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The Acholi Want Nothing But Peace

New Vision (Kampala)
OPINION
December 8, 2004
Posted to the web December 8, 2004
Kampala
The Acholi want nothing but peace --The people always run to the UPDF for
protection when the LRA strikes
For the last two weeks or so, the media has been rife with stories of how four
members of parliament (MPs) from Acholi region were beaten up by some UPD
soldiers.
The MPs since then have made a statement of personal explanation to Parliament
and insist that some elements of the UPDF 'acting on instructions from above'
just descended on them inflicting injury and embarrassment.
However, a friend of mine who witnessed one of the incidents tells a different
story which, when collaborated with other scanty information from Kitgum, puts
a question mark on the real intentions of the so-called consultations of the
four MPs.
Since the insurgency broke out in the north, politicians have been relying on
the UPDF/NRA for their secure movements. The UPDF has done this irrespective of
whether the concerned MP is a supporter of government or a member of the
opposition. of course this is as it should be from any civilised government,
since these are representatives of the people.
In fact what I have always heard from most of the MPs from the north have been
complaints why the UPDF has not deployed in such or such a place to protect the
people.
All studies in civil-military relations undertaken in the north confirms that
the UPDF is very popular with the population there and that is why, despite the
confusion caused by a few politicians, whenever there is a clash between the
rebels and the UPDF, the people will always run towards UPDF for protection.
Now one wonders how such a disciplined force would turn against the people by
beating up their representatives. what could have happened? Anyway, since the
government has promised to investigate the issue, I will leave it at that.
however, I have some observations to make:
-"Mighty" as we may be as MPs, we should at all times act with humility. This
is because lack of it may force the people we represent to lift the
parliamentary veil and deal with us like any other person.
In fact MPs are referred to as 'Honourables' because society considers them to
be exemplary people who should at all times show restraint in whatever we do.
lMPs, especially those hailing from the Acholi sub-region should know that the
politics in that region has changed drastically.
The majority of the people of Acholi want peace and know for certain whom their
enemy is. The political rhetoric of 1996 and 2001 campaigns where some
mischievous politicians got support on account of their support for the
insurgency no longer impress the people of Acholi.
The people there expect a massage of peace and development from their MPs not
sounding war drums and actions that seem to undermine the hard earned lull in
atrocities in that part of the country.
Politicians who will fail to adjust to this reality might become insecure
themselves. It may not be surprising if one of these days the people take the
law in their own hands.
The people of Acholiland have become exceedingly aware that there is a click of
elite Acholi who spend most of their time in Kampala and whose only political
survival is the suffering of the innocent Acholi whom they have always confused
by attributing this suffering to government -not Kony.
The major work of this clique is to peddle misinformation telling the Acholi
how the NRM has an agenda to exterminate them through land grabbing schemes,
systematic killings and denial of any meaningful development.
But since lies are such a perishable commodity, the majority of the Acholi
people have come to realise that the real enemy of Acholiland is Kony and his
stooges in Kampala, London and Boston. come 2006 you will see how the people of
Acholi will vote to confirm this fact.
-As we blame and condemn the soldiers who beat up the MPs, let us also realise
that soldiers in the insurgency-infested areas are humans who are always
stressed for obvious reasons. It is not wise to provoke such people.
Sounding war drums in Acholi where everyone is in high mood for peace can only
earn one scorn. By the way, people should know that insulting President
Museveni annoys the majority of Ugandans who think he is doing a good job for
this country.
-When an MP initiates a slap he should not expect praises from the one he has
slapped. that can only be done in parliament where the majority of us are
really civilised but on the streets of Pajule, Mityana, Bushenyi or Tororo, a
slap is responded to by slaps, irrespective of one's mighty titles.
The writer is MP for Kassanda South Constituency

   

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