The wider world has noted by now also, that major wars like those that recently took place in Afghanistan and Iraq gripped international attention and called for greater involvement on the part of the United Nations and in particular your personal concentration. While responsible authorities like the UN are busy trying to keep peace in one part of the world, some world-known dictators take advantage of your busy schedules, and continue to suppress people to the extend of committing genocide, unabated. The disturbing case in reference is that of the National Resistance Movement (NRM) regime of the Dictator, Yoweri Kagutta Museveni, that continuous to commit genocide on Acholi people, in Uganda.
As a legally constituted community organisation, Acholi Association (AA), is working for the wellbeing of Acholi people in the United Kingdom, and more so, worldwide. Executive Committee members of the Association are therefore obliged, and extremely concerned, that the incumbent NRM government of Uganda have grossly violated the inalienable rights of Acholi people and their properties, for the last twenty years. This act is in contravention of the provisions and following protocols of the 1951 Geneva Convention. It is to the backdrop of this quagmire that our sorrowful public representation should officially draw the embarrassing attention and knowledge of the United Nations, through you. Please kindly receive catalogued, criminal record of cases about the NRM regime, which currently concern Acholi people most, for your immediate attention and appropriate action:
1. Concentration Camps, Created With Intent, And Sustained To Exterminate Acholi People In Uganda, Is A Continued Act Of Genocide.
We strongly condemn the use of concentration camps and call upon the UN to spearhead a serious diplomatic mission to dismantle the camps that Museveni and his regime created in Uganda and herded particularly Acholi people in them. The camps have proved to the world beyond reasonable doubts, to be official death camps, meant to inflict slow genocide on Acholi people
[1]. Many people have died and more will continue to perish, as infected soldiers are on the loose, together with NRM secret government agents, intentionally deployed to spread HIV/AIDS and mysterious illnesses resembling Cholera, Ebola, as weapons of genocide, against Acholi people. Famine, due to inadequate food supply, illnesses resulting from unsanitary conditions and mental health problems are rampant. All the above severe conditions designed to perpetrate effectively, acts of insidious annihilation. To that effect, the so-called Uganda People’s Defence Forces (UPDF) of the Dictator regime continued to abuse many underage children sexually. However, planned killings to cleanse Acholi people ethnically through integrated NRM extermination programmes have continued for the last twenty years, unabated since 1986, when the Dictator Museveni lustfully took over power in a bloody, meaningless coup de tat in Uganda, with sworn statements to wipe out Acholi people.
We demand the immediate dismantling of the death camps, with the help of the UN, so that Acholi people can return to their God-given homeland and what remains of individually built homesteads, without fear of mercenaries from the West and/or claim of protection by the dictator regime. During the twenty years, Museveni continued dictatorship in Uganda with some of the most horrendous cases of genocide ordered by him [Museveni] occurring in contemporary Africa, yet for all those twenty years, the international community have kept silent over Museveni’s crime of genocide. As part of the Human Race, we demand answers to Acholi people’s concerns for the international community’s silence over Museveni’s continuous acts of genocide on the Acholi People of Northern Uganda.
Like the stopping of many Dictators around the world, the UN is effectively the only capable body now that can stop the Dictator Museveni, immediately. We therefore demand that UN take measures to stop Museveni’s complete genocide on Acholi people:
(i) The UN to ensure that Museveni’s soldiers leave Acholiland immediately, as they are instruments of genocide and represent the greatest danger to a continued Acholi existence.
(ii) The UN to order, sponsor and supervise the dismantling of the concentration camps and the return of Acholi people to their individual homes immediately; the vast majority being women and children. Museveni and his soldiers have brutally and systematically expelled Ninety five percent [95%] of the Acholi population from their homes and confined them to die in the dreaded camps. As citizens of the free world, Acholi people demand the UN to heed to their call immediately.
(iii) WHO and other UN agencies to incorporate Acholi people and other sympathetic professionals worldwide, to pioneer and take over immediate and independent diagnosis and treatment of sick people in Acholiland, to stop the NRM regime from continuing to destroy Acholi people through starvation, malnutrition, and exposition to unsanitary conditions, diseases [HIV/AIDS, Cholera, Ebola] and various kinds of insecurity. These cases already resulted in high rate of suicide in IDP camps for instance; Bishop Odama reported 15 cases in one such camp alone, 25th August 2005
[2]. He asked for provisions of medical supplies, personnel, funds and other essentials to enable them serve their people.
(iv) UN to officially acknowledge and condemn Museveni’s genocide, and stop him [Museveni] from using HIV/AIDS scourge as a weapon of war, through deliberate deployment of HIV/AIDS positive soldiers, against the Acholi people. This practice has continued in the north, where the UPDF persistently rape men [Taboo in Acholi Culture and Traditional Practices], women, and children, some as young as ten years old. Credible evidence to support this claim is available from various reliable sources, as well as from the victims themselves. Recent UNICEF report on the Internally Displaced People’s (IDP’s) Camps, in Acholiland, also shows clearly that the rate of HIV/AIDS in Acholiland is 35%, that is, six times that of the rest of Uganda
[3]. This contrasts very much with pre-Museveni [1985] STD Health reportage of 0.5%. Further, the last World Health Organisation report indicates that the rate of death in the IDP’s Camps is 1000 per week and growing
[4].
(v) UN to stop Museveni from inflicting, further physical, mental and psychological harm on individual members of the Acholi ethnic group, with a clear aim to destroy Acholi in whole, or in part.
(v) UN to restrain Museveni and his dictator regime from imposition on the Acholi people in Uganda, conditions intended to restrict births and family life.
(vi) UN to ban the removal of Acholi children by the NRM government forces conscripting them to become child-soldiers or selling them to other groups and individual. This is purely ethnic cleansing.
2. International Dynamics Of The Genocide In Northern Uganda: Acholi People Have Zero Independence As We Continue To Undergo The Most Appalling Super-Imposed Human Suffering, Resulting From Neo-Colonialism And Neo-Imperialism; Globalisation.
Forty-three years have lapsed since Uganda got her Pseudo-Independence from Britain, on the 9 October 1962. It has however, been long painful period; since the establishment of then Uganda British Protectorate, up-to-date, when successive regimes came and went, with Acholi people benefiting nothing, but massacred and subjected to various forms of oppressive annihilations by the Western-sponsored dictators like Idi Amin and repression from various, similar leaders like Museveni. Yet leaders always call upon Acholi people to safeguard the constitution.
After Forty-Three years of independence out of which the NRM under the Dictator Museveni serves a twenty year-uninterrupted dictatorship, Uganda remains one of the ten poorest countries of the world with the proportion of people living below poverty line increasing every year to 38% this year
[5]. This suppressed figure is usual with government data reported by the administration and/or the Western Press to hoodwink the international community and praise Museveni’s so-called Uganda “Miracle Economic Growth.” However, the truth is that the Uganda rosy image is deceptive; as clearly reported, a daunting and devastating revelation by a New York based organisation. The Good Governance International (GGI) doubts the portrayal in the international arena that responsive to the waves of good governance progress in Africa, as PR propaganda by paid agencies, to mask Political, Economic and Social evils
[6].
Acholi people are famous for being industrious, productive and courageous, yet passionate. From colonial era to the so-called Independence, the Acholi are a target and intentionally subjected to impoverishment, to the current mass-detention in concentration camps. Though impoverished now, Acholi people knew long time ago, that Independence does not make money grow on trees or rivers flow with milk
[7], but they want independence to enable their freedom. Free Acholi people will always work for their success, themselves.
The current generation of Acholi find themselves prisoners of the world system, experiencing the worst political obliterations than any other contemporary peoples of the world (not even during Apartheid rule in South Africa were that nation encamped), since pre-independent Ugandan feudal era. Mercenary pilots and foot soldiers now shoot innocent Acholi women and children en masse, with helicopter gunship and machine guns, at the instructions of the Western-sponsored terrorist NRM regime, as if they were fighting Third-World-War (in Northern Uganda), this 21st Century!
Sunday last weekend, the persistent Ugandan dictator Museveni, celebrated the 43rd year of supposedly Independent rule in Uganda, with his well-wishers and sponsors of his totalitarian regime. Acholi people were mourning Worldwide, a period when we were remembering dead love ones; our brothers and sisters in camps; Acholi children forcefully taken away to unknown places by the NRM regime, in their thousands; Acholiland being steadily grabbed through those in authorities in and outside Uganda; the destruction of Acholi culture and traditional practices. Acholi people are now scattered worldwide [brain drain] and, the remaining majority hardly survive oppression in Uganda, because of zero independence. We are now prisoners of globalisation; victims of neo-colonialism and slaves to neo-imperialism.
To alleviate the burden on Acholi, we call upon the UN to examine and sponsor a public inquiry into the complicity of the international community, into the genocide committed against Acholi people of Northern Uganda by the NRM regime. This posture will help Acholi people feel free, recover from their trauma, and persecute the culprits. We have evidence and strongly believe that an International Criminal Tribunal if established will indict Museveni and many foreign accomplices, for crimes of genocide in Acholiland. His beleaguered presidency will not preclude legal actions against him.
It is very important to note seriously in time, that the recent misconduct of some Western governments, many Trans-national corporations, and non-governmental organisations in Africa generally, and more specifically in Uganda if not stopped, will soon compel the continent to commence a new wave of popular Africa Liberation early this century. Africa will again become a no-go area to foreigners; a scenario caused by themselves [Westerners] in the past and they will be to blame again. Kwame Nkrumah led Africa to Independence. Acholi would celebrate the UN protection forever, if the currently illustrious leadership of an African Secretary-General were to intervene promptly, to bring about Acholi freedom and total independence sooner, rather than later.
3. Mercenaries, UPDF, And NRM Multi Masked-Counter-Insurgent Criminal Forces Must Withdraw From Acholiland, Immediately.
After twenty years of failed protection to the civil population, the marauding troops of the regime (NRA/UPDF), with all its facets and disguises, like the deadly counter-insurgent forces, headed by Museveni’s blood brother, Salim Saleh, must leave Acholiland, immediately. They have killed and maimed Acholi people and are responsible for removing and deporting large numbers of Acholi children to unknown foreign countries, and destroying Acholi private properties. They are responsible for gross abuse of Acholi Human Rights for the last two decades, and continue to blame it on armed opposition forces. Equally to withdraw, are mercenaries and other, foreign government forces, present with, or without orders from their home governments. Acholiland must now remain in the hands of Acholi traditional leaders and indigenous people alone, to manage.
4. Western Press, And Media, Are Counter-Productive To The Restoration Of Peace In Northern Uganda. They Work To Fan The War In Acholiland, In Favour Of The Dictator Museveni’s Regime.
The Western Press and media especially those based in the USA and the UK [ BBC] have participated actively in distorting, misinforming or telling outright lies, to cover-up Museveni’s war, which work in favour of enhancing the 20-year-old war in Acholiland and the on-going genocide on Acholi people. One particularly destructive but useless lie by Museveni and the Western press and media in relation to the war is that Joseph Kony wants to overthrow Museveni to rule Uganda based on the Ten Commandments. Another bogus argument persistently perpetrating the war is that the insurgency in Acholiland has no basis and therefore, no political purpose.
We condemn in the strongest terms possible, those responsible for this kind of unproductive propaganda, distorting issues and reasons for the conflict because the effects have only led to confusion, suffering, and more deaths of Acholi people. We are confident that peace is still possible since many interested people carried out a lot of research to establish the root causes of the conflict, in order to deal with them and find the way forward to lasting peace. It is important therefore, that all interested parties should make positive contributions by avoiding irresponsible and vile remarks against Acholi people and land, rather than fuelling the war. We [Acholi people] therefore appeal to the US and UK governments through you, to help the precarious militant situation by regulating media and other deceptive instruments of propaganda war information such that it does not negatively enhance the continued genocide in Acholiland.
5. The International Community, Some Organizations, And Agencies Should End Duplicity In The Conflict, For The War To End And Acholi People Repatriate To Attain Peace And Security In Their Original Home Villages.
In order to get more actively involved and provide support, in bringing about a positive, speedy but sure end to the conflict in Acholiland, the international community, some corporate and private organizations and agencies should end duplicity in the conflict.
(i) The appallingly, insensitive and indifferent position the UN Security Council has adopted in relation to the war has horrified us [the Acholi people] profoundly. We therefore request the UN to appoint a mediator to initiate meaningful peace negotiations with a view to achieving a lasting peace in Acholiland and Uganda at large. We are confident the UN Security council can effectively tackle Museveni’s arrogance and require him to comply with his obligations under International Human Rights and Humanitarian Laws. Whereas the Security Council has been involved in the Sudan, Liberia, Cote de Ivoire, etc, nothing concrete has happened in the case of Acholiland and people. We are confident the UN Security Council can still do much more, to end this war. The recent UN Security Council Resolution 1612
[8], adopted to protect children in war situations, is very good and especially if implemented; but is still a drop in the ocean. Will thousands of Acholi children who have been abducted, conscripted and forcefully relocated to other parts of the world by the NRM regime of the Dictator Museveni of Uganda be traced and returned to their homeland and rightful parents?
(ii) The US has poured a huge amount of money in support of Museveni’s regime as well as training the regimes soldiers who have the intent to destroy the Acholi, their environment and cultural heritage. We reiterate that AID to Uganda should only resume when Museveni can demonstrate his preparedness to work in favor of peace, or has peacefully vacated power in Uganda. It is the fact that the US has supported Museveni’s government so much despite his [Museveni’s] crimes, which has emboldened him to refuse deliberately, to comply with human rights obligations under international Law.
It is dishonest and inappropriate in our views, for the US government to talk peace in the morning, only to arm Museveni in the evening, to wage war against the Acholi. Indeed, it constitutes double standards and this does not lead to peace. The US position, in other words, has been that she believes in adopting dual policy of pursuing war against the oppressed, at the same time encouraging and engaging in sham peace talks, a political manoeuvre tactic of the Cold-war era. The despicable super-power oppression by proxy through protecting and maintaining African Dictators in power, while facilitating the elimination of resourceful African nationalist leaders, has continued with Yoweri Museveni as a replacement to General Mobutu in Africa, in the 21st Century. Yoweri Museveni and company are therefore responsible for conspiracy and the continued death of many Acholi people and specifically leaders in Uganda and other African countries.
(iii) In the UK, Her Majesty the Queen’s government can play a major role in bringing peace to Acholiland. The recent suspension of certain forms of AID to Uganda is a drop in the ocean. Much more can and should be done in terms of stopping financial assistance to Museveni and refusing to train and supply him with arms.
(iv) We appeal to the EU and other Western donors through your good offices, to halt giving any form of assistance to sustain Museveni and his crimes of genocide, in Acholiland. It is otherwise, an example of continued destruction of Africa, by Europe
[9].
(v) The African Union (AU) has the mandate and fundamentally important duty to ensure that notorious dictators like Museveni are compelled to comply with their international obligations by not infringing on Human Rights and breaking Humanitarian Laws.
6. Denying The Affected People Opportunities For International Conference To End The Conflict In Northern Uganda Is In Itself Complicity, In The Genocide.
An important aspect of ensuring lasting peace is organising and hosting the conference that enables Ugandans to discuss and resolve ways of ending the conflict. A conference involving representatives of all the political parties and other stakeholders including civil society organisations, religious and traditional leaders is fundamental step towards resolution of the conflict. The conference should be a forum that enables attendants to discuss perspectives and demands of the LRA and all other political organisations, opposed to the NRM dictatorship, including strong representation of Acholi general population, who will speak for themselves. They know perpetrators of the war. All they need is an opportunity to speak-up freely and on neutral grounds.
To that effect, Acholi Association being a well-established and constituted community organisation, we are willing and propose to take the opportunity to organise this conference with the full support of the UN. This high-level involvement will also assist the UN and other relevant international organisations and governments, to understand the dark reality and complexity of the war, through addressing all the issues properly and with the aim of ending the conflict, rather than wanting the Dictator Museveni, to end the war.
7. The US Government Labelling The LRA Armed Opposition To The Dictator Museveni’s Regime As International Terrorists Is Diversion From The Truth; Ignoring Causes Of The Conflict And Indirect Support To The Oppressive Regime, Against Acholi People.
A huge obstacle has arisen in relation to the Northern conflict. The US government needs to deal cautiously and courageously with the characterisation of the LRA insurgency as an aspect of “international terrorism.” This is largely a result of Museveni’s deliberate distortion and manipulation of issues to gain the support of the US government thereby empowering Museveni to pursue this genocidal war. It is important to note that armed resistance in the North began on 20 August 1986, when Museveni’s then National Resistance Army [NRA] began to harass and persecute the ex-soldiers in particular, and the general population of Northern Uganda at large. This was well before the US bombing by Al-Qa-eda on 11 September 2001, after which they now call liberation fighters like the LRA as terrorists. The conflict is hugely the product of Uganda’s concrete experience of the nightmare of British colonialism, Western Imperialism, and neo-colonialism. Honestly disentangling the complex nature of the conflict will enhance deeper understanding of the issues. We appeal to, and urge the UN to give a forum that ensures dealing effectively with this challenge.
8. State Grabbing Of Peoples’ Land Is Criminal Incitement Of Violence.
The Dictator Museveni’s NRM idea of the so-called Recovery Programme is incoherent criminal grabbing of Acholiland
[10]. The UN should not allow someone to destroy a people in order to create room for commercial farming and mineral exploitation. We unequivocally condemn this kind of state terrorism and call upon the UN to stop Museveni forthwith, to enable Acholi people to return, to their God-given homeland. Acholiland does not belong to individuals or groups of a few people but responsibility of the entire Acholi community. Its protection and utilisation rest in the supreme authority of Acholi tradition, overseen by Acholi traditional chiefs. There is therefore no sale, purchase, or private ownership of land in Acholi. Acholi people know detailed geographical boundaries of their land. They will protect every inch of it, at all costs. No one can therefore cheat or grab Acholiland, without fierce resistance.
9. Pretence By The Dictator Museveni Through His NRM Regime To Achieve Peace In Acholiland Is Deceptive And A Dangerous Strategy To Continue Genocide.
Many a time, pretences and peace-like-initiatives were taken by the dictator regime, purportedly to bring about lasting peace in Northern Uganda. Some notable examples are through ministers of the regime.
(i). In 1994, Mrs. B. Bigombe then minister for what has been referred to as ‘the pacification of the North’ took steps to approach Joseph Kony, leader and founder of the Lord’s Resistance Army (LRA), to enable the resolution of the conflict in Acholiland. The greatest obstacle that came in her way however, was the perennial arrogance of the dictator Museveni. First, he [Museveni] gave Joseph Kony an ultimatum of one week only, lest he [Museveni] would kill Kony. Joseph Kony did not surrender to the dictator. Secondly, Museveni did not kill Kony. Thirdly, the war has not ended and people in Acholiland continue to die in thousands. We acknowledge with deep appreciation the effort of Mrs. Bigombe in 1994 in this context.
(ii). Only recently, Mrs. Bigombe was involved in efforts to achieve ‘peace’ in Acholiland. There is however, a radical difference between 1994 and 2005. This is in terms of the magnitude of the war and the fact that numerous complex issues and related factors have arisen, since 1994. In the light of these two factors, it should have been obvious to Bigombe to do much more, in order to facilitate the realisation of peace in the present circumstances. It is the fact that Bigombe intentionally or unintentionally chose not to recognise the factors that have compelled us to characterise the present efforts as geared towards achieving ‘peace pretence.’ Bigombe should have paid more attention to the issues addressed today, but can still learn through this experience.
(iii) Grace Akello, then Minister for Northern Uganda in the office of the Prime Minister, called for a one-day national “Dialogue” on 22 July 2003, to discuss conflict management and resolution in Northern Uganda. Museveni’s peace pretence was exposed when addressing the Dialogue announced that he [Yoweri Museveni] was going back to the North, to fight Kony
[11].
(iv) The recent UN International Criminal Court (ICC) move to issue NRM negotiated Arrest Warrants against Joseph Kony and four of his armed opposition LRA commanders
[12], is another blow to the civil society by Yoweri Museveni, to block any moves by the international community to negotiate meaningful peace settlement in Northern Uganda and in particular, Acholiland. If Yoweri Museveni’s claims that it is Joseph Kony through the LRA and not himself [through the NRA/UPDF and the multi-facetted counter insurgent forces under the command of his brother Salim Saleh] that is committing genocide against Acholi people are genuine, then why can’t the ICC allow investigations to backdate to 1986; and stop being prejudicial [would these dates still not help cover Museveni’s genocide committed in the Luwero Triangle, at least?]. Starting the investigations in 2002 is nothing less than doing PR for the NRM regime and orchestrated cover-up of Museveni’s false claims of “rigged 1980 general elections.” A shallow justification for going to the bush to commit genocide against Ugandans since the NRA started insurgency in 1981; and especially against Acholi people from 1986 up-to-date.
It would be naivety on our part also to pretend that we members of the community organisation, Acholi Association [AA], know all the answers to the ‘Human Rights’ and humanitarian catastrophe in Acholiland. On the other hand, it would be wrong to ignore the issues we are highlighting.
10. Dictator Museveni Is Not For Peace And Does Not Want The Insecurity Problems That He Created In Acholiland And On Acholi People To Be Resolved Peacefully-He Is War Monger.
Negotiated settlement is a process that begins with building trust between the parties in conflict. Museveni’s ministers cannot fulfil this role. Museveni himself; has never come out freely and willingly, for serious peace negotiations, but is adamantly against any meaningful and peaceful conflict resolutions, as confirmed in most of his usually, arrogant remarks [e.g. that Acholi people are primitive and backwards]
[13], and past records. All the past peace negotiations involving the Dictator Museveni ended up in him [Museveni] winning, either through the surrender of his credible opposition to him, or tactical elimination of opponents and organisations.
The 1990s saw Uganda National Liberation Army [UNLA] of the late General Tito Okello, the Uganda People’s Democratic Army/Movement [UPDA/M] of the late Brigadier Odong Latek, the Uganda Peoples Army [UPA], the Uganda National Rescue Front [UNRF] and the West Nile Bank Front [UNRF], all subdued by Yoweri Museveni with him [Museveni], remaining to wield pseudo-military dictatorship.
We cannot tolerate this kind of oppressive arrogance any more and for Acholi population not to become extinct [Ref. AA Website, below], we ask for your assurances of a planned rapid rescue operation that will involve Acholi both at home and in the Diaspora.
Your prompt intervention will help Acholi people and friends from taking further unilateral initiatives, to salvage a people held hostage, by the dictator regime.
I hope to receive your acknowledgement of receipt and planned swift action to our concerns and proposals as soon as possible.
For God and my country
JC Amone
Chairman
[1] Olara Otunnu: Lehman Collage: The City University of New York News, 15 September 2005.
[2] AcoliForum, Electronic Mail, 6 Sept 2005.
[3] UNICEF, July 2005.
[4] WHO, August 2005.
[5] Dr Ezra Suruma; Ugandan Minister of Finance; “Budget Speech: financial year 2005/06.”
[6] GGI; Revealing Uganda: “The Mask of Politics, Economics and Social Realities,” May 2005.
[7] Professor Okot p’Bitek: 1967.
[8] The International Herald Tribune, 6-7 August 2005
[9] Walter Rodney: How Europe Underdeveloped Africa, Dar es Salaam, 1972.
[10] Office of the Prime Minister: “Recovery and Development Programme for Northern Uganda;” Dec 2004.
[11] The New Vision, 23 July 2003
[12] The Monitor, 8 October 2005
[13] Uganda Television Interview, Aug 1998.
