LAUNCHING

OF THE

19 years of war have had a profound effect on the youth of Northern Uganda. An entire generation has been subjected to vicious attacks and been uprooted from their culture and homes. The national reconciliation process was officially launched at the conference, “Reconciliation: The Way Forward” in December 2004, and the central role of youth in the peace and reconciliation process is being increasingly recognised.

In response to calls from Acholi youth who express a desire to rediscover an awareness of their culture for reconciliation, Network for Peace Building Initiatives (NPI) and Uganda Literacy and Adult learners Association (ULALA) working in partnership with UNESCO Youth Ambassador for a Culture of Peace, launched the Culture-of-Peace road shows on 29^th February 2008 in Kit gum town in Northern Uganda. The choice of the venue was further influenced by the fact that it is an area that had suffered severe attacks by the renegade Lord’s Resistance Army yet it had received less civil society groups’ attention in contrast to its counterpart, Gulu partly due to the level of operative risks attached to the area.

The launch brought together groups of youths and adult learners from various areas in Northern Uganda. The aim of the culture of peace road shows is to promote a constructive inter-generational dialogue between youth groups, adults and elders about traditional Acholi reconciliation practices, in particular mato oput, and to discuss how these practices can be applied to building tolerance, forgiveness, reconciliation and peace today.

The main goal of this project is to develop a nationwide web of information-sharing which aims to support local, regional and national efforts to teaching peace. It also aims at improving the literacy levels of adult learners through involvement whilst demonstrating that adult literacy and youth involvement are paramount for a peaceful society.

BACKGROUND

Northern Uganda has been one of the flashpoints of the worst forms of violence in Africa for over the last two decades. An entire generation has been subjected to vicious attacks and been uprooted from their culture and homes. This conflict has had a multi dimensional approach with differences in opinion and options in bringing it to an end. While the government has been more focused on a military approach, civil society organisations continuously advocated for and cherished a non violent approach.

Peace and security depends on the fair distribution of life opportunities which include among others; fair distribution of life opportunities, respecting human rights, strengthening transparent and accountable structures of governance, the rule of law and protecting the natural foundations of life. This means therefore, crisis management in the short run must be linked to the long-term efforts aimed at overcoming the causes of violence.

Since no one can make peace for others, and must grow from within the society concerned, this project hinges therefore mainly on engaging all concerned both those involved directly and indirectly in the war and violent conflict.

The purpose of this project therefore is to give special promotion to local players who are capable of and willing to engage in peace and literacy programmes. The basis of this peace education project is networking and linking all stakeholders for a promotion of exchange of experience and knowledge in developing solutions for conflicts. The project brings to the fore a new element in promoting peace and civil conflict management through the development of skills for the elderly. This elderly-youth partnership is proving its worth through a coordination of peace building activities.

INTRODUCTION

The aim of this project is to promote peace building, reconciliation practices and tolerance through constructive inter-generational dialogues. It brings together youth groups and adult learners to discuss how different cultural and modern practices can be applied to building peace today.

The project further shows that adult literacy is paramount for facilitation of peace building amongst the youth. It goes on to work as a link between the widening gap between youth groups and the illiterate adults. Today, many youths have little experience in traditional reconciliation methods, therefore, as one of the objectives of this project is to bring together both groups to facilitate learning.  The central role of youth in the peace and reconciliation process is being increasingly recognised. The project aims at empowering the youth with positive values and attitudes towards win-win strategies for resolution of conflict. The youth are learning ways to manage difficult decisions and situations whilst promoting adult literacy in communities in Northern Uganda where 21 years of war have had a profound effect on the communities in that region. By linking the past and emerging present situations, the project activities help both youth and adults to constructively recognise and take into account the history of conflict while taking and creating advantages of opportunities for promoting desired change.

It should be noted however that the culture of peace road shows will roll out to other areas in the country. This is intended to educate and enlighten both youths and adults about their cultural heritage but also to reduce the innate negative stereotypes inherent in the different ethnic groupings across the country. The initial phase will cover Northern Uganda from West Nile up to the Teso region; thereafter roll out to other regions across the country

ACTIVITIES

Various activities were engaged in by groups of both youths and adults. These ranged from exciting local drama, music and folklore, speeches by paramount chiefs, veterans fighters in the various national army units, ex-combatants/ abducted children. There were different speeches where the speakers gave nerve wrecking experiences at the battle fields, while in captivity with a twin goal of changing the gun culture as well as asking for reconciliation and forgiveness (on part of the abductees/fighters who are seen to have engaged in atrocities in their own communities)

A peace truck mounted with a public address/music system and satellite dishes was used in schools and public places for publicity and mobilization.

Further publicity/mobilization programmes included use of local FM radio stations,   banners, fliers and tee-shirts with relevant messages. The main theme was, “Changing Minds ….Changing Lives”.  A peace match involving all participants was held in Kitgum town. The peace truck was very instrumental for both mobilization and peace match/walk. It was also useful for hosting the satellite dish for documentaries and literacy programmes. There was local drama by various local groups of youths and adults with themes of peace building and reconciliation. The main reconciliation practice  was the ‘mato oput’, a local reconciliation practice amongst the luo ethnic group which involves sharing the bitter drink alongside other traditional rituals by both the victims and perpetrators of the conflict to rid them of the evil spirits, promote forgiveness as well as reunite both groups. Others focused on the different causes of violence in the communities and how these can be solved. Among these were land conflicts, conflicts for scarce resources which have been are the leading causes of misunderstandings and deaths in the communities.

There were various cultural dances among the luo including those that are used to bring together communities in times of celebration and peace. Notable among these were the ‘bwola’ and ‘alarakrak’ dances popular among the luo (the largest ethnic grouping largely affected by the Northern Uganda armed conflict) on why and how peace, reconciliation practices and Tolerance should be built in the area.  They also focused on how both the youth and adults would work together to achieve this objective. They showed the people that most of them had suffered the same and where carrying wounds with in their hearts. Forgiveness and reconciliation was the only solution for them in-order to have peace among the community.

Literacy programmes were promoted amongst the adults with a focus of promoting peace through adult education. Further, The Peacemania newsletter was promoted amongst the youth during the activities.

 Gatherings of both youth and adults were also engaged in various competitions, dialogue groups, show of relevant videos and documentaries. Films and documentaries were carefully selected basing on their themes that focus on reconciliation and forgiveness, and how armed conflicts affect communities. These included films like ‘NO MORE WAR’, “Forgotten Peoples” among others.

Various speeches were made by different personalities including, paramount chiefs, elders, formerly abducted children as well as the coordinators for NPI and ULALA.

Lessons Learnt

The various activities at the launch brought to the fore the fact that cross-generational alliances for peace building were possible and paramount for education for peace and tolerance. Through different activities and speeches by cultural elders, it was unanimously agreed that through such and similar programmes, the culture of violence inherent among the youth could be changed.

It was also noted that the culture of peace road shows can effectively energize civil society initiatives in the area of peace building. It is a vehicle through which various stakeholders including government, cultural leaders, and youths can be brought together to work towards achievement of peace.

The most important lesson learnt was that there is need for the project to spread further to various parts of the country most especially in Northern Uganda as a means of building confidence as well as promoting reconciliation and dialogue.

It was also brought to the fore that both adults and youth in affected parts needed to be trained in different skills to scale down on violence. This it was said could be possible through training of community based trainers and local leaders to support the programme.

Challenges:

Insufficient funding could not permit the desired mobilization and continued activities despite the demand. The different corporate bodies like Uganda Breweries Ltd, Celtel as well as various civil society groups promised to participate in the next programmes since this one had come on at short notice and as a result of tight budgets.