The conflict in Northern Uganda has been called today's worst humanitarian crisis-and it has also been said that it is the easiest African crisis to fix.
I spent part of last week in Washington DC with 700 people learning about the humanitarian crisis in Northern Uganda and lobbying our government officials to support the peace talks that are taking place between the Ugandan army and the LRA. I learned so much about the history and complexity of the conflict, so here we go.
80% of the Acholi people are living in Internally Displaced People Camps (that’s almost 2 million people). In 1996 President Musseveni forced the Acholi people into these camps as a way of driving out the LRA- thinking that they Acholi were helping the LRA to hid (wrong). The government did not provide food, water or medical care to the people in these camps, and so non-governmental organizations (NGOs) rushed in with humanitarian aid. While aid from NGOs is good in theory, many think it was wrong of the NGOs to rush in with aid instead of putting pressure on Musseveni to provide for the people that he himself forced off of their land, out of their communities, into internment camps.
To back up even farther, the origins of this conflict can be traced to colonial rule. The English maintained their power partially through creating divisions between the north and south. The Northern Ugandans were characterized as fighters, and the Ugandan army always recruited from the north. Southerns were thought to be more privileged and the south became a lot more developed. This didn't really change when Uganda gained independence, in fact Musseveni increased the division. Southern Uganda is the poster child for economic development and AIDS awareness/prevention. The north is overlooked.
There were some tense moments and arguing during the symposium. Most panelists were from NGOs, but the US and Ugandan governments each had at least one representative each. Both were drilled with questions from the audience, and both were pretty defensive about what their country is already doing to help. I think both know that more needs to be done.
John Prendergast, Senior Advisor of the International Crisis Group, has said that this crisis is the easy African crisis to fix. Why? Two main reasons 1. The LRA are losing numbers. Officers have been leaving the bush and accepting amnesty. Children are escaping. The numbers of attacks and abductions have decreased a lot in the past few months. 2. Joseph Kony wants peace, and is willing to talk.
Sadly peace talks are just the beginning to conflict transformation in Northern Uganda. With 2 million people displaced and up to 30,000 children who bear the physical and psychological wounds of war, and also have no education or skills....social problems are going to abound. Someone at the symposium said that for 1 year of war it takes 10 years to rebuild and heal. It's going to be a long road, but we're going to get there. Anyone familiar with the people of Uganda will tell you that they are resilient and hopeful amidst the present and past suffering.
A few big questions that the symposium dealt with:
Will the peace talks bring justice to the senior LRA officers who are wanted by the International Criminal Court?
This is a huge question. Right now peace is a priority for the people of Northern Uganda. Former child soldier Grace Akallo speaks for 96% of Ugandans when she says "peace first". The Acholi people choose forgiveness and have traditional ceremonies for reintegration into the community after a wrong has been committed...however these methods were not created to deal with the mass atrocities of a war like this.
The ICC has arrest warrants for Joseph Kony and his top 4 officials. This is the first time the ICC is actually being used like this, and now some people think the warrants should be dropped so that the LRA will be more willing to come out and accept amnesty. Technically, the ICC can trump the Ugandan government and arrest them even if amnesty is accepted. So it's a bit complicated...
None of the speakers claimed to have the answer but all agreed that violence has not been successful at ending this conflict. As Chief Acana of the Acholi people said "If we believe in human rights, it is cheaper now to talk than to fight".
What is needed for successful peace talks? How can US involvement help the bring peace in Acholiland?
The peace talks need to include all voices in this conflict, including victims and women. The government of south Sudan needs to stay consistent in mediating talks.
The people of Uganda pay a lot of attention to what the United States says and does regarding the conflict (which usually, is nothing). Perhaps the best example is this: this spring when a former child soldier named Evelyn appeared on Oprah (same episode as George Clooney talking about Defer), Oprah called Joseph Kony an animal. Shortly after the episode aired, Joseph Kony came out of the bush for the first time in years to respond to her comment and tell the press that he was not an animal that he wanted peace. Crazy! Imagine what could happen if George Bush were to make a statement supporting the peace talks. What if the US showed confidence in the talks and held both sides accountable to any peace agreement that develops?
What can we do as individuals living in the United States?
Three words: masses, media, and money
Continue to lobby the government and lobby the media. Write to your Senators and representatives in Congress. Even if you wrote last year, even if you've spoke to their assistants on Capitol Hill, remind them. Don't let them forget that US support of the Juba Peace talks is essential. This is becoming an issue that America cares about...if the government doesn't represent the people, who does it represent? Likewise, if the media doesn't represent the people, who does it represent? Tell your favorite news sources that you want to hear more about the conflict and the peace talks. Send editorials. As John Prendergast said last week, only like 90% of editorials get published- so we need to write a lot. When coverage of Uganda appears, give positive feedback.
Give $ to legit organizations that are helping the rehabilitation process and providing hope for a safe future for former child soldiers and their families. I recommend World Vision- they have already put thousands of children through their rehabilitation program.
And keep talking, reading, thinking about it. I've just touched on the tip of the iceberg here.
Random bits of interest:
Uganda Rising (www.ugandarising) is another great documentary. As well as Invisible Children did with tugging at the heartstrings, this documentary does a great job on the history and facts behind the conflict.
www.ugandacan.org- started by 2 recent Notre Dame grads, this website is awesome for the latest news
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