The Invisible Children of Uganda


















How Did The War In Uganda Begin?
The film "Invisible Children: Rough Cut" traces the rebel movement back to one woman, Alice Lakwena. In the 1980's, Lakwena believed the Holy Spirit spoke to her and ordered her to overthrow the Ugandan government for being unjust to the Acholis.


Lakwena and her followers gained momentum as resentment toward the government increased. When Lakwena's exile left no clear leader of the movement, Joseph Kony, who claimed to be Lakwena's cousin, took control and transformed Lakwena's rebel army into the Lord's Resistance Army (LRA).


With dwindling support for their cause, the rebels resorted to abducting children from schools, homes and villages. Children are considered the best soldiers because they are impressionable enough to brainwash, big enough to carry a gun, and plentiful enough to create huge masses of fighters. What began as a quick solution is now the LRA's main method of "recruitment." Ninety percent of their troops are children.


Due to horrific tactics, the initial support the rebellion enjoyed in the north has faded. Alienated from their own people, the LRA has resorted to waging terror on the civilian population as a means to maintain attention and challenge the government.
After attempted peace talks, facilitated by Betty Bigombe, collapsed in 1994, the dynamics of the conflict changed drastically for the worse. Because the Ugandan Government was lending support to the Southern Sudanese rebel army (Sudan People's Liberation Army, or SPLA), the Sudanese government in turn extended safe haven to LRA rebels and provided them with arms. The west, particularly the United States, saw the war in Sudan as a front in its battle against the spread of Islamic Fundamentalism, and pumped significant amounts of aid to the SPLA through Northern Uganda. New elements of a war economy and arms trafficking made peace more elusive.


International pressure has brought the Ugandan government and the LRA to the negotiating table on numerous occasions. Mistrust between the government and the LRA led negotiations to fail even on the eve of their success.


In 1996, the Ugandan Government instituted its policy of confining the entire northern population to displacement camps, to ensure more effective civilian protection and to prevent the LRA from stealing food, children and supplies from northern villages. Still, the fighting and terror continued.







What is a displaced camp?


The Lord's Resistance Army (LRA) has abducted thousands of children, subjected them to torture or sexual violence and forced them to fight in a violent guerilla army for 21 years—making it the longest running war in Africa. In hopes of providing protection from this rebel militia, the Ugandan government forcibly evicted its Northern citizens from their homes—giving them 48 hours to relocate into camps. Today, more than 1.5 million Northern Ugandans remain far from secure, suffering nearly 1,000 deaths per week due to inhumane living conditions in the camps.


Alcoholism, sexual abuse, HIV/AIDS, inadequate sanitation and lack of education have caused immeasurable damage to two generations and the near-total destruction of Acholi culture. Water is scarce and people are reliant on food to be delivered by foreign aid. If the food isn't delivered, the people starve. This April, the already meager rations delivered by the World Food Program to the camps will be cut in half due to lack of funding—with school feeding programs and support for HIV/aids victims soon to follow. This will indisputably increase the number of deaths among those already suffering from severe malnutrition—mostly among women, children and the elderly. That is why the timing of this event, and your participation are so crucial.

More information here: http://s4s.invisiblechildren.com/about_the_cause/uganda






What is "Displace Me"?


"Displace Me" is the nationwide event giving Americans the chance to respond.
By traveling to one of our 15 camps and gathering together, the strength of our size will make a visible statement to our government and media that the citizens of the U.S. demand action in ending the war in Northern Uganda, in order to send the Acholi people suffering in the camps and the abducted children back home. The point is to travel; the point is to become displaced yourself.


Saturday, April 28, 2007 say "Displace Me" and leave your homes to bring them home.




The Proof: Change Can Happen.