AFRICA/UGANDA - A Christmas with hope for peace in northern Uganda: “but more than one million people are in conditions of extreme poverty” a local missionary told Fides

Monday, 13 December 2004

AFGHANISTAN

2024-04-22
Commemoration of the victims of the Easter attacks: Catholic Church wants to initiate the beatification process of their martyrdom

2024-02-07
Manipur, torn by conflict, tries to reconnect the threads of dialogue

2023-12-04
The Franciscan Pastoral Center of the Diocese of Jinan celebrates the 60th anniversary of Sacrosanctum Concilium, to continue walking on the paths opened by the Second Vatican Council

2023-10-16
Prayer for the reconciliation of the peoples of Israel and Palestine

2022-02-24
Integrating refugees into society: the commitment of the Pro Bambini Association of Kabul

2021-12-18
The Barnabites, with their hearts in Kabul: "Pray for Afghanistan"

Gulu (Fides Service)-“This Christmas will be different because the peace talks with rebels have given rise to new hope for the future” local sources in Gulu, main town of Gulu region in northern Uganda, devastated by years of violence perpetrated by the Lord’s Resistance Army rebels. In November the Uganda government declared a unilateral cease fire in a restricted area of northern Uganda, a condition to allow peace talks mediated by former minister Betty Bigombe (see Fides 24, 27 and 30 November 2004).
“If on the one hand there is hope for peace, on the other we must not forget the 1.6 million people in refugee camps in precarious sanitation and health conditions. For them Christmas will be poor” - the sources told Fides - “no presents for the children, no Christmas lunch seeing they depend completely on international food” the sources added.
“Unfortunately when peace is at last restored it will take years to improve the living conditions of the people here. Humanitarian agencies expect to keep camps open for at least another two years” the sources told Fides.
The atmosphere of the peace talks was dampened by a recent serious episode. Last week the LRA, which has bases in Sudanese territory, attacked the Sudanese village of Rajaf, killing at least 7 people and abducting 4. “It could have been an act of banditry by members of the LRA in search of food” local sources told Fides. “However it should be taken into account that according to the local press there is discord within the LRA leadership. Some say the leader Joseph Kony is sceptic with regard the outcome of negotiations whereas intermediate leaders are more confident that peace talks will succeed” the sources told Fides.
In northern Uganda at least 100,000 civilians have been killed, 25,000 abducted and almost the entire population, 1.6 million forced out of homes and villages and into refugee camps in unbearable conditions and at the mercy of repeated ruthless attacks by the militia of the Lord’s Resistance Army. (L.M.) (Agenzia Fides 13/12/2004 righe 35 parole 443)