"Over one million people - half of them children - are now displaced in Uganda as a result of the protracted insurgency of the Lord's Resistance Army (LRA). Since June 2002, fighting has intensified and expanded beyond the traditional areas of conflict in northern Uganda (Gulu, Kitgum and Pader districts) to strike Lira, Apac, Soroti, Katakwi, Kumi and Kotido districts."
Fellow citizens:
Who is really to blame for all this Humanitarian Crisis in Northern and now Eastern Uganda. I say we should blame the NRM military dictatorship.
Why? Because as the "Government" in charge right now in Kampala has it within it's capability to resolve the conflict in northern Uganda peacefully ..but it has so far refused to do so.
But then over the years, the NRM military dictatorship in Kampala has insisted that it can only resolve the conflict in northern Uganda by MILITARY MEANS.
Indeed, the NRM came up with numerous military operations (the Latest being Operation Iron Fist) to finally
defeat the so called Kony Rebels and bring peace to northern Uganda.
Instead of defeating the so called rebels, the LRA seems to have gained even more strength; ... so much so that they are now striking areas in Eastern Uganda ( Katakwi, Soroti, Kumi e.t.c)
..and when the UPDF/ NRM is confronted by the people of Uganda and members of the International Community with the charge that the Regime in Kampala is incapable of military solving the conflict in northern Uganda, the NRM flatly rejects such charges.
Instead, the NRM always wants to portray the impression that the fight in Northern Uganda is going well.... and that the UPDF is wining the fight and yet thousands ( including UPDf troops) are dying because of this Yoweri Museveni promoted war.
Accordingly, the NRM convinces US President George Bush to offer the NRM military dictatorship even more military AID, ( we are told that the regime in Kampala need more funds to I hear fight Terrorism) .
Meanwhile, Yoweri Museveni uses the US AID money from President George Bush to buy more Helicopter gunship, tanks, Bazzookas..mambas e.t.c
And guess what ... these weapons acquire with US funding are not used to fight the so called ever Illusive Kony rebels. They are, instead use to shoot and kill civilians in Northern and Eastern Uganda.
Because of the fighting in Northern Uganda (and now eastern Uganda) the situation is now more deplorable then ever with rampant human suffering (hunger, death from curable disease, no clean water, no schooling, ) bordering towards a humanitarian crisis. This according to the report below.
This writer suggests the people of Northern and Eastern Uganda should directly hold the US Administration in Washington directly responsible for their suffering. After all it is the US giving funds to finace Museveni wars.
As sign of resentment of this US policy, the people of Northern Uganda pick a day and burn a sizable amount of US donated Maize flour on that day.. and make sure you call the press to watch. ( you know the one maked with AID from the USA)
Matek
Matek
bring the war in northern Uganda
World Food Programme (Rome)
PRESS RELEASE
July 29, 2003
Posted to the web July 29, 2003
Nairobi
Amidst reports of continuing attacks against civilians in Northern and Eastern Uganda, the United Nations World Food Programme (WFP) warned today that the region is facing the worst humanitarian crisis in years.
Over one million people - half of them children - are now displaced in Uganda as a result of the protracted insurgency of the Lord's Resistance Army (LRA). Since June 2002, fighting has intensified and expanded beyond the traditional areas of conflict in northern Uganda (Gulu, Kitgum and Pader districts) to strike Lira, Apac, Soroti, Katakwi, Kumi and Kotido districts.
WFP today appealed for US$ 54 million to provide life-saving food aid to more than 1.6 million people, including internally displaced (820,000), drought victims (655,000) and refugees (147,000). Some 100,000 tonnes of food are urgently required to feed these populations from August 2003 to March 2004.
"Food aid needs have increased tremendously. WFP hopes to feed more that 820,000 displaced people, compared to 520,000 at the same time last year," said WFP's Deputy Country Director for Uganda, Edward Kallon. "Malnutrition rates are also shockingly high, reaching 31.6 percent among children under five in Anaka camp, in Gulu District."
Increasing insecurity and the consequent disruption of economic activities have severely hampered people's capacity to produce or buy food. Displaced populations are now almost totally dependent on humanitarian assistance for survival. WFP's ability to deliver food aid is also affected by the prevailing violence, as major roads outside Gulu, Kitgum and Pader municipalities remain highly insecure and inaccessible without military escort.
The abduction of children by the LRA is on the rise, especially in Gulu district. From June 2002 to June 2003, 8,400 children were abducted by the LRA rebels compared to 100 during the same period in the previous year.
Fear of LRA abductions, killings and looting are also affecting land preparation and cultivation throughout northern Uganda.
This is the second planting season to be seriously disrupted by fighting. Malnutrition rates are already well above the level considered indicative of a nutritional crisis, with global acute malnutrition among children below five varying between 18.1 percent in Pabbo camp and 31.6 percent in Anaka camp in Gulu District. In the drought affected areas, in Karamoja region, malnutrition rates are equally worrying from 16.7 percent in Moroto to 26.9 percent in Kotido.
"We are urging donors to pledge contributions urgently and prevent further hunger and malnutrition," said Kallon. "We will run out of food by September unless new donations come forward immediately."
