AFRICA/UGANDA - Holy Childhood Children in Kampala on solidarity mission to northern Ugandan children victims of violence and war

Friday, 16 December 2005

Gulu (Fides Service )- Catholic children members of Holy Childhood Mission Society from the archdiocese of Kampala, capital of Uganda, recently visited children living in relief camps in northern Uganda displaced and suffering because of violence by the rebel militia group the Lord’s Resistance Army LRA. Holy Childhood in Uganda is known as the St. Kizito Mission Society
A group of 28 Holy Childhood children from various different schools in Kampala took gifts to children in a number of camps in Lira and Gulu who lack food, clothing and a proper home. Gifts included clothes, shoes and food and assurance of prayers that peace will return very soon to northern Uganda. The camps visited included Aloi and Akanyi in the district of Lira and Palenga, Koro Lapainat and Unyama in the area of Gulu. After visiting the camps the delegation went to Lacor Hospital where large numbers of children go to sleep at night to be safe from night raids by the militia.
The children visited Rachele Rehabilitation Centre at Lira, e GUSCO Rehabilitation Centre at Gulu. At a meeting with the Archbishop of Gulu John Baptist Odama and the new Bishop of Lira Joseph Franzeli a message was read by Kikonyogo Remigio of St. Savio Junior School Kisubi, in which the children from Kampala said they had heard about the war and the terrible suffering it causes to their brothers and sisters in north Uganda, including kidnapping and killing of parents.
“We were very sad to hear all this and very angry” the message said.
Fr. Augustine Lukenge national secretary of Holy Childhood Uganda and Sr Mary Fortunate Nakitto who accompanied the children on their journey of solidarity said Holy Childhood children had wanted for a long time to visit children victims of 20 years of war.
Since 1986, northern Uganda has been devastated by violence on the part of the LRA. Formed mainly of Acholi, LRA since 1989 has fought president Yoweri Museveni who seized power in 1986 overthrowing a military junta of mainly Acholi officers who fled to Sudan an formed various groups, one being LRA. The LRA is infamous for abducting children to use as child soldiers. It is estimated that 20,000 children were abducted in 20 years of civil war.
LRA ideology is a mixture of Christianity, Islam and traditional African religions. This is why local religious leaders are committed to talking with the guerrilla leaders to reach peace. Archbishop John Baptist Odama of Gulu is one of the most active peace makers. (L.M.) (Agenzia Fides 16/12/2005 righe 42 parole 514)


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