| GULU
The suffering of our people in Acholi, in particular, as well as part of the North-Central part of Uganda in general, has been occasioned by six factors: colonial manipulation and distortions; poor leadership; a weak state; bad national politics; the Afro-Arab conflict in the Sudan; and lack of education leading to mysticism.
When the British were colonizing Uganda, they used the method of playing one group against another (divide and rule). Fearing the strength of the Buganda they had expanded at the expense of Bunyoro, in particular, as well as other parts of Uganda in general, they started a new scheme of using parts of the North against our people in Buganda. They, then, started peddling certain myths and lies to play one group of our people against another. For instance, the Baganda were very "clever" people.
They were not like other natives of Uganda. On the other hand, the Northerners, the Acholis in particular, were "a martial race" whose natural ins
tincts were skewed towards war-like activities. Those lies and distortions went to the heads of whatever leadership was available at that time which, in turn, amplified and spread them to the rest of the population.
Clear thinking leaders should never have countenanced such trash. It should have been treated with disdain they deserved before it led our people to all these sufferings: the 1966 coup by Obote against the Constitution; Amin's 1971 coup and the hemorrhage that went with it; the missed chance of 1979/1980; the massacres in Luwero (the philosophy of "a good Muganda is a dead one"); and the demonic madness of Kony, his collaborators and apologists.
Poor leadership
Juxtaposed side by side with the problem of colonial distortions and manipulation is the problem of poor leadership in Acholi. Like many other areas of Uganda, our Acholi people lacked leaders from within the community to tell, in very clear language, the trouble makers to go to hell.
Buganda, and other parts of Uganda, for a long time, had the same problem: - nobody within the respective communities to tell off the trouble-makers and parasites.
My personal experiences highlight this issue in two instances: the onset of Idi Amin in 1971 and the problem of Obugabe (Kingship in Ankole). Virtually all the citizens of North Ankole had been DP supporters. They, therefore, jubilated when Obote was overthrown by Amin.
Their simple but erroneous reasoning was as follows: "the enemy of my enemy is my friend." I told off all my confused compatriots, relatives, friends or previous collaborators. I could not support an uneducated
person to be the President of Uganda for any length of time; moreover, a person that was known to be a killer. I never aided or abetted Amin for even one day. In so doing I provided uncompromising leadership against evil, against my very relatives, friends and close collaborators.
More recently, there was the divisive issue of Obugabe (Kingship) in Ankole. I made it very clear that either Omugabe was accepted by all sections or we would allow no Mugabe. That type of leadership has been lacking in Acholi, except for some few individuals from this area.
How could leaders accept rape of children, murders, mutilations, disfigurements, etc? By not condemning loudly the terrorists, many Acholi leaders were encouraging the wrong-doers. In fact, they would say: "let us kill civilians and Government would be blamed". Indeed, it would happen - the Government would be condemned and the killers would either be pampered or covered up. How many times did we hear the
statements li ke: "It is the Government killing Acholis and blaming it on the rebels"?
Weak state
The third factor was a weak state, especially the phenomenon of a one-dimensional national defence force. Modern Armies are, at least, three-dimensional. A three-dimensional defence force covers land, sea (lakes) and air - i.e. Army, Airforce and navy. Owing to the turbulent history of Uganda, the building of a three dimensional National Defence force was never achieved. It is only recently that we are tackling this problem.
By 1986 we had a very dedicated land force (infantry mainly). It was not, however, possible to quickly resolve the terrorism put out by Kony, supported by certain external forces, only relying on this force alone. That is why the struggle had to be protracted. We are now, finally, solving that problem of a uni-dimensional national defence force. That is how we have been able to break the back of the terrorists.
We are continuing to build the three dimensions of our national defence forces. I can assure Ug
andans that, henceforth, it will not be possible for any force to destabilise our democracy using force.
We have the capacity to deal with them promptly unlike in the past when we had to engage in this valiant but protracted campaign against the terrorists. Those in the habit of threatening violence had better restrain themselves.
The fact that UPDF has been able not only to cope with the Kony group but to also suppress it, is a factor that should give Ugandans peace of mind regarding their democratic future. We are now going to focus more on corruption in relation to State funds, contracts, fair adjudication and abuse of office.
Bad politics
The undoing of Uganda right from the days of colonialism was the problem of bad politics. Bad politics means politics that is devoid of principles that are designed to uplift the people of Uganda out of their backwardness.
It is politics that is, instead, aimed at, using the Ugandan people's lack of information to use them for personal interests to access jobs or resources. It is politics without vision for transformation. It is parasitic politics. The bad politics of Uganda, in particular, has been characterized by two elements: lack of belief in democratic solutions and sectarianism.
Why has Kony been killing people? If he wanted power, ever since1989, when we expanded the NRC, we have been having elections. Why couldn't he stand for any post? See how we are resolving all outstanding issues: opening the political space, regional tier, term limits for President, etc. We refer the issues to the referenda, Parliament, etc. Wh
y should there be violence? Anybody who continues to believe or talk of violence, when there are democratic options is an enemy of the people and a criminal.
The other element of bad politics is sectarianism, based on tribes, religion, etc. This is why Obote did not act against Amin even the British Governor-General gave him the evidence of all the crimes he had committed. At that time 1962, there was still the false groupism of the Northern Region vs the other regions of Uganda. The consequences were very bitter for Uganda. "Whatever a man sows is what he reaps." My stand on such issues is very clear. In 1989, I dismissed my own brother, Saleh, from the Army for drunkenness. Yet, very few people in Uganda could compare with Saleh in contributing to our struggle.
He had, however, lost bearing. I had to act. I was, therefore, happy to hear that Rwot Acana reprimanded the terrorists when he met them near Palabek. That is part of the medicine.
Afro-Arab conflict
The Afro-Arab conflict in the Sudan is one of the greatest indignities to the black people. Sudan should be a great Afro-Arab bridge, where the heritages of the two different races are accorded equal treatment. Instead, some elements in Sudan tried to turn it into an Arab bridge-head into Black Africa - to convey Arabism and enforced Islamisation into the heartland of Black Africa.
The Black people there, our brothers, waged a protracted and lonely struggle for their salvation ever since 1955. When we came into Government in 1986, for some unknown reasons, the Sudanese Arabs decided to attack us, without any provocation, on the 22nd of August, 1986, at Bibia. Our Battalion 28 defeated this attack decisively. However, the attackers, spurred on by Sudan fanned out and spread the terror to the countryside.
The mistake by the Arabs of Sudan of interfering in our internal affairs caused us to give strong support to the SPLA.
As a consequence, the SPLA took over 90% of Southern Sudan, a land area that is three times the size of Uganda. Some other Governments in Africa also extended material support to the SPLA off and on. The SPLA has, eventually, signed a very good agreement with the Sudan Government, thereby liberating the people of Southern Sudan.
The Sudanese Arabs, by supporting Lakwena and Kony, created a lot of problems for us, but they also created a lot of problems for themselves and a hope of freedom for our Black brothers in Southern Sudan.
Having realized the futility and counter productiveness of their support for Kony, the Sudanese Arabs, starting with 2002, agreed to end support for Kony. Some clandestine support for Kony continued until about one year ago.
Without Sudan supporting Lakwena, Kony, and others, there would have been no terrorism in Northern Uganda, in West Nile, in the Rwenzori region, etc. However, possibly, there would not have been the
liberation of Southern Sudan either. Should we conclude that God works in mysterious ways?
Lack of Education
There seems to be a lot of superstition in Acholi that can be manipulated by the crooks like Kony. This is an unfortunate result of limited education. The Movement has introduced Universal Education in the form of UPE. We have built Gulu University, etc. We shall get rid of illiteracy. However, the Acholi leaders and religious leaders must help us with the superstition.
The Movement and the UPDF have stood with you (the people of Acholi) throughout this in addition to our previous stand against Idi Amin, Milton Obote, etc. We support right, oppose wrong, unite as many people as can be united to isolate the enemy to the maximum. You all can see that our firm stand is, finally and irreversibly, bringing peace.
We have a rehabilitation plan as soon as the scattered remnants are accounted for.
*This is an edited version of a speech President Museveni gave at a retreat for Acholi leaders at Paraa Lodge on June 26. |
