that their cousin had been killed in battle.
“Before the LRA left Uganda, most families would ask returnees whether their loved ones are still alive or not, but ever since the LRA left Uganda, not so many have returned in the recent past.”
Richard said that they have kept his brother’s memory alive through photos in the family album.
“My mother keeps the album, it is so important to her that she didn’t allow me to come with it here,” he said. He held up a single photo, staring at it fixedly. “I have his passport photo that he took when he was still in primary school.”
Richard says that Geoffrey was a joyful boy who loved music – especially South African music – and always knew the latest hits and artists.
Richard had only one phrase for his brother: “Come home.”
Think people should hear about this?