Northern Uganda Messenger Post

NORTHERN UGANDA MESSENGER POST: Acholi want Peace: The LRM/A Military Leaders Should Resolve their own Confusions on Juba!

Despite utterances by Walter Ochora, direct presidential appointee in Gulu, Acholi, and the authors of the Nabanga communique- which were picked up and amplified by local and international commentators-to the contrary, no Acholi inside and outside Uganda opposes the urgent need for the return of peace and stability to northern Uganda. As Peter Okema Otika pointed out here http//:www.monitor.co.ug/artman/publish/insights/Scapegoats_of_a_bloodied_land_From_peace_to_war_in_Northern_Uganda.shtml today, Acholi, like any other social organism, is diverse in terms of demography, gender, class, and many other social categories. Consequently, there are things that will be perceived in particular ways-how it enhances or hurts particular interests. Which is not a bad thing. For instance, the peace process and any settlement raises the concerns of many and varied constituencies-Acholi political leaders, Acholi civil society, Acholi peasants in the conentration camps, Acholi traditional leaders, Ac...

NORTHERN UGANDA MESSENGER POST: Are LRA Delegation Leaders LRM Ideologues or Professionals rendering professional services?

The feud between James Obita and David Matsanga, LRM/A former and current and former and current again! peace delegation leaders, is upon us again! I am not going to ask any questions that I already know the answers. Any questions that I have had on the Juba process and peace for northern Uganda, I have done through posting here: www.northernugandapost.blogspot.com/. I am sure many who have kept abreast of the Juba debacles have seen some of them. The last two recent ones (1) When a creidtor calls; and (2) Acholi leaders must define the part of the peace they seek, are very relevant to what we are talking about today. Those who did not see may want to read them. Now to the issue I set out to raise: Does James Obita, still have access to a copy of or notes to his speech / address he gave at the KM97 conference? Those who are interested in acquainting themselves with that speech may want to check it out at: www.km-net.org.uk/ In my humble view, James Obita may need to re-visit that text...

NORTHERN UGANDA MESSENGER POST: Acholi Must Define their Part of the Peace they Seek

NORTHERN UGANDA MESSENGER POST: The Way Forward in Northern Uganda lies in a just peace

The way forward in northern Uganda lies with justice being seen to be done in the efforts for a just peace. Therefore, the way forward out of the impasse lies not in a regional military solution, foolishly supported by the UN forces in Congo, but unequivocal support of the ICC indictment of the LRA leaders; the rejection and renunciation of Mato Oput-the Acholi tradition justice mechanism-and the Special unit of the Ugandan High court as complementary and alternative justice mechanisms to the ICC; and the creation of an international Special Tribunal for northern Uganda at the Hague, to investigate and try all cases of war crimes and crimes against humanity committed in the period of the conflict before the ICC came into force (1986-2002). The special tribunal and the earlier ICC indictments of the LRA, would then run successevely. Time is of the essence. There is already something in the air about a possible regional coalition of the willing, to smoke out the Lord's Resistance Arm...