Friends
The statement said that children were being forced to fight in the 18-year-old
insurgency for the Lord’s Resistance Army (LRA) and “were dying in large
numbers.” They added that the rebellion had claimed thousands of lives,
displaced a million people and spread fear throughout the region.
In as much as many are standing up today to claim that we do not have an Acholi
violence in our country, The Uganda house of bishops actually agrees that it
exists. And they add as well that children are dying in large numbers. It is
strange that as these children were being murdered we kept quiet and to today
we are shying away from agreeing that we have to deal with the issue of
protecting the children in our midst. In the few years I have been on earth I
have never seen a people sacrificing their children as Acholi have done. Now if
that does not constitute to violence, then I look at the classroom you used to
get a degree and wonder if it would have not served us as Ugandans better, if
we used it to drink Malwa and Ajono, than being a class room. May be it is time
we shut down Uganda schools and turn them into Ajono drinking centres.
Ugandans we need to discuss Acholi violence candidly.
Bishops call for end to Uganda violence
Posted on: March 11, 2004 9:44 AM
The Ugandan House of Bishops last week issued a statement calling for the
immediate end to violence in Northern Uganda after the Most Revd Henry Orombi,
the Archbishop of Uganda, led the bishops on a tour of the region to witness
the situation at first hand.
The statement said that children were being forced to fight in the 18-year-old
insurgency for the Lord’s Resistance Army (LRA) and “were dying in large
numbers.” They added that the rebellion had claimed thousands of lives,
displaced a million people and spread fear throughout the region. The LRA is a
quasi-religious rebel group that insists it wants Uganda to be governed solely
by the Ten Commandments. It is led by Joseph Kony who claims to have spiritual
powers.
Referring to recent violence in Barlonyo camp, in which 200 people were
reportedly killed, the bishops’ statement said that the government of Uganda
and the LRA had to recommit themselves to dialogue and reconciliation. They
called on the Ugandan government to protect civilians living in camps and in
conflict-hit areas.
The bishops also visited Pabbo camp in Gulu district and appealed for urgent
humanitarian support from the international community saying that the displaced
people lacked basic means to support their livelihoods. “We shall also mobilise
the congregations of the Church of Uganda to support and work with leaders in
the affected areas, and the government and the international community to find
a lasting solution to the conflict,” the bishops said.
The 15 bishops were accompanied by the General Secretary of the Uganda Joint
Christian Council (UJCC), staff of the Provincial Office and representatives
from the Church Missionary Society (CMS) and the Uganda Christian University.
Article By Justus Waimiri in Nairobi
Stay in the forum for Series One hundred and seventy-nine on the way ------>
EM
On the 49th Parallel
Thé Mulindwas Communication Group
"With Yoweri Museveni, Ssabassajja and Dr. Kiiza Besigye, Uganda is in anarchy"
Kuungana Mulindwa Mawasiliano Kikundi
"Pamoja na Yoweri Museveni, Ssabassajja na Dk. Kiiza Besigye, Uganda ni katika
machafuko"
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