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GULU - The vice chairperson of Uganda Episcopal Conference, Rt. Rev. Santus Lino Wanok-Catholic bishop of Lira Diocese has appealed to the people of Acholi and the people of West Nile to forgive one another.  

He appealed to the people of Kakwa, the ancestral home of former Ugandan President, Iddi Amin Dada, and the people of Acholi to forgive and reconcile in order to have a peaceful northern Uganda, urging both groups to tell the truth by admitting and acknowledging the wrongs that have been done to one another and or among other tribes and avoid ethnic wars. 

He said the people should practice peaceful means of resolving conflicts right from their families and homes and encouraged the people to intercede for and with one another and with other people to promote forgiveness.

"We have been wounded during Idi Amin's time. Lango and Acholi land. We need to face the truth tell the truth and reconcile in truth. Resist demonizing people and calling them by the names of atrocities. Call them by the names that God has given them," Wanok added.

The out-going Catholic Archbishop of Gulu, His Grace, Dr. John Baptist Odama, who doubles as the Founder of the Provincial Week of Prayer for Regional Peace urged the leaders at all levels and people in the Ganal Region comprising, Gulu Arch Diocese,  Nebbi, Arua and Lira.

The theme was ‘Building a Synodal Church in Communal, participation and Mission for Peace-building’.  

He said the only way for northern Uganda to attain total peace is the forget the past events of history, forget one another, tell the truth reconcile with those or tribes that have done wrong to other tribes, and forgive one another wholeheartedly.

“We should all practice the heart of telling the truth and accepting the wrong that we have done to one another or other tribes. Through this, we shall be able to fully forgive one another and promote love peace, and unity among the Acholi, Madi, Kakwa, Langi and the entire people of West Nile. In the case of the former President, he did his part.

And whatever wrongs he did against the people of Acholi or Lango, he did them as an individual and not the people of Kakwa. But we should now all accept that and we forgive and live in peace”, Dr. Odama said.

Former Ugandan Ambassador to the USA, Dr. Olara Otunu, stressed the wholehearted need for both the Acholi as a tribe to tell the truth with the people of Kakwa and West Nile.

“Without truth-telling, knowing the past whatever bitter it might be; forgiveness will be very difficult but it is possible if both parties or all the tribes aggrieved speak the truth about what actually happened and learn from that bitter history and move ahead through total forgiveness”, Amb. Dr. Olara-Otunu emphasized attracting hand claps.