A song called "Too Paco" (The death of home.. death at home) by Lucky Bosmic Otim..
The Death Camps of Northern Uganda
"There are a few people in northern Uganda who die because of the gun these days, but there is a whole generation who perish slowly because of HIV/AIDS and other diseases, or who die of desperation. Family and cultural values have also been killed by life in the camps."
Father Carlos Rodriguez
For over 21 years, human rights in northern Uganda have been violated in every way possible, under the watchful eye of the Ugandan Government, UN and other aid agencies who have been involved in "protecting" and "providing services" for people who would be able to provide for themselves if allowed to resettle to their homelands.
As people have responded to the crisis, most have focused on LRA atrocities and missed the fact that 90% of deaths have been due to the internment of people in internally displaced persons (IDP)camps for over 10 years (!) where people die from treatable diseases caused by a lack of water and sanitation.
During the height of the war in the north, the government sealed off the northern part of the country from journalists and launched a heavy disinformation campaign focusing on the government's military solution and the LRA's atrocities; horrific as they were, developments on the ground went uncovered.
The forcible movement of millions of people into IDP camps using military helicopters and fighter jets, was largely unreported internationally. Here in the US we heard about "Operation Iron Fist" --that was to once and for all wipe out the rebels-- and nothing about largescale displacements of people.
In the camps, rape, torture and executions have been inflicted upon camp residents by BOTH government troops UPDF(Uganda Peoples Defense Forces), and the LRA. The UPDF also widely recruits and utilizes children. China Keitetsi, a former child soldier who fought in the current President of Uganda's army, wrote a book relating her experience.
This disinformation campaign continues today, as groups like Invisible Children, Enough! and Resolve-Uganda get involved, telling a portion of the story to garner support, pushing their own agendas, yet giving little real help to the north, as reported by people on the ground in Uganda, that they are like the many who visit northern Uganda, capture suffering and profit from it (books, movies, doctoral dissertations).
Yet, movements like IC have captivated an entire nation of little-informed youth who think they are "heroes" for reaching out to a fellow human being. It seems to be true that Americans prefer illusions to truth. The illusion being that one can counter a planned genocide by camping out in the street. Or shall we look to those that as long term practice have been producing knowingly fake campaigns: "I didn't see one mosquito net when I was in northern Uganda!" one researcher recently exclaimed. The millions that are raised for northern Uganda, where are they really going?
People in northern Uganda need genuine help that will promote self-sufficiency and the restoration of human rights.
"An entire society--the Acholi, is being systematically destroyed, physically, culturally,socially, and economically,in full view of the international community. This has been going on non-stop for almost 20 years..." Read the rest of the speech ...
Please get personally involved; send me a message if you'd like to link up with organizations working on the ground in Uganda and the US. You can contribute your talents and skills and create real change in the world! Inform yourself. Educate others. Assist grassroots organizations working in Uganda. Respond.
Kwach Academy youth dancing Dingi Dingi, Acoli traditional dance.. Visit http://www.kwachacademy.com/ for more info.
