In a camp for displaced persons Lolín Menéndez rscj

From 25th to 28th June, thirty Religious from fourteen congregations in Uganda went to Gulu in Northern Uganda to be in solidarity with our brothers and sisters who have been suffering terribly from the war that has been going on for the past eighteen years. For sure, the full extent of the destruction and suffering inflicted by the Kony Rebels (LRA - Lord's Resistance Army) has been out of the public eye – we had no idea how terrible things were. In the sub region, two million people are now living in internally displaced camps. We were struck and felt overwhelmed by the extent of the poverty and suffering –

• The pathetic conditions for the people in the camps for internally displaced persons ( IDPs)
• Child mothers with little children and other women escapees who are pregnant, not knowing who made them pregnant
• The hundreds of children at the centres of rehabilitation set up by GUSCO and World Vision for children who had escaped from the LRA, children who were captured, taken to Sudan and indoctrinated into the ways of the Kony Rebels. They too became rebels who in turn killed their own people during incursions into Uganda. The psychological and physical trauma of these children returnees is beyond comprehension.
• The sight, each evening, of thousands of people walking – women with a bundle on their heads, perhaps a baby on their back together with other little children, some of whom are also carrying a baby, or a mat or perhaps a blanket - these people, in dark tattered clothing, all moving to Gulu town to find a place, if possible on a verandah otherwise in an open space, where they could sleep for the night in the hope of being safe from an attack by the Kony Rebels.
• The 16 shelters at Lacor Hospital put up by NGO’s where children can sleep in greater physical and moral safety, albeit crowded one upon another – so many children, scantily and poorly clad, some 2500 of them, some with not even a piece of material to cover them.

Truly all we saw was heart rending. “Who will dry the tears of God and help to heal the pain?” Is this not part of our mission as RSCJ, “women of communion, compassion and reconciliation” and in a special way for those of us living in this Province of Uganda/Kenya where people are suffering beyond belief? Four of us RSCJ were able to visit Gulu and by our physical presence express our solidarity with our brothers and sisters there and in this way bring some hope. There are people who care. The fact that we spent all night in a vigil of prayer outdoors in the cold with the children “night commuters”, experiencing something of what they suffer each night, was a very small gesture, but a “gesture of reconciliation…contributing to the healing of our world”. (cf. Clare’s letter of 18 June 04).

Links:

Integrated Regional Information Network (IRIN)
http://www.irinnews.org/webspecials/uga_crisis/LRAstructure.asp

BBC
http://www.news.bbc.co.uk/2/hi/africa/3462901.stm

Human Rights Watch
http://www.hrw.org/English/docs/2504/01/29/africa7118.htm

Testimonies of children abducted by the LRA.

At GUSCO (Gulu Support the Children Organization) , we listened as some of the children told us of their experience of abduction:

Joseph, began by expressing his gratitude to us for coming. He told us, “I was abducted in 1999 and taken by the rebels who trained me to be a soldier. During the training, most of us were very young and did not have enough strength. Many children got sick and lost their lives. If you make a mistake, you are beaten or maybe killed. When going to war, the commanders do not go – so, many children die. The reason the war is going on is because children are used. When some die, the LRA get more children.” Joseph appealed to us for prayers so that those in captivity can come back home. He himself escaped when he was shot in the leg by the army. He managed to crawl to the road and was picked up by people.

The next to share his experience was Charles. He had had three months military training. He told us, “You are not supposed to be defeated; rather you have to defeat the army. I faced a lot of hunger. We were moved from Uganda to Sudan and reached Sudan in less than one week. If you fail to walk, you are killed. While in Sudan, there was little food yet we were expected to dig. If you fail, you are killed. We were forced to loot and to do all sorts of horrible things. If you do not do so, you are beaten with a panga (knife).” Okoth Charles was able to escape on 8th October 2003 when he sustained an injury and was left behind, and so escaped.

The third testimony was from a 16 year old girl, Catherine, from Kumi District. Catherine was abducted along with 48 other girls from the school where they were studying in Kabermaido. She related, “We were taken to the bush and divided each one being assigned to the big commanders to be their wives. We were made to eat cassava leaves, potatoes leaves and yams. One day, I was selected to look for food. On the way back we met soldiers who made an ambush, a bullet shot my eye and arm”. She was taken to the barracks and then to Lira and from there was brought to GUSCO. Catherine was in Senior Two when she was abducted and is a recent arrival at GUSCO. When one of our group was addressing the children, we noted her nodding her head in assent when the Sister spoke of the importance of forgiving. Her family is yet to be contacted.


Some reflections by Religious who visited Gulu:

• In GUSCO, one beautiful thing happened which shows how the people in this centre are training the children. Two of us did not need our water so we gave our bottles of water to the small children around us. One little fellow took it and instead of holding on to it as I would expect a three year old to do, he took some and then handed the bottle to another little boy who took some and passed it on to another. Five little toddlers just kept passing the bottle of water around until it was finished. Such sharing was beautiful to see. The other bottle was given to an older girl about six years of age. At first, she held on to it but then started to share with others.
  
• My observation is that the bigger percentage of people who have suffered are women and children.
  
• I was touched by the children who had swollen legs due to the long distances walked, by those with amputated legs, bullet wounds, and cracked jaws, and so on.
  
• I was moved by the child mothers who returned with little children and other women who have returned pregnant and who do not even know which man is responsible for the pregnancy.
  
• The life in the IDP camps is very pathetic. The closeness and lack of privacy struck me. Yet the compound was clean and tidy. The sight of four UPDF soldiers drinking beer with their big guns beside them was frightening.
  
• Despite the fact that the situation is so terrible, the children kept following us wherever we went in the camps. They are curious and active. One handed a sugar cane to us to eat. Of course, she needed it more that us. Another, to whom I gave water, shared with others the little bottle of mineral water.
  
• When we went to Lacor Hospital for a night vigil of prayer, it is hard to describe how I felt. I was horrified, shocked, upset, stunned as I saw people coming along the road carrying their small belongings, and then, as we walked around the hospital buildings, to see people sleeping on all the verandahs and those who found no space on a verandah sleeping wherever they could find a space to put down their blanket or mat. It was a challenge to know how to walk without accidentally stepping on someone.
  
• At Lacor hospital some of the children were sharing their little blankets with others who had none.
  
• I was very impressed by the Sisters and Priests here in Gulu. They are so much with their people. They are all so cheerful – a real sign of life to those they serve.
  
• There is a spirit of sharing and the people appear to be calm. All they need is shelter and protection, not humiliation.
  
• The life of the “night commuters” beats my understanding. Daily, thousands and thousands flock in to Gulu town with their sleeping mats, sacks and little bundles.
  
• What struck me about this visit to Gulu, is my ignorance about the whole truth of events that are taking place in this region, that is: the “uncountable” numbers in the reception centres, night sleeping places, and camps; the little or nothing done by the Government to lessen the sufferings of our people; the efforts put in by the NGOs to help alleviate the sufferings of the people i.e. the shelters, the food, medical facilities and rehabilitation centres; the fears of the local people to talk openly about their sufferings to the Government; the way the Government has “ignored” his crisis whilst it is a big concern to us all, the uncertainties that lie before us all as to when this crisis will end, by who and how; the wonderful hospitality, care and organization by the Gulu Religious to us in the midst of all the atrocities; the presence of the military in the area underlined for me the seriousness of the war in the North.
  
• The biggest question I have is: What kind of generation do we have from these children and even those who are above 30 years of age, for they have lived the longest span of their lives in a situation of war.
  
• What was memorable for me was the sight of four little girls moving a large container of water for the hand washing of their little companions. They were engaging in adult responsibilities vis-à-vis the smaller ones. I thought of little girls in an ordinary home where the mama or papa or both would come to tuck them into bed and kiss them good night.
  
• Personally, I am touched by the plight of the girl child. How they have been used, damaged and abused. They are regarded as a problem in the family and village. The child mothers live with their children with very little or no help. What can we do to help these children?
  
• There is a need for MPs and the President to visit the camps and see the situation of the night commuters rather than just read about it in the newspapers.
  
• If Kony cannot accept to attend a Peace Talk, then invite the UN to intervene and see that the situation in the North returns to normal so that people can return to their homes and start living normal and productive lives.
  
• It is moving that those who are sleeping on verandahs stand up when it rains so that those out in the open can join them.
  
• The most striking thing for me is the number of displaced children, children who are the future of Uganda, who are living in terrible conditions.
  
• Something has to be done for the children – there is far too much suffering. It is heartbreaking!!!
  
• What struck me and annoyed me was the way the Government seems to have made itself blind about what is going on in the camps. Young children are sleeping in the cold night air and nothing is done as if life is normal. Otherwise I am grateful for the efforts made by NGOs who are doing what they can for the needs of these children of God.
  
• All in all – the situation is urgent. We should not give up urging the authorities to do something.
  
• I’m struck by the plight of the children. Family and cultural values have been eroded. They are living with the trauma of war, affected physically and/or psychologically.
  
• AIDS/HIV cannot be put out of the scene with people living in such pathetic conditions in the camps. There is increased promiscuity.
  
• Military activities have created the worst inhuman suffering in this Northern part of Uganda.
  
• Despite the cleanliness of the camps, there is an absence of beauty in the environment and this absence of beauty is also a part of the IDP camps.
  
• Two little girls using sticks were excitedly digging in the ground around a tree with knarled roots. After some time they caught termites which they placed in a small plastic bag. When satisfied that they had exhausted the supply they sat together feasting on their catch. What innocent pleasure.
  
• The trust that the little ones who came to spend the night at Lacor Hospital had in us, total strangers.