Parliamentary Representation In Acoli And The War

Caesar Nyeko Poblicks, London United Kingdom

There are numerous obstacles that will try and stop us in our search for peace, but the biggest one of all, the one that will stop Acoli quicker than all obstacles is you and I here today, if we drop our steadfastness for peace, which has so far been shown. Sometimes the obstacles that stop people getting the best out of them are simply fear of failure. Such fear stops even the most talented, brilliant people from achieving their potential.

I make this presentation with the knowledge that Acoli would like more out of life than what is happening at home, in relation to the war. I will not pretend to be an expert on parliamentary matters, but the politics of hatred and empty promises should be discouraged. As we progress towards the 21st Century we should give recognition to ur Members of Parliament (MPs) who have demonstrated a sense of unity by setting up the Acholi Parliamentary Group, despite their political differences.

It is important to appreciate the fact that whatever our differences on any issue, we must first be able to survive as a social group. Anything that destroys our very livelihood as Acholi, must be of concern to us all and more so to our representatives in parliament. Those working under the NRM system of government, including our MPs, should be reminded that Acholi would be in existence well beyond the mortal existence of Kony and Museveni. Our MPs should therefore with the people and inform them that destroying our land and the people should stop immediately. Kony and President Museveni may feel that it is not easy to change their current position, but they should know time might be running out for both of them as the years pass by. If they cannot organize their troops to deal with the causes they are fighting for, in northern Uganda, with minimum civilian death, then they should seek a peaceful end to the conflict now.

Members of Parliament should be seen to be as creative in their work as they have been during their campaigns. They (MPs) should send a message of peace to the LRA and UPDF that Uganda is (big) enough for all of us to accommodate one another. So, end the war now. Our MPs should contact the people who hosted Acholi in Tanzania to rebuild relationships and to ask them to mediate in a peace process. We Acholi have got lots of friends but we have been a little lazy in maintaining them. How many of us went back to Tanzania, as individuals or as a group, after the overthrow of Amin and in particular those who became members of parliament (MPs) in the 1980s?

I consider our current MPs real Angles on earth in their struggles to portray the real image of Acholi amidst hostile campaign against our people. The formation of the APG in itself is an important strategic move. Our MPs need support from people in exile rather than rebuke, because of their acceptance of a movement Government. The support is even more important because of the individual nature with which they represent the people, as they do not represent any political party and have no Secretariat to develop policies. The MPs are stuck in their constituencies with an army that prides itself of military superiority, but cannot protect its civilian population and their livestock, just because the majority of the rebels happen to be of the same tribe as the people in the area.

We should support our MPs in the efforts to influence the International community. International lobbying is like "Larakaraka" dance-(Myel-Moko). One needs to dance with style and skill to be picked by the opposite sex. We must convince the International Community that we have a case. That we need to develop our land and the insecurity in Acholiland is being used to further International interests at our expense. We are the grass that is suffering.

In conclusion, I suggest that Acoli Trust Fund (ATF) should be set up to fund the movement of our MPs around the world, without having to reply on Central Government, instead of pointing accusing fingers at them as to where they get their travel money . Our MPs have demonstrated peace-making skills amidst the conflict in northern Uganda. The same fund could also sponsor children's studies abroad and at home. This is possible for the simple reason; if one thousand individual Acholi each contributed £1.00 Sterling a month (£12 a year), this would add up to £12,000 a year. One pound sterling or whatever the equivalent is in another currency is only the cost of a can of soft drink. The real question should be how we can empower our MPs, so that they may contribute more effectively towards ending the war by the year 2000?

Thanks Mr Chairman