ORGANISING: Dr Otim, Friends for Peace in Africa president
Letter from Toronto - Opiyo Oloya
NEXT week, from around the world, delegates will trickle one by one into Toronto. They will number about 100, maybe more but their determination and mission will be clear-there must be a way to stop the slow bleeding, the imminent death by neglect and savagery in northern Uganda.
The California-based Friends for Peace in Africa organise the conference titled Crisis in Northern Ugandawith support from the Toronto-based Acholi Diaspora Association. Speaking from Los Angeles, California, FPA president Dr Ochan Otim said that the goal of the conference is open new dialogue leading to peace in Northern Uganda. The current impasse with no movement is unacceptable to the people of Northern Uganda, Uganda and the entire civilized world,he said.
He argued that the government of Uganda and the LRA showed clearly in 1994 that peace is quite achievable without each side trying to win outright military victory over the other. To continue to pursue violence as a means of achieving peace is an outdated mode-we must now think clearly about the children whose lives have been turned upside down by the current chaos in the north.
The organisers of the conference are optimistic that the gathering will highlight the urgent need for the rest of the world to become involved in ameliorating the humanitarian disaster in northern Uganda. The organisers believe this call to action will allow organizations, individuals and politicians to meet, get to know each other and facilitate networking.
However, though invited, many top Canadian officials are currently involved in the federal elections campaign scheduled for Monday.
While there may be a new government next week, conference organisers plan to push for Canada to play a central role in resolving the conflict in northern Uganda. To date, Canadian politicians have expressed clear need for international intervention without committing to an actual plan, goals and timeline.
Former Prime Minister, Jean Chr�tien who retired in February spoke eloquently of supporting such an international force, however, his successor Paul Martin has been vague, focusing instead on the fight against HIV/AIDS epidemic in Sub-Sahara Africa.
As the world commemorates the 10th anniversary of the Rwanda genocide in 1994, many are again calling openly for an international intervention in conflict areas such as Eastern Congo and northern Uganda. They point to the fact that the UN failed to move with required speed to set up a peacekeeping force in Rwanda, leaving the country to degenerate into a civil blood bath between the Hutu and the Tutsi. The opposite happened in May 1998 when war broke out between Ethiopia and Eritrea, threatening to turn the Horn of Africa into a killing field.
Then US President Clinton played a crucial role in brokering a settlement. Using his special envoy Anthony Lake, supported by the National Security Council, State Department, and Defence Department, Clinton joined hands with the Organisation for African Unity and European Union envoys in resolving the conflict.
What could have been a disaster was turned out to be a short-lived skirmish in the desert.
According to FPA Canada Coordinator, Dr George Otto, several organisations and individuals were invited to the conference including Amnesty International, World Vision, and Canadian Physicians for Aid and Relief. He also confirmed that several individuals from across Canada, USA, Australia, Sweden, UK, Denmark, Kenya and Uganda had registered to attend the two-day conference beginning Saturday, July 2, through Monday July 4. Bishop Benoni Ogwal and Monsignor Matthew Odong, the vicar-general of Gulu Archdiocese, will come from Uganda. Also attending is Prof Amii Omara Otunnu from the University of Connecticut, and Gulu Municipality MP Norbert Mao.
Said Dr Otim, There is no debate that the next couple of months is crucial in turning this thing around-the time is now for the Government of Uganda to show its courage and leadership in turning the table around by negotiating unconditionally with the rebels.
It has the resources, the human power and the expertise of credible people like Betty Bigombe to draw from. That, to me, will be
the clearest indication to the whole world that the Government is really serious when it says it cares about the ordinary Uganda citizen currently trapped in the internally displaced camps.
The conference will be held at the Monte Carlo Inn in Richmond Hill, north of Toronto.
[EMAIL PROTECTED]
Published on: Wednesday, 23rd June, 2004
NB: I hope you will find time to read and sign a petition to stop the Northern Uganda carnage at: http://www.petitiononline.com/savacoli/petition.html
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