Emulate Jaffar Amin on reconciliation

Jul 25, 2016

The elections did not leave the country the same. Fractures emerged at different levels and I am glad that President Yoweri Museveni has opened doors to members of the opposition for dialogue and inclusion in the Cabinet.

By Fr. Fred Jenga

As Ugandans continue processing the differences that emerged during the February elections, there is one path that we need to seriously consider — reconciliation.

The elections did not leave the country the same. Fractures emerged at different levels and I am glad that President Yoweri Museveni has opened doors to members of the opposition for dialogue and inclusion in the Cabinet.

It is performance of such symbolic gestures that is important in setting us on the road to reconciliation. 

I would like to shine light on the efforts of Jaffar Amin in the area of reconciliation. He is turning out as a powerful symbol and teacher of reconciliation in Uganda. Jaffar (son of former Ugandan president Idi Amin) has set himself on a campaign of asking for forgiveness for wrongs that were committed by his father and the government he led.

Jaffar does not have to do this since as a child, no one holds him accountable for the actions of his parents. His efforts, however, are helping many families and communities that lost loved ones during that time get closure.

I have read emotive stories of Jaffar meeting families such as that of the late Oboth Ofumbi who ‘mysteriously' died during that time.

While we make effort to hold people accountable for the consequences of their actions, we need to adopt a conciliatory tone. Reconciliation produces better results for communities than punitiveness — which creates bigger fractures in communities, sets people up against each other and traps them in endless cycles of conflict.

We need to position ourselves differently in the way we deal with political differences. I see Jaffar as a sober and a great embodiment of the message of reconciliation in the face of strong political differences and perceived wrongs. 

Elements that make reconciliation difficult include pointless chest-thumping, ridicule of opponents, self-justification or rationalisation and the inability to make compromises for the sake of harmony.

Gestures of reconciliation and compromise initiated by victors in political contests, on the other hand, have the power to disarm challengers and create enabling environments where fruitful dialogue can happen.

If good political reconciliation is to happen, another important element in creating an enabling environment for reconciliation to happen is authenticity. People who feel aggrieved need to read that their perceived tormentors genuinely care about them and desire to build new bridges. In no way does the desire to mend fences translate into an admission of guilt rather it simply means someone cares about relationships and values community harmony. I have read some bit of this authenticity in Jaffar's gestures. One incident I read was Jaffar's encounter with his former boss at the Daily Monitor Conrad Nkutu whose father was killed by regime agents in the 1970s. One could see how much he meant every word of apology he said to Conrad. His teary apology spoke of the depth of his apology and the longing for healing in the life of Conrad and in his own life. It is this level of authenticity that needs to underpin reconciliation efforts.

Jaffar is teaching Uganda an important lesson. The earlier we acknowledged that parts of this country's political history have been traumatic (and some will be in future); the easier it will be for us to shift our gaze toward reconciliation.

The writer is a Catholic priest and PhD student at the University of Texas, Austin

 

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