Uganda: Two Ugandan guards abducted in Iraq

(SomaliNet) Sources in Iraq informed Daily Monitor on Monday that the killing of an Iraqi civilian by a Ugandan guard two weeks ago may have caused the abduction of two of his colleagues.

Mr Gilbert Okumu and one Godfrey Nabuyaka reportedly went missing from their station at Summerall, an American military base located north of the capital Baghdad.

The disappearance of the guards was only a “rumour” but confirmed that the shooting of an Iraqi civilian had created some “confusion” with the local population, the locally registered private security company, Dreshak, which deployed the two as non-combat guards at the base, said.

“I checked with the base. Everything is okay,” said Mr Alok Dheer, the local representative of Dreshak by telephone from Nairobi, Kenya. Authorities at the US base are yet to comment on the matter.

However, US authorities including Dreshak’s client in Iraq were reluctant to comment on tensions two weeks ago when Mr Kato Nsubuga, the Ugandan guard shot and killed an Iraqi civilian.

It is the first time that a Ugandan has killed an Iraqi since the country started allowing private security firms to send guards to Iraq.

According to Mr Dheer, the incident happened when Mr Nsubuga, on orders of a US soldier, opened fire on “armed insurgents attempting to force their way into the base.”

“It’s the first time for our company. After deploying 3,000 guards since three years ago, this is the only time that a Ugandan is firing at an Iraqi,” said Mr Dheer who added that Mr Nsubuga was being treated as a hero. “It was self-defence,” Mr Dheer added.

However, other Ugandan guards who contacted Daily Monitor said Mr Nsubuga was ordered to fire in the air to scare the Iraqi civilians wandering near the base.

Mr Dheer says Mr Nsubuga was held for eight hours but released after investigations revealed he had acted on the orders of his American superior.

“Whatever action he took was authorised,” Mr Dheer said adding that Mr Nsubuga was subject to US law covering the American occupation of Iraq and would therefore not face charges relating to murder or manslaughter under the domestic law there.

This is a gray area of the international law itself.

Following the killing of 16 civilians by private security guards belonging to Blackwater, another US company, a controversy arose as to which laws would prevail.

At the time of the incident it was not clear if Iraqi law or US law would apply. Since then the American lawmakers have said such incidents are prosecutable under US law.

However, it appears even murkier under what law Mr Nsubuga’s action would fall since he is what is referred to as a Third Country national or a US nor Iraqi citizen hired by sub-contract.-Daily Monitor