says ... Peace Talks Won't Work - Rev. Ojwang
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New Vision (Kampala)
INTERVIEW
June 16, 2004
Posted to the web June 16, 2004
Kampala
On May 18, the Anglican Bishop of Kitgum, Rev. Benjamin Ojwang, was abducted by the
Lord's Resistance Army (LRA) rebels. The UPDF soldiers later rescued him. He narrated
his ordeal to Denis Ocwich
How do you feel now?
I am feeling much better, although I still have some pain on the chest, here on the
ribs and the abdomen (he was still using his sceptre to walk).
The rebels tied my hands, kicked me a number of times and forced me to carry a sack of
beans and one of the goats they had looted from my home. The goats were squealing and
the rebels started killing them by breaking the necks.
One of them said I should be given one of the goats to kill, but I declined. They
commander said "This is a Bishop, watch him carefully not to escape." I spent the
night in the bush bare-chested and bare-footed. I prayed a lot and saw the image of
Jesus Christ carrying the cross. I thought I would not come back alive.
So how did you escape?
I thank the UPDF soldiers for rescuing me. We were abducted around 8.00pm, and led to
carry the loots. One of the rebels was holding a rope tied to my waist like a goat.
After midnight when we had moved some distance into the bush, the UPDF soldiers
started shooting. I prayed all the time, asking God to forgive me before I die. That
was a time to reaffirm my faith in God.
We kept running and falling down. Then I heard a cry of death from the man (rebel) who
was pushing me. He was shot from behind and he died as his colleagues ran away. That
was the chance for me to escape. I lay down shivering in the bush until the following
morning when the UPDF soldiers and residents who were combing the area came across me
early in the morning. I was admitted to Kitgum Hospital
After the incident, do you still have the heart to continue with your work?
Now that I am recovering, I will resume my work as long as the God who has saved my
life keeps protecting me. I will not run away from my house. This incident will not
weaken my faith in serving the church. I will die in the service. I thank the rebels
for abducting me. I still love them, but I appeal to them to leave the bush and come
back home.
Is dialogue with the rebels anything we can rely on?
Peace talks with the rebels may not work, because their commanders are not willing. We
the religious leaders are hanging in dilemma. We are all in hearsay because there is
nobody who has yet met Kony.
I am not happy because people are dying and yet others are taking advantage of the
blood of our children. Even some of those in high positions think that if the war is
over, they may not have any position in society. That is why this war cannot stop.
Do we then believe that there are many people in Acholi who still support Kony?
You cannot rule that out. At least there are people who support the rebels, although
many people in Acholi are for peace. There are some people who have relatives in the
bush, so they would certainly want to keep getting loots.
Can the United Nations do anything to help bring peace in northern Uganda?
The UN is a barking dog without teeth. We are still waiting to see if the UN is not a
toothless dog. They should not continue barking like that for long.
Other people believe that if the northerners are united, the conflict can be brought
to an end. What is your view?
It would be good if we the people from the region work as a team. But then, even if we
are united, it is not a sure deal for peace. Nothing can be achieved if we do not
bring the government and Kony on board.
How about recruitment of the local militias to fight the rebels?
I don't support it. The military option will not be the medicine to end the war. We
the Acholi are the ones who first started the idea of 'Arrow militia' as early as 1991
and we saw what happened (massacres) in places like Padibe and Pabbo; Kony said, 'OK,
you have picked up arms to fight me, I will show you.' And he ended up killing more
people. If the Langi had accepted our advice not to recruit Amuka boys, even the
killings at Barlonyo (IDP camp in Lira, which was attacked by LRA last February) could
have been avoided.
So, what then is the solution to the northern conflict?
The government should recruit enough national army in every district, other than
waiting for emergencies to come up with militias.
And then, of course, the different stake holders, including the government, rebels,
NGOs, cultural leaders and other local political leaders must be sincere. We should
avoid pride and selfishness. What I have realised is that some people want to
monopolise the peace process. They want to show that they are the ones playing more
roles to bring peace. We must all accept humility and lower ourselves to work with
everybody regardless of their status. And the government must keep offering amnesty to
the rebels, because I have realised that many rebels, including commanders, are
surrendering every now and then. That is the best solution. Even if they talk of
prosecuting Kony in the International Criminal Court, who is going to arrest him? So,
even that one won't work
Many people are banking on the Sudanese peace process as a positive factor for peace
in northern Uganda. What do you think?
I also think so. As long as the government of Sudan stops accommodating Kony and the
government of Uganda stops harbouring SPLA, the rebels will be weakened. But if the
government of Uganda does not work hard, Kony might still be very active in northern
Uganda, even if the SPLA sign pact with Bashir. In fact, the LRA can become a more
destructive guerrilla force in northern Uganda. Because even now that Kony is in
Sudan, his men are still causing a lot of havoc in northern Uganda.
Relevant Links
East Africa
Uganda
Religion
Arms and Military Affairs
Civil War and Communal Conflict
Will the north ever get peace?
The Bible says there is nothing that can defeat God. As human beings, we only need to
keep praying; and I hope that one day we will get peace, although you cannot tell
when. The people of Israel spent 40 years under bondage in Egypt, and people had lost
hope in God. But God sent Moses to liberate them. We don't know which Moses will
rescue us. Those who are struggling for peace talks can go on, but the path of peace
talks is filled with dew. The real hope is in God.
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