The Acholi know what they don’t want
Jul 05, 2009
<b>Letter of the day</b><br><br>EDITOR—I am an Acholi. By the time Idi Amin took over power in 1972, I was a little boy. However, I have a fair recollection of how our sons who had legitimately served in the national army under Obote I were hounded a
Letter of the day
EDITOR—I am an Acholi. By the time Idi Amin took over power in 1972, I was a little boy. However, I have a fair recollection of how our sons who had legitimately served in the national army under Obote I were hounded and victimised after Amin’s coup.
As an adult, I am also privy to the developments that culminated into the liberation war of 1979, the advent of the NRM rule and the subsequent rebellions whose tail end we thought we were seeing today. I am therefore a credible commentator and a stakeholder in what happens in Acholi as in Uganda.
I have followed very critically the recent developments surrounding the alleged Uganda Patriotic Front (UPF) rebel outfit in Acholi. Without going into the merits and demerits of the claim, I humbly make a personal appeal to President Museveni. If there has ever been an opportunity to show his magnanimity to the people of northern Uganda (read Acholi) it is now.
I implore him to exercise maximum restraint in approaching this alleged rebellion. I am aware war drums are being sounded across the political divide, with trigger-happy generals and spokespersons hitching to hit “them†where it hurts.
As a country we should rise to the occasion and acknowledge —with the benefit of doubt—that there are perhaps ‘spoilers’ on either side of the divide hell-bent on torpedoing the emerging peace in Acholiland, even if for selfish ends.
Both the Acholi and the Government can afford another round of war – especially if it is going to be “instigated†by opportunists by drawing in the legitimate leaders of Acholi.
The Acholi may not know what they want, but I think we know what we do not want. Let us guard against the “orphanisation†of the Acholi beyond what has already been done, thus far.
Whereas we, as a country, cannot and should not ignore any possibility of rebellion in any corner of the country, let us also resist the temptation to pounce on local leaders, without due consideration to the sensitivity and legitimate concerns that such leaders may represent.
Let us avoid the temptation to victimise people for political ends as we move towards elections in 18 months’ time.
Remember, “perception (of injustice) is more important than the fact (of injustice). Attitude about a subject is more important than the fact.
Robert Obita Adongakulu
Gulu
EDITOR—I am an Acholi. By the time Idi Amin took over power in 1972, I was a little boy. However, I have a fair recollection of how our sons who had legitimately served in the national army under Obote I were hounded and victimised after Amin’s coup.
As an adult, I am also privy to the developments that culminated into the liberation war of 1979, the advent of the NRM rule and the subsequent rebellions whose tail end we thought we were seeing today. I am therefore a credible commentator and a stakeholder in what happens in Acholi as in Uganda.
I have followed very critically the recent developments surrounding the alleged Uganda Patriotic Front (UPF) rebel outfit in Acholi. Without going into the merits and demerits of the claim, I humbly make a personal appeal to President Museveni. If there has ever been an opportunity to show his magnanimity to the people of northern Uganda (read Acholi) it is now.
I implore him to exercise maximum restraint in approaching this alleged rebellion. I am aware war drums are being sounded across the political divide, with trigger-happy generals and spokespersons hitching to hit “them†where it hurts.
As a country we should rise to the occasion and acknowledge —with the benefit of doubt—that there are perhaps ‘spoilers’ on either side of the divide hell-bent on torpedoing the emerging peace in Acholiland, even if for selfish ends.
Both the Acholi and the Government can afford another round of war – especially if it is going to be “instigated†by opportunists by drawing in the legitimate leaders of Acholi.
The Acholi may not know what they want, but I think we know what we do not want. Let us guard against the “orphanisation†of the Acholi beyond what has already been done, thus far.
Whereas we, as a country, cannot and should not ignore any possibility of rebellion in any corner of the country, let us also resist the temptation to pounce on local leaders, without due consideration to the sensitivity and legitimate concerns that such leaders may represent.
Let us avoid the temptation to victimise people for political ends as we move towards elections in 18 months’ time.
Remember, “perception (of injustice) is more important than the fact (of injustice). Attitude about a subject is more important than the fact.
Robert Obita Adongakulu
Gulu