The text of the petition quoted below follows the article.
Ochan
Acholi oppose Arrow GroupBy Kennedy Lule
September 16, 2003
PARLIAMENT- Members of Parliament from Acholi are strongly opposed to the creation of a local militia to fight the Joseph Kony insurgency in the north.
About 62 Acholi of the Diaspora, have also signed a petition opposing the creation of a local militia in Acholiland.
In the Teso sub-region, the Arrow Group, is fighting the rebels alongside the
UPDF.
The opposition comes weeks after government ministers, Ruth Nankabirwa (Defence), Betty Akech (Security) and Okello Oryem (Sports) spent time in the north, urging Acholi youth to take up arms against the LRA like the Iteso are doing under the Arrow Group.
The members of the Acholi forum signed the petition last week and e-mailed it to President Yoweri Museveni on September 9. They say creating a local militia would lead to more blood shed in Acholi.
They argued that the Acholis in 1994 created the 'Arrow Brigade', which ended with disastrous consequences.
They said many civilians were killed by the LRA.
The petition is copied to Akech, Nankabirwa, Oryem, Acholi MPs, Acholi religious leaders, Mr Aliro Omara of the Uganda Human Rights Commission, the Human Rights Focus, Gulu branch and Amnesty International among others.
The Presidential Press Secretary, Mary Okurut couldn't confirm yesterday whether Museveni had received the petition.
Nankabirwa said she had not received the petition. She said she was surprised that MPs Prof. Ogenga Latigo (Agago County), Santa Okot (Pader), Odonga Otto (Aruu County) are now opposing the creation of a local militia in Acholi. She said the MPs were supportive of the idea during her mobilisation tours.
"Ogenga has invited me to go to his constituency. We have addressed rallies with Otto and Okot [in their constituencies]. What are they saying now?" Nankabirwa wondered.
Otto, Okot, Ogenga, Mr Reagan Okumu (Aswa) and Mr Mike Ocula (Kilak) said yesterday they are opposed to the Arrow group idea.
Okumu and Okot said they want a law governing local militias in place before they encourage their people to join.
"Our home guards get 40,000/- a month. They do sixty percent of the work...The UPDF soldiers earn 150,000/- a month. Why should our people be a source of cheap reserve labour? " Okumu asked.
Okot said home guards in her constituency are being killed. She said their families are left with no compensation from government because there is no law governing them.
Otto said he wants the youth to join UPDF not Arrow Group. Ocula said he wants peace. He said he cannot urge people to join a local militia. Okumu said government failed to arm the Arrow brigade, which forced them to use arrows, spears and pangas to fight the LRA. He said the rebels came out killing and maiming civilians.
© 2003 The Monitor
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Date: September 9, 2003
From: Concerned Acoli in the Diaspora
To: Mr. Yoweri Moseveni, President of Uganda
Cc: Ms Ruth Nankabirwa, State Minister for Defence ([EMAIL PROTECTED])
Re: Petition Against the Creation of Tribal Militia in Acoli
The war in Acoli and the continuing suffering of the people of the region has gone on for over 17 years. We, the undersigned, who have escaped the experiences of the dire physical deprivations that haunt the residents of Acoli, cannot extricate our souls and minds from the fates of our brethren. We, therefore, watch with great trepidation and concern the unfolding emergence and encouragement of the various tribal militias. While the concept may be tenable in other tribal regions, even as we question the wisdom of it as a public policy, we believe that the idea of an Acoli youth militia fighting the LRA is a recipe for a blood bath that will be a death knell to any semblance of the Acoli as a community. As a military policy, the primitive "Arrow Brigade" tribal militia was first instituted in Acoli sub-region way back in l994; and which ended with disastrous consequences, meted against the innocent majority, non-combatant civilians.
The UPDF has a large and heavily armed presence in Acoliland unlike other regions experimenting with the youth militias. We ask the same question Archbishop Odama, in effect, posed: If the UPDF has not managed to conclude the LRA war in these many years, what skills, different from that employed by the many Acoli in the UPDF, will the Acoli youth militias bring to the table (or rather, to the bush)? It is fashionable at the highest level of government to blame some unnamed politicians and elders for the UPDF's apparent failure. One Colonel Mayombo even extends his reach of blame to some NGO, Costa Rica and Surinam. We don't believe in these tactical blames. Rather than issuing bellicose statements which only fans militaristic atmosphere, high-level government officials, including the President, could tone down their macho rhetoric to help prepare the ground for comprehensive dialogue for peace and reconciliation.
The LRA war had its origin in the atrocities that were meted on the Acoli people by the winning NRA against the Acoli dominated military of previous governments. A great warrior wins and accords the loser respect because he knows the futility of war, which is often his last resort. By the same token, a great warrior is not measured by mere bravado--if he can't deliver, he should be man enough to admit his human limitations. To continue waging war as an ego trip at the cost of thousands of lives reduces him to a common malevolent murderer.
Mr President you pride yourself as a warrior whose use of violence as a means of settling discords is common knowledge in your deeds and your own writings. This attribute has served you well and many are thankful to you. You have also adeptly cultivated a measure of international respectability. However, in the land of the Acoli thousands have died in your 17-year rule. Thousands live in miserable camps. Many Acoli have not experienced your economic miracle. To paraphrase Rev. Martin Luther King, Jr. in his famous address forty years ago: The promissory note of "fundamental change" has been a bicupuli to the Acoli people. We, therefore, call upon you, Mr. President, that enough is enough. It is time to make a bold decision, like a true warrior, for a genuine negotiated settlement with the LRA.
Signed on behalf of more to come:
1. Wilobotek, USA
2. James Ochaka, Canada
3. Okot Ochen A. Amuka, Canada
4. Morris Komakech D.C, Canada
5. Walter Ogwal, Nile Heritage Foundation, Inc., USA
6. Azania Heritage International, USA
7. Ochan Otim, USA
8. Komakec Norbert Obonyo, UK
9. Charlie Lakony, USA
10. Moses Ochola, USA
11. Teresa Alal Marino, USA
12. I-Ru Otim, Taiwan, R.O.C.
13. Steven Oloya, USA
14. Usher Oloya, USA
15. George Ochaka, USA
16. Alice Oloya, USA
17. Tony Oloya, USA
18. David Ochan, London, UK
19. Peter Nono, UK
20. Linda Ocen-Odoge, USA
21. Cannon p'Lapit, USA
22. Patrick Otim, USA
23. ZOO Abukha, Germany
24. Okot Nyormoi, USA
25. Menya Kilat, USA
26. Grace Acayo, Australia
27. Charles Olak, UK
28. Albert Otii, USA
29. Marcellina Otii, USA
30. Marley Okello UK
31. Samali Amwony, Canada
32. Wodkoch Kurabal Temajo Abe, USA
33. Ayila-kwac, Canada
34. Otim Oloya, USA
35. Morris Otim, Canberra, Australia
36. Caesar Nyeko Poblicks, UK
37. Opira Otto, Sweden
38. Max Opong
39. Alex Awiny Abukha, Germany
40. Milan Okumu, Germany
41. Naomi Acan, Germany
42. Natalie Yeresi Angee, Germany
43. Julius Oloya Oneka, Germany
44. Ocala pLapit, USA
45. Stephen Ochaya, Sweden
46. Denis Aliker, USA
47. Towny James, UK
48. WodOkello Lawoko, Sweden
49. Julius Ocen-Odoge, USA
50. Santonino K. Banya, USA
51. Ocii Okello, Lamogi Rebellion (1911 - 1912) Memorial Foundation, Canada
52. Wider Consultation on Uganda, London, UK
53. Wayne William, London, UK
54. Innocent Orena, London, UK
55. Ayan Mohammed, London, UK
56. Pawell O., G.B
57. Obenolacek, USA
58. Jenifer Frank, UK
59. Charles Kagwa, Sweden
60. Eufenia Kagwa, Sweden
61. George Ogindo, Sweden
62. Albert Mawa, Sweden
