1)
"I was in Gulu attending a peace workshop in May 2003 and a woman from
Kampala who had visited an IDP for the first time the day before broke down
as she made a contribution at the workshop."
2)
"She revealed that she was
unaware that there were people in Uganda living against their will under
such conditions, and lamented how a government could accept such for its
citizens."
3)
"The visit to the IDP brought a two-Uganda model vividly to her."
*******************************
----- Original Message -----
From: "Lisa Toro" <[log in to unmask]>
To: <[log in to unmask]>
Sent: Saturday, March 06, 2004 3:59 PM
Subject: Fw: [Mwananchi] Face of two Ugandas; Barlonyo vs Nakasero
>
> ----- Original Message -----
> From: Edward Mulindwa <[log in to unmask]>
> To: <[log in to unmask]>; <[log in to unmask]>
> Sent: Saturday, March 06, 2004 3:09 AM
> Subject: [Mwananchi] Face of two Ugandas; Barlonyo vs Nakasero
>
> Face of two Ugandas; Barlonyo vs Nakasero
> By Dr Ben O. Latigo
> March 6, 2004
>
> In a civil society with a responsible government, the NRM Government
> would have accepted responsibility for the carnage exacted on the
population
> by both the LRA rebels and elements within the Government army over the 18
> years of the insurgency.
>
> There are currently over 1.2 million civilians in Uganda forced to
> live in internally displaced people's camps by the UPDFdue to the LRA
> insurgency. In these death camps, the Uganda Government is unable to
provide
> even the basics in terms of security, health and sanitation, education,
and
> social services to 5 percent of its population.
>
>
> The injured crowd a womens ward at Lira hospital two days
after
> their IDP camp was attacked by the Lord's Resistance Army killing more
than
> 200 people, Feb, 23, 2004. (Rick D'Elia)
>
> This is not counting the thousands that trek in and out of towns
such
> as Gulu to seek security in hospitals, bus stations, and shop verandas
every
> night.
>
> In the heat of the political campaign in the United States, Senator
> John Edwards who is currently running second on the Democratic Party
ticket
> to Senator John Kerry is campaigning on a one-America theme, and
challenging
> the two-America model of the halves and have-nots that appear to be the
> hallmark of the current Bush Administration.
>
> A two-Uganda model could not be too far from the truth in present
day
> Uganda. Look at plush houses in Kololo, Muyenga, Nakasero, Buziga and the
> plight of owners of these mansions as they weave their plush cars to their
> hideaways through dirt roads. Some have to buy an additional piece of land
> for road access since the communities are unplanned.
>
> These are the halves. Then there are the others in the IDP camps in
> Gulu, Kitgum Pader, Lira, and elsewhere. These have-nots are joined by
> thousands of orphans in the streets of Kampala and other towns who live,
> day-to-day, in decrepit conditions without much else to look forward to.
>
> I was in Gulu attending a peace workshop in May 2003 and a woman
from
> Kampala who had visited an IDP for the first time the day before broke
down
> as she made a contribution at the workshop. She revealed that she was
> unaware that there were people in Uganda living against their will under
> such conditions, and lamented how a government could accept such for its
> citizens. The visit to the IDP brought a two-Uganda model vividly to her.
>
> The recent attacks by the LRA rebels on IDP camps in Lira has
exacted
> a carnage in two weeks only matched by another at Atiak in Gulu district
> early 1995, purportedly led by LRA's 'Brigadier' Vincent Otti in which he
> butchered over 300 people from his own home area.
>
> Recently, another large number of IDPs perished at Pabo IDP camp
when
> fire broke out in the camp under suspicious circumstances, as the UPDF
> responded to an apparent LRA attack.
>
> The response by President Museveni to these apparent LRA attacks
has,
> at best, been very insensitive. In the first attack at the IDP camp in
Lira,
> he summoned newspaper editors to lecture them on the 'proper' terminology
to
> use in describing the attacks and also to describe what went wrong with
> communication between the local UPDF command and the Amuka militia in
> responding to the attack.
>
> In the second attack, President Museveni responded with yet another
> explanation of how the UPDF Command failed. He simply transferred the
> commander to the UPDF headquarters at Bombo while praising him for his
> previous service.
>
> The President appears to have a knack for instant solutions to these
> problems and a penchant for explaining things that need no explanation.
One
> would guess that if the Acholi and Langi were not biological substances,
as
> one NRM ideologue previously characterised northerners, he would not be
able
> to sleep at night since an instant LRA solution has evaded him for almost
18
> years. Fortunately for him, he does not have to worry about this loss of
> lives. Then again he might; when he is 80 and in retirement at Rwakitura,
> and looking back at what could have been his legacy.
>
> These actions and responses are insufficient, especially for a
> government that has been in power for 18 years, without opposition. In any
> other civil society with a government that is for the people and by the
> people, the least that should be expected is a resignation by the top
> military brass, the Minister of Defence, and the President himself. No
> amount of explanation is necessary at this time.
>
> Archbishop John Baptist Odama warned the people of Teso and Lango
> against getting embroiled in militia operations against the LRA. This is
the
> role of the UPDF, the national army. Unfortunately, his predications have
> now come true. President Museveni must realise and accept that 'Operation
> Iron Fist' has failed and that the military option against the LRA has
taken
> the country to the brink of disaster.
>
> The ultimate solution is to accept an immediate third-party
> negotiation in a spirit of openness and trust. How long can Ugandans
accept
> this carnage?
>
> Is the life and lifelong ambitions of President Museveni worth so
much
> more than those of thousands being sacrificed in the IDP camps? Why is
> Parliament not outraged by these developments?
>
>
> The author is a Ugandan living in Wasington DC, USA.
>
>
>
> © 2004 The Monitor Publications
>
> The Mulindwas Communication Group
> "With Yoweri Museveni, Uganda is in anarchy"
> Groupe de communication Mulindwas
> "avec Yoweri Museveni, l'Ouganda est dans l'anarchie"
>
>
>
>
>
> [Non-text portions of this message have been removed]
>
>
>
>
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