Strengthen The West Nile Peace Deal
Jan 19, 2003
SIR— I would like to express my concern about the current developments in West Nile.
SIR— I would like to express my concern about the current developments in West Nile. The peace deal between the Government and UNRF II was more than a welcome achievement the Government ever got after all the fighting in the past. Many stakeholders were involved in the negotiations to bring back the rebels from southern Sudan. But every effort seems to be just waiting to fall apart. With the nine-day deadline, we shall stay with our fingers crossed.
There is this saying that don’t put all your eggs in one basket. The hope we the people of West Nile had seems to fade with the increased military presence around. It doesn’t need a brain surgeon to figure out what the people of West Nile have gone through in the post-Amin era — poor infrastructure, poverty, insecurity along routes linking them with their rest of Africa are some of their suffering.
Firstly, the peace and resettlement negotiations took so long that mistrust developed. Secondly, it was yet too early for some senior army officers to be directly involved since negotiations were underway. This could have raised suspicion among the level ranks. Thirdly, I believe some individuals are already trying to take advantage of the situation to meet their own selfish ends.
The ball is in the court of the Government and the Government knows the needs of the innocent, obedient, open-minded and peace-loving people of West Nile. They either choose to put more emphasis on using peaceful means and build trust among Ugandans, and other warring parties or they flex military muscles and, God forbid, they lose all the confidence and trust people had in them. Wisdom should be exercised to defuse the situation. We have come a long way. Things must not be taken for granted.
War mongering should be something of the past.
Vincent Adeangu
Kampala
There is this saying that don’t put all your eggs in one basket. The hope we the people of West Nile had seems to fade with the increased military presence around. It doesn’t need a brain surgeon to figure out what the people of West Nile have gone through in the post-Amin era — poor infrastructure, poverty, insecurity along routes linking them with their rest of Africa are some of their suffering.
Firstly, the peace and resettlement negotiations took so long that mistrust developed. Secondly, it was yet too early for some senior army officers to be directly involved since negotiations were underway. This could have raised suspicion among the level ranks. Thirdly, I believe some individuals are already trying to take advantage of the situation to meet their own selfish ends.
The ball is in the court of the Government and the Government knows the needs of the innocent, obedient, open-minded and peace-loving people of West Nile. They either choose to put more emphasis on using peaceful means and build trust among Ugandans, and other warring parties or they flex military muscles and, God forbid, they lose all the confidence and trust people had in them. Wisdom should be exercised to defuse the situation. We have come a long way. Things must not be taken for granted.
War mongering should be something of the past.
Vincent Adeangu
Kampala