Women tired of life as widows
By Abraham Odeke
LIRA - The more than 40,000 internally displaced people in overcrowded camps in the northern Uganda town of Lira are facing acute food shortages and lack of proper medication.The authorities in Lira district say they cannot meet on their own the challenges posed by the displaced, who have doubled the population of the town from 50,000 to 100,000.
Displaced people ran to the safety of Lira three months ago when they were attacked by Joseph Kony's brutal Lord's Resistance Army (LRA) rebels, who infiltrated counties in the nearby Apac and Pader districts.
The mayor of Lira, Peter Owiny, told me that the municipal and district authorities have tightened the security around camps used by the displaced people.
This follows a recent infiltration of Lira suburbs by the LRA rebels who were repulsed by government troops.
The LRA has stepped up its attacks recently in its 16-year war. It says it is seeking to rule Uganda according to the Biblical Ten Commandments.
Food badly needed
"We have tried our best to solicit the assistance of non-governmental organizations, but they have been overwhelmed by the number of displaced people which is swelling by the day," Mr Owiny said.
"What is urgently needed is food, medicine, blankets, and tents. The children badly require milk and sugar."
Some of the densely populated camps are in the Lira Cultural Centre, the railway station, and Lira Starch factory.
When you approach any of the main gates to the 12 camps housing the displaced people on the outskirts of Lira town, you�re confronted with an army of desperate children who mistake every visitor for a donor bringing milk or other badly-needed food.
Sick children
But they draw back their hands in disappointment when they see some visitors, like myself, fish out useless machines like bulky microphones and cameras from bags.
Most of the children have been struck by kwashiorkor, a disease caused by essential nutritional deficiency.
They have big tummies, bone heads, stic k-like legs and flattened buttocks.
The sound of dry coughing and nose-blowing is common in the camps.
Mothers say that since they fled the LRA atrocities three months ago their children have not had milk, tea, or fruit.
A man in his late sixties, Yovention, says that although he is starving and sickly, he is lucky to have survived the LRA's brutal attack on his village of Omot in Pader District.
"I lost my two brothers when the LRA raided our village and forced 52 people into a big grass thatched house and burnt them alive," he said.
"I do not know in which direction my wife ran because she has not been able to join us in this camp."
No blankets
When I inspected the inside of the camps, I did not see a single blanket, or mattress.
Some of the displaced people had spread spear grass on the cold ground to sleep on.
In nearly all the camps, women, men and children competed for the same sleeping space.
The haphazard sleeping arrangements are a big inconvenience to the women who told me that some of the men who share the bare floor with them are lustful and "disturb" them throughout the night.
Margaret, a retired teacher staying in the Lira Starch factory camps, expressed her frustration
"I curse whoever is prolonging the war in this part of Uganda," she said.
"Men should learn to negotiate peace, because we the women are tired of being widows when the men die from useless wars."
"We pray that peace will return to northern Uganda soon." � BBC
Do you Yahoo!?
U2 on LAUNCH - Exclusive medley & videos from Greatest Hits CD
