Real stories

Rwot Joseph Oywak Ywakamoi describes his experience as a peacemaker:
Rwodi (hereditary chiefs) are arbitrators. We settle disputes by sitting down to dialogue and we have the moral voice to call society to order. Everyone in Acholi blesses the peace mission of the rwodi. The rebels still heed our voice and Kony trusts the rwodi. There is no feeling of revenge against the rebels. The people have forgiven them all the atrocities. I began my peace mission in 1994 at Kony’s invitation. In 2000, the rebels again called the rwodi, local councillors and government officials for peace talks. But government troops stormed the venue and opened fire. The rebels fixed another meeting for April 16, 2001, but on April 13 government troops stormed the rebel base. Another meeting was set for April 26, but government troops sprayed bullets and bombs on the civilians and rebels at the meeting. I was shot in the right leg.

Philip Oneko-mon-kikoko was abducted whilst still at primary school
After 14 years, I found bush life unfavourable. But escape from Kony is risky. I left with 35 combatants. We sneaked into Uganda. We wrote to the local authorities, but as we waited the government troops attacked us. I was angered by the betrayal.

The rest of my combatants have returned to their villages. But I am bitter. I came out of the bush hoping for a better life. I have no house, no property to begin life with. The resettlement package is ridiculous. Bush life seems bad to most people but I know what privileges the bush offers. If the status quo is not reversed, even those who have surrendered will return to the bush.

What I have seen is that the talk of peace in Uganda is empty talk. It is pure politicking. The spirit of those who framed the Amnesty Act and Commission is not the spirit of its implementation. The government has the resources and can be helped out by donors. Redress can best be through trustworthiness.

Charles Ochaya was abducted by the LRA in 1995
First they abducted my brother, then swooped again that evening on our village and snatched several of us. That was in 1995. I was in P.3.

Life was hard. We started plundering villages for foodstock. When the stock got exhausted before another raid, we picked wild leaves, boiled them and drank for the day’s meal.

I thought of my loving mother back home. I was her last born son and feared dying without seeing her. I risked escape. More people could escape but many of them fear they may not reach home. The women are told that escape means being captured by the Arabs as sex slaves. The captives also fear the hostile armed Dinka tribesmen. If the Ugandan and Sudanese governments could persuade the Dinka to receive the runaway captives, most combatants would have escaped.

As for me, I need basic physical necessities like housing and beddings. I still fear the rebels left in the bush. I just want to go back home and see what has become of it in my long absence. I want to gain a vocation.

Seneth Aol Opobo tells of her capture and imprisonment by the LRA
The rebels yanked us out of sleep and ordered us out.

[They] released Mother and our seven year-old brother since several of her children had been abducted. At Jabelein I was given to Kony. Because I hoped to return to school one day, I acted the mad and AIDS-infected girl. I wanted to avoid pregnancy because once you have delivered there’s no escape. Luckily Kony did not accept me into his household. [Kony’s lieutenant] was directed to deploy me in the hospital since I was educated. But I didn’t know anything to do with syringes, midwifery, etc. I got introductory training and learnt the rest from a big medical handbook.

On April 20, 2001, out of the five of our family, two of us managed to escape. But I was to return to a home without parents. Mother returned from captivity heart broken and her chest grew weak from gun butting. She wasted away and died. Father remained on our trail until we crossed into Sudan. He trudged back home weakened and heart broken. He didn’t live for long.

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