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The Monitor (Kampala)August 16, 2003
Posted to the web August 16, 2003 Daniel K. Kalinaki & Elizabeth Agiro
Kampala From the face of it, the Arrow Group Brigade is the best thing in the war against Joseph Kony since lead bullets.With the rebels of the Lord's Resistance Army spreading southwards into Teso region, locals mobilise themselves to stand up and defend their families, property and pride.
Officials of the defunct rebel group, the Uganda People's Defence Army, which once operated in the area, are called out of retirement to guide the gallant local youths in defence of their motherland.Pretty nationalistic stuff, but are the youths in Arrow Group marked targets, human sheep headed for the slaughter?
Bishop John Baptist Odama seems to think so and says the members of the group are on a suicidal mission impossible, which should be stopped."God does not even advocate for suicides," says Bishop Odama.
The man of God says the boys in the Arrow group can not perform miracles where the army has had shortcomings."If huge guns like RPGs [rocket propelled grenades] have failed to contain this war, how can you make it with Arrow Group?" the Bishop is quoted as having said, before he recommended for their disbanding.However, local officials from Teso say that the Arrow Group will hit the bull's eye and politely suggest that Odama gives to God what they boys are trying to give to Caesar.The Minister of State for Health, Mr Mike Mukula, is the MP for Soroti Municipality and a strong defender of the Arrow Group.
And he has a few words of advice for the man of God."I don't think Odama has ever held a gun as a churchman. So let him just concentrate on the church issues," says Mukula, an aviation captain who must know a thing or two about guns, after turning up at parliament in military fatigues and spotting a holstered pistol."I would like to pray for him and ask other church leaders to do the same."We have lost only three boys so far compared to the LRA who have lost uncountable rebels due to suicides committed," says Mukula.
The MP says the boys in the Arrow Group have rescued over 500 children abducted by the LRA rebels."We are prepared to die for the sake of the country's peace and stability and protect the dignity and lives of our people."We are not going to be deterred."I am prepared to go to Gulu to show Odama our mission. I will even show him pictures of the atrocities being committed in the north. I think I will probably educate him and show him a road map of the area".
The Resident District Commissioner Soroti, Mr Edward Masiga says the Arrow Group boys are more dangerous than they sound."Arrow is just a code name. Let it be understood that they do not use arrows to fight the rebels," says Masiga."They are mobilised from the army and made to join the village community. When rebels attack, they take up arms and protect their community."Let there be no impression that we are arming amateurs. They are as efficient as soldiers".
"The lie can be maintained only for such time as the State can shield the people from the political, economic and/or military consequences of the lie. It thus becomes vitally important for the State to use all of its powers to repress dissent, for the truth is the mortal enemy of the lie, and thus by extension, the truth becomes the greatest enemy of the state."
- Dr. Joseph M. Goebbels - Hitler's propaganda minister
