Acholi urged to shun rebellion

Sunday, 24th April, 2011



By C. lubangakene and Justin Moro
THE 1995 massacre by the Lords Resistance Army (LRA) rebels in Atiak and others in Acholi sub-region should be an eye opener to the Acholi not to rebel against government.

The remarks were made on Wednesday by the Rwot of Atiak, Santo Apire, during the 16th annual memorial prayer for over 250 people killed by the LRA in Atiak.

Apire advised the Acholi to shun any rebellion against the Government.
“ What the LRA did should teach us that rebellion is bad,” Apire said.

He urged the Amuru district authorities to solve the boundary dispute between the district and Adjumani.

Apire said such disputes breed fertile grounds for insecurity in the region.
The Bishop of northern Uganda diocese, Rt. Rev. Johnson Gakumba, who led the mass, said it was unfortunate that Kony was still committing atrocities in Congo and the Central African Republic.

Gakumba, who is also the chairman of the Acholi Religious Leaders Peace Initiative called upon the Government to renew peace talks in order to end suffering in the Great Lakes region.
He said military options rarely end guerilla wars.

Gakumba urged the Government to compensate those affected by the war in order to improve their lives.
He said the time for war was over and urged people to embark on reconstruction.

Mathew Akiya, the Lamwo district LC5 chairman, said the district was planning to construct a memorial site at Corner Ogwec in Lokung sub-county, in remembrance of the over 450 people killed by the LRA in 1997 and over 400 others killed and buried in mass graves during the Idi Amin regime.

He castigated the elders for fuelling land disputes, saying they were being bought to do wrong things.

Betty Bigombe, the woman MP-elect for Amuru district, urged residents to forgive the LRA for what happened in Atiak and Acholi.

The 1995 Atiak massacre survivors want the Government to compensate them like it has done in other parts of the country.

“We know that the budget reading of the 2010/2011 financial year put aside sh200m for families of victims of the 1989 Mukura massacre in Teso.

While we applaud your efforts to compensate victims from this incident, we also want to be compensated,” the memorandum to President Yoweri Museveni, signed by the Atiak survivors committee chairman, George William Odong, read in part.

Acholi Religious Leaders Condemn Demonstrations

Where as following the successful and generally peaceful presidential elections conducted on the 18th February 2011 and also as the people of Acholi having broken the camps of internally displaced persons and have returned to their villages, considering the challenges they are facing in rebuilding their lives, aware that they can easily be drawn into violence, we the Acholi Religious Leaders in St. Monica Girls Tailoring School on Sunday 17th April resolved:
• To condemn the killing. Looting, destruction of properties and injuries of many people in Gulu on the 14th April 2011.
• To mourn with those who lost their relatives and send their message of condolences to them.
• To sensitize the public to shun from politicians who would want to take every opportunity to cause states of unrest.
• To condemn the Walk to Work campaign, because its results have always involve human suffering, destruction of property, looting and to the extreme cases loss of lives.
• To urge the public to first seek police approval incase they want to organize public demonstrations.
• To identify some key political /party leaders to dialogue with other than let them spill their grievances in public.
• To invite the members of parliament of Acholi sub-region on a one to one discussion with religious leaders on matters affecting the public.
• To us e the media houses to sensitize the public on effects of demonstration and call upon the sow love instead.
• To urge the police to play their role of protecting the people other than kill them
• The army should have mechanism of controlling the arm in quelling down demonstration
• Police should watch these people walk to their destinations. Beyond those destinations the police should check.
• There is need for political reconciliation in this country as many who lost the election are still nursing their losses.

PALM SUNDAY- BEFORE YOU COMPLAIN

Dear Leaders
As we celebrate the Palm Sunday, we need to remember to surrender our lives as a donkey of Jesus to ride on and avoid complaining like the pharisees. Remember this story that is so encouraging;

There was a blind girl who hated herself just
because she's blind. She hated everyone, except her loving boyfriend.
He's always there for her. She said that if she could only see the world, she
would marry her boyfriend.
One day, someone donated a pair of eyes to her and
then she can see everything, including her boyfriend.
Her boyfriend asked her, "now that you can see the
world, will you marry me?"
The girl was shocked when she saw that her
boyfriend is blind too, and refused to marry him.
Her boyfriend walked away in tears, and later wrote
a letter to her saying. "Just take care of my eyes dear."

This is how human brain changes when the status
changed. Only few remember what life was before, and who's
always been there even in the most painful situations.
Remember Life Is A Gift.
Today, before you think of saying an unkind word -
Think of someone who can't speak.
Before you complain about the taste of your food -
Think of someone who has nothing to eat.
Before you complain about your husband or wife -
Think of someone who's crying out to God
for a companion.

Today before you complain about life - Think of
someone who went too early to heaven.
Before you complain about your children - Think of
someone who desires children but they're barren.
Before you argue about your dirty house, someone
didn't clean or sweep -Think of the people who are living in the streets.
Before whining about the distance you drive - Think
of someone who walks the same distance with their feet.
And when you are tired and complain about your job -
Think of the unemployed, the disabled and those who wished
they had your job.


But before you think of pointing the finger or
condemning another -Remember that not one of us are without sin and we
all answer to one maker.
And when depressing thoughts seem to get you down -
Put a smile on your face and thank God you're alive
and still around.
Life is a gift, Live it, Enjoy it, Celebrate it and fulfil it.