{UAH} IDDI AMIN NEVER TARGETED LANGIs/ACHOLIs, THEY TARGETED HIM {---Series forty-seven}

Friends

 

What you might not know is that while we were sleeping all these years, the international community has taken the Acholi violence very seriously. They have pumped literary millions of dollars to understand why we have that kind of violence in the population. Students from many countries have flown into Gulu to study but understand what makes a human being that violent, especially to his own family but tribe. In this series I am going to post a part of thesis that was done from Gulu by a Japanese student by the name of Hanayo Ozaki, of Hiroshima Japan. He presented this thesis,  to the European University Center for Peace Studies Stadtschlaining/Burg, Austria in partial fulfillment of the requirements for a Master of Arts degree in Peace and Conflict Studies.  Thesis supervisor: Dr. S.P. Udayakumar PhD. As many other scholars that have studied Acholi population, he cited suffering of population from both Uganda government soldiers but also from LRA, who were their fellow Acholi. But he takes a moment to note as well that many men are dependent on alcohol,  spending most of their time drinking with their friends in the camp. Thefts, fights, rape and domestic violence are aggravated by quite significant levels of intoxication. Friends this Japanese simply does not hate Acholi,  and he is not planting tribal hate, he is writing the facts he found when he worked in Gulu. We need to stop using the excuse of every one that opens him mouth is a mental issue because we have a very serious drinking problem, violence, domestic abuse and rape among Acholi.

 

We are posting from page 8

 

{……………….III. BACKGROU!D

3.1 Current Situation in the Northern Uganda

The violence in the north has brought about misery to the people of Acholi land facing

issues of abduction, beating, torturing, raping, killing, poverty, HIV/AIDs, and loss of

traditions. Over 20,000 children have been abducted by LRA, and up to 40,000 children

commute nightly to the centers of town to sleep in order to avoid abduction.3 It has been

twenty years since the violent conflict has started in the north. Violence by Lord's

Resistance Army (LRA) against Acholi left many people displaced, and they are

suffering from all aspects of lives.

The total size of Acholiland is approximately the same as Belgium, and now most of the

territory is empty of people. Many Acholi people left their homes and became internally

displaced persons (IDPs) who are defined as individuals or group of people who have

been forced to flee their homes to escape from armed conflict, generalized violence and

human rights abuses. LRA loots properties and abducts especially young children;

therefore, many have left their land and moved into IDP camps. The GoU established

IDP camps for the purposes of protecting civilians as well as of ending LRA rebellion:

The government initiated to clear up the countryside where some people used to provide

resources to LRA to continue its rebellion. UPDF soldiers were also being deployed

within the camps in order to enhance the army's ability to protect the civilian population.

Traditionally, Acholi people live in rural areas, and depend on their land with their

livestock and cattle. Cattle has been killed and looted by LRA that resulted great poverty

in the area. Acholi people used to enjoy growing their own crops including millet,

sorghum, maize, sweet potatoes, cassava, peas, beans and sesame for consumption as

well as for sell in order to earn petty cash.4 Those IDPs living in the camps are only

allowed to travel between 8a.m. to 6p.m., which restricts their economic production; in

addition most of the times, abduction occur while they are away in the field. However for

survival, many are risking their lives going to their land for cultivation.

Another characteristic of camp life is that many people are caught up in idleness,

especially men. Some do not have land near by the camp; therefore, they are forced to

stay in camp waiting to be assisted by World Food Program (WFP), other NGOs or UN

agencies. It is common to see people sitting around their huts doing nothing all day long.

In a traditional Acholi household, women have more domestic tasks such as fetching

water and firewood, preparing meals, cleaning and doing laundry, taking care of children

and cultivating the smaller garden plots. Male are engaged in physical activities including

construction of houses, which is not in demand for the case of IDPs. The life in IDP

camps attribute to changes in gender role in a traditional family setting. It has created a

situation where women do most of the work whereas men involve in heavy drinking.

Alcoholism is a serious problem, especially among men. Many men are dependent on

alcohol spending most of their time drinking with their friends in the camp. Thefts, fights,

rape and domestic violence are aggravated by quite significant levels of intoxication.

 

People are aware of alcoholism in the camps; however due to poverty, they continue to

make local brew, which is causing a lot of problems in the camps.

High level of congestion in the camps is also an issue. As many as 75 percent of the

female headed households in Pader have more than three persons living in each hut.

About 60 percent of the rest of the population also live in the similar environment. High

density between and within huts leads to high risk of fire and poor sanitary condition.

Space around the huts is all shared by animals, children and adults for cooking, eating,

sleeping and storage. This also discourages people from cultivating small garden plots

with vegetable around their huts. Women traditionally grow malakwang (local vegetable)

and make a traditional dish out of this. It is nutritious, and necessarily for Acholi dining.

It only requires small plot of land to grow; however due to the high congestion, people

are unable to do so.5

Because of this long lasting violence, their properties have been stolen. To make the

matter worse, they are unable to cultivate their land to earn petty cash due to insecurity.

When many IDPs first moved into the camps, no one expected to stay in camps as long as

they have. As food is scarce and income opportunities few, many have sold off their

assets. Now, they have nothing left with them…………….}

 

 

Stay in the forum for Series forty-eight on the way   ------>

 

EM

On the 49^th 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"