I recently received word from Edith at St. Ameria in Jinja. Some of the children that she cares for are from the war torn north. Some of the children went back to the north to visit any guardians they may have up there. Some were sent back having learned that there guardians were no longer around. This could mean that over the course of the last few years, they have been victims of the Lord’s Resistance Army (LRA) or that they have moved on, forgetting or dismissing these children as a part of their responsibilities. Either way, these children, already misplaced, are now without whatever family or relation that they had. Please keep them in your prayers.
Response Post to a film about child soldiers in Uganda.
Tribal Conflict
Africa has only recently known borders. Most of Africa is populated by tribal people. Most of the borders in Africa have not been drawn along cultures, people groups, and languages because to do this would be impossible. Instead of tribes being able to live on their land in peace as they had done for generations, country lines demanded country rulers.
Janina Matuszeski and Frank Schneider (2006) examined the correlation between ethnic lines and civil war within the boundaries of recognized 189 recognized countries. The economists found that people, even within the confines of a national border, adhere to other people that think and speak like them and at the fringes of those ethnic lines is where the conflict zones and civil wars break out. The government body usually only represents a fraction of the population who, in turn, watch out for the interests of their ethnicity causing rebel groups to rise up.
This is a pattern that occurs in many places. I am sure that when Joseph Koney first started his resistance, his intentions might have been good. That was a long time ago and since then he has produced evil deeds beyond belief. Many tribal communities have also been introduced to the Gospel and claim to be “Christians” yet still hold strongly to animistic traditions as well. Koney’s kingdom does not sound like the one that Jesus talked about. There is obviously something wrong with his thinking.
The Lord’s Resistance Army (LRA), and many other rebel groups who abduct child soldiers are able to brainwash the children at a very vulnerable age. Even though the family structure is much different and community based among many societies and tribes in Uganda, there is also a sense of caring for one’s-self even among children. Most children go to school away from their parents and when they get back have a lot of responsibility. It is also good to have a lot of children among the Acholi and birth control has generally been looked down upon until recent years. There are a lot of children to take care of and because of HIV and AIDS, there have been fewer parents to care for them. The caretakers, whether it be aunts, uncles, or grandparents have many mouths to feed and have to concentrate on those children who are most likely to succeed. Former child soldiers have been changed, and reintegrating them back into society at any level is a risk. Fear us a big driving force in animistic cultures and fear is what keeps guardians from having their children back. Therefore, social aid not only has to address physical, mental, and emotional care, but also spiritual for the child to succeed.
Matuszeski J., Schneider F. 2006. Patterns of Ethnic Group Segregation and Civil Conflict. Harvard University. Retrieved from http://www.cgdev.org/content/calendar/detail/12518/ on February 18, 2008
John, I really like your blog, your honesty, you communication skills! Keep it up.