Activists want tough penalties for acid attacks Activists have asked government to establish special machinery to handle cases in connection with acid attack to enable survivors access justice. Under their umbrella body, the Acid survivors’ Foundation Uganda (ASFU), the activists demanded government to issue stringent measures to ensure close and effective monitoring of transportation, distribution and sale of acid. “We commend government for the laws in place. But many cases against perpetrators have been dismissed from courts of law because survivors take long times in hospitals to recover from the burns. In this we demand for special police and courts with officers who will be equipped to handle these cases,” said ASFU programme manager Hilda Wanaha Birungi. The remarks follow the admission of two mothers at Mulago hospital two weeks ago after they were allegedly attacked and burnt with acid from various places. Flanked by acid survivors, Ms Birungi explained that there is need for joint effort to curb the increasing cases of acid attack through measures that deter people of ill-intention from using it as a weapon against the unsuspecting members of the public. Severe punishments According to Ms Hanifa Nakawooya, a survivor, there is need for stringent penalties against culprits who are convicted of the offences. “The challenge is that acid violence is a criminal offence punishable under the law but while the police prefers attempted murder for satisfaction and deterring others, it is a harder crime to prove as compared to causing grievous harm,” Ms Nakawooya said. “Community members have continued to stigmatise survivors of acid violence because of the altered physical appearance. Employers are further not willing to employ them and this poses a a very big challenge in the rehabilitation process,” she lamented. Statistics show that acid attack cases constitute 57 per cent on females and 43 per cent males.
Posted on: Tue, 03 Sep 2013 09:15:38 +0000
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