The scene of the deadly 1995 massacre in Atiak, Amuru district, has been turned into a tourist destination.
Local tours and travel firms in Gulu are cashing in on the tragic massacre scene by marketing it as a tourist destination for both local and international visitors.
On April 4, 1995 the Lord’s Resistance Army rebels reportedly rounded up hundreds of civilians from whom young boys and girls were picked. The boys were to be conscripted into the rebel ranks while the girls were to serve as sex slaves. An estimated 300 people who were not selected were then killed in cold blood allegedly to teach the Acholi a lesson for not supporting the rebellion.
Seventeen years later, however, tourists are being charged 100 dollars to visit Atiak massacre site.
Prossie Kakanyero, the Sales Executive of Nerc Tours and Travels in Gulu, says they have since the beginning of the year marketed the Atiak massacre scene as a tourist destination. She explains that tourists are charged for a guided tour to the area.
She explains that the purpose is to enable first time visitors to Northern Uganda have first-hand information of what people went through. She says the visitors are basically taken to the scene of the massacre where they interact with the survivors to get the picture of what happened on that in April 1995. Atiak is located 89.6km north of Gulu on the Gulu-Nimule road.
She, however, does not explain how the locals in the area can benefit from the initiative. Both the politicians and the cultural leaders in the area are not aware of the area being a tourist attraction.
Kenneth Oketta, the Prime Minister of Acholi Chiefdom, says foreign visitors have of late been frequenting the site of the massacre but he does not know what they are up to. Oketta suspects that they could be people who are interested in researching on the conflict. He however says the cultural institution is yet to benefit from those who visit the area.
John Bosco Ochan, the LC3 Chairman for Atiak says the Sub County is not benefiting from the proceeds collected from foreign visitors who frequent the place. He says he has been seeing foreigners who visit the place but he did not know that they were being charged.
