Read This!

Reader input:

I received the following commentary from a reader of this blog after my last post, "Congo Craziness". Twon Dako is a northern Ugandan, and offered up a perspective that is often missed. In the age of the Internet and the World Wide Web, it is very easy to type in a search term, gather countless articles, and gobble up all the information presented. Unfortunately (especially when we are thousands of miles away from the news) we often miss the context of that news, the human connection.

As posted at 9:15 p.m. on January 27th:

As a northern Ugandan who has followed the blogs from your last trip (many of them transporting me right back to familiar locations and people), I am so grateful for your enthusiasm for helping the children and schools, and also fully aware of the sacrifices you make towards it. Apwoyo matek!!!

I also wanted to comment on the latest military action in the DRC aimed at ending the LRA threat. I think I speak for most Acholi in saying to us, news of the offensive was very sad and heartbreaking, ending hope for the only viable way to achieve real peace in the region.

From the perspective of our experiences over the last 23 years, this looks uncannily like déjà vu, reminding us of Operation Iron Fist I (2002) and later Iron Fist II (forays into southern Sudan declared to eliminate the LRA once and for all) and many others before that. Here are what they all have in common:

Each time, as the local population in the war zone presses for dialogue with the LRA to end the war, and it looks like there is peace on the horizon, the government and army gradually ramp up their rhetoric against the LRA, and for a military solution, then they launch a sudden scary-named end-all military operation, with a lot of bravado. The operations involve aggressive strategies such as the use of helicopter gunships and bombing indiscriminately without a care for abductees, but generally not engaging them closely enough to harm the LRA leadership or rescue a significant number of abductees.

As the LRA very predictably scatter and retaliate against the civilian populations, and as they widen their forage for food and supplies (having lost their bases and supplies), the Uganda army and government then step aside to watch from a safe distance, leaving civilian populations totally unprotected. As a result of Operation Iron Fist in Sudan, the LRA intensified and extended the range of their raids and abductions in Sudan, and in Uganda even farther than Acholi, into Lango and Teso in eastern Uganda, places not previously affected. And reaching levels of brutality never witnessed before. Then just like the current military offensive in the DRC, with Iron Fist, the Ugandan army asked Sudan for many subsequent extensions to give them time to wipe out the LRA. I don’t need to tell you what the outcome was.

And then when proof is demanded of the loudly proclaimed success of the operation, the army provides photographs of an assortment of trophies from Kony. Following Iron Fist, I think it was Kony’s favorite “Kaunda” suit and photographs among other things. This time in Operation Lightning Thunder it was a wig, guitar, pots and pans, and later computers and satellite phones. All this proof is provided with impressive claims of very narrowly missing the capture of Kony by a whisker - they nearly grabbed his shadow, and how it is only a matter of time before LRA are history. (It is a big joke with many Ugandans.) We’ve heard it so often it sounds like a broken record!

As the death toll, horror, destruction, and displacement from reported increased LRA atrocities mount, then the Uganda government propaganda arm loudly proclaim to the UN, the world and any international donor partners who will listen how evil the LRA are, while avoiding all responsibility on their part, and giving a litany of excuses for the failures to meet operation goals (bad weather, dense jungle terrain this time), and no explanations for their failure to protect civilians – always getting to the scene of a just concluded massacre or discovering a fresh mass grave.

All this may not make logical sense to most straight-thinking people but through the half-hearted military operations with predictable results they can now provide fresh proof of the evil and brutality of LRA, further demonizing them (if that is possible), and more importantly creating justification for more aid for military spending, and more empathy for their side. At the same time, it is a great excuse for the continued total marginalization of northern Uganda and abdication of government responsibility towards its northern citizens. Surprise, surprise - the president last week suspended the implementation of the PRDP (Peace, Reovery & Development Plan) worth hundreds of millions of dollars!

So, was the Uganda army attack December 14 attack and the few LRA “trophies” captured worth the 640 plus Congolese, Sudanese and abducted Ugandan children’s lives with massive displacement and human suffering incurred in the region? Is it worth the new risks and exposure of victim communities? Could a little more patience and diplomatic or psychological strategy have yielded better results in this hostage situation? You be the judge.

I pray that our worst fears are not realized so that you and all the volunteer teachers will still be able to go to northern Uganda this summer.

Twon Dako (not my real name)

January 27, 2009 9:15 PM

Thank you, Twon, for providing us with your unique perspective. I hope that, in sharing your thoughts, others will understand the true frustration and desperation of the people of northern Uganda. Apwoyo tutwal.

Congo Craziness

In the month since my last post, quite a lot has happened on the ground in the Democratic Republic of Congo (DRC). The armies of the DRC, Uganda, and Southern Sudan have destroyed most of the Lord’s Resistance Army’s (LRA) bases, eliminated many of their food stores, and captured multiple weapons caches. Several rebels have turned themselves in (mostly children and abductees), but most of the LRA is still scattered and moving through the Congo. Along the way, they have reportedly raided many villages, murdered many civilians (the UN places the number at over 900 currently—the worst attacks in 4 years), and abducted many more into their ranks. On a few occasions, the LRA has locked villagers into churches. In one instance, they murdered hundreds with machetes and clubs, and in another, they burned the church to the ground. As a side effect of these atrocious acts, over 130,000 civilians in the DRC have become displaced, fleeing their villages out of fear. Several LRA soldiers have also reportedly moved into Southern Sudan where they have killed a Sudanese Chief, Gordon Jalal Ngirimo.

The LRA, of course, is denying the attacks while continually calling for the resumption of peace talks. They are claiming that president Yoweri Musevini has orchestrated the attacks with UPDF soldiers, placing blame on the LRA in order to bring hatred on the LRA both locally and internationally. The ICC is investigating these allegations, but the UN is convinced that the attacks are attributable to the LRA.

On January 14, the Ugandan and DRC governments agreed to extend their military efforts against the LRA (the recent agreement ended Jan 14, 30 days after the initial December 14th attacks) for another 21 days. They are still confident that the LRA is running and Joseph Kony’s days are limited. Just this week, another rebel leader, Laurent Nkunda, was captured in Rwanda putting the UPDF and Congo forces in high spirits. Nkunda was responsible for capturing Bukavu, the capital of Sud-Kivu province in the DRC, last year causing the displacement of thousands. Hopefully this is a sign of positive change and progress on the ground.

In Uganda, people are certainly nervously optimistic. Musevini has assured his country that the LRA will not set foot on Ugandan soil, and has taken measures to ramp up security along the borders of the north. Unfortunately, for many in the north, the fear of future attacks is enough to keep many people in the Internally Displaced Camps. Up until recently, many residents of the IDP camps had begun moving home to the more remote villages. Now, most people still in the camps are staying, and several are moving back from their villages.

As for the Teacher Exchange program, I am moving forward as planned. The situation in Uganda is secure, and if there were ever a time to help try to restore a sense of normalcy and help rebuild infrastructure, now is it. Please keep your eyes open for forthcoming posts about how you can help me get to Uganda. If you want to make a donation, you can do so by clicking on the ChipIn donation link on the top left of my blog. I will be posting information soon about how to make donations directly through Invisible Children to support my trip as well. If you would like to wait to use this option, you will receive a tax receipt to use as a deduction on your 2009 taxes (sorry, it’s too late for 2008!) I will also be running several fundraisers in the coming months to raise money for my trip.

Best,
Matt

Uganda takes decisive action

This past Sunday (December 14), the joint forces of Uganda, the Democratic Republic of Congo, and Sudan attacked Joseph Kony and the LRA's camps in the Garamba National Forest in the DRC. This action signaled the offical end to the ceasefire agreement that has lasted (unless you count Kony's countless attacks on villages in the DRC, Sudan and CAR...) for almost three years. The UPDF Commenced the attacks with an air raid that severely damaged the huts in Kony's main camp setting them on fire and sending the rebels fleeing into the jungle. When ground troops arrived to inspect the camps, however, they did not find any casualties. Troops did locate evidence of severe injuries and soldier presence leading up to the attacks though and speculate that the rebels may have been alerted to the attacks or were able to carry off wounded and dead rebels before the ground troops arrived. Currently, cut off from his food supplies and other resources, Kony may be in trouble. The UPDF is air dropping leaflets throughout the jungle in an effort to encourage the scattered troops to assemble at safe points so that they may avoid attack and be rescued. They have also set up an opportunity for Joseph Kony to travel to Ri-Kwangba in safety to sign the final peace deal (he has already failed to sign seven times). If he does not, then he will be hunted down until captured or killed.

Human rights groups are somewhat supportive of this action, but also warn that there is the possibility of injuring or killing child soldiers--many of whom were abducted and are being held against their will.

Uganda has vowed that the LRA will not be able to get back into Uganda and is ensuring that its citizens will remain safe. There has been no word yet from Invisible Children (nor do I expect any--there is a lot of time between now and next summer) about the possible impact on the teacher exchange for 2009. Right now our best bet is to hope for the safety of all involved as well as a speedy resolution to this 23-year crisis. I will keep you informed as the situation develops.

Best,
Matt

I love Uganda (and its people!)--photos round 4

St. Judes orphanage

St. Judes orphanage

St. Judes orphanage

St. Judes orphanage

Dolly--words cannot describe her personality--truly a friend

Walter, the headmaster at Pabo S.S., with his children--he is in the "pharmacy" that his wife runs in Pabo

Christine, our neighbor in Pabo, on the day she opened her shop

Charles with nephews, neices, and neighbors

A woman in the Pabo IDP camp with her children-sorting g-nuts

The boda drivers at the boda stand in Pabo

Water jugs on a bicycle

A Heals dance atthe IC house in Gulu

Downtown Gulu

Balu Robinson Cruse (yep, that's his name)--probably the coolest guy on the continent

Beautiful landscape of the Ugandan country from the top of a VERY large hill near Fort Patiko. If you could see over the mountains in the distance, you would see Sudan.

Uganda Wildlife (photos round 3)

These dudes were all over the place

Weird...just weird

It was hard not to find a racy baboon picture...

Probably the wildest life we encountered on our safari

Interesting Giraffe fact--The older they get, the darker the spots

Water buffalicous

They're not dangerous...really...I swear...

photos round 2

These are some photos of the fantastic people that I met and worked with during the summer exchange.


This is a group picture after our final dinner at a fantastic Turkish restaurant in Kampala.


These are my Pabo "sisters" on our Rhino excursion.


Heading out to town (Insider's tip--don't wear shorts in Uganda unless you are eight years old--especially with titanium white legs!)


Hiking at Fort Patiko


After movie night at Kope Cafe


Just goofing around


Heading out to the Teaching and Learning Conference in Gulu--Pack thouse munus into that truck!


Big man on campus (and John)


Having fun at St. Judes.

And Finally, Some Photos

These photos are from the Invisible Children 2008 Teacher Exchange experience in Gulu and Pabo Uganda.

This first set of photos comes from the school I taught at as well as photos from some other teaching partners.

The Final Chapter

I only have about 15 minutes before the internet cafe closes, so (thank your lucky stars) this will be another short post.

As I finished my Pabo adventures this afternoon, I look forward to another four days of re-aquainting with the amazing people who have made the journey with me. All 23 of the IC teacher exchange teachers will be heading out for Murchison Falls tomorrow afternoon. We will safari on Sunday before heading to Kampala. On Monday, we will travel to Jinja where we will brave the wild Nile river (and the multitude of parasites that live within). On Tuesday, the group will travel back to Kampala to prepare for our final departure. A quick trip to the equator on Wednesday morning will finalize my glorious (though too short) stay in the wonderful country of Uganda. I really look forward to spending some time with the people that started this journey with me, and sharing all of our various stories from spending time apart at our various school sites.

Pabo was fantastic again this week. Things with Oola Charles went swimmingly, Trisha and Danielle kept my ego in check, and I spent some good time out of school with a few wonderful teachers. Today at lunch the teachers delivered a few speeches to wish us safe journeys, we shook many hands, had a few sodas, and did a lot of hugging. It is amazing how close you can become with some people in only a few short weeks. It was painful to say goodbye to many of my new friends. By the end of the four weeks, real relationships have developed, and there are many people I intend to keep in touch with. Maybe (sorry mom and dad) I will even get to see some of them again! When the treasurer of the PTA offered to pay me a salary, and a few teachers offered me a corner of their rooms, I must say I was tempted to stay. The routines, customs, and experiences in Pabo (and Uganda) have definately grown on me. But...I am also looking forward to getting home and sharing all my experiences with you, my friends.

I look forward to catching up with you soon. Apwoyo! (And to all of my Ugandan friends, Dei Dong Maber--your memories will keep me smiling.)


Yours,
Owat Matthew Michelin

(I'll tell you about the new name when I get back--Peace!)

My last post for a while (Maybe)

Time is very limited this week with me being out in Pabo, so I will be posting only briefly this weekend. The chances of me posting again are getting small, so I may not be able to fill you in on everything until I get home.

I am back in Gulu for the weekend. Tomorrow morning though, I will be heading out to Masindi Rhino Breeding Grounds to go see the great beasts in their real life habitat. I won't return until Sunday afternoon at which time I will have to probably hop into a matatu and head back out to Pabo. Next weekend, we will be leaving for our slow trip back to Kampala with stops in Jinja for rafting on the Nile (Nick, I'll pick up your parasites here) and Murchison Falls National park for a 1/2 day safari. I do not know what the internet access situation will be.

This past week in Pabo has been fantastic on all fronts. I spent some serious time reflecting on Monday, gained some new perspective, and changed my approach at the school. Charles and I have made tremendous progress this week. My frustrations and worries have been assuaged, and I know that (however small), I have had an impact on his teaching practices and the school. I also decided to focus less on the teaching aspect of the exchange this week and spend more time interacting with the students and community. Kids in Pabo now love frisbee, many were very sad when they discovered that I was not staying for the weekend (there will be a celebration at the school), I am working with a large group of students on an African essay competition, I have visited with a few teachers and have taken dinner at on of their homes, and I have been interacting with people from the community. One of the people I have talked with several times is the treasurer of the Pabo S.S. PTA. He has passed along several gracious and very heart warming comments that he has received about me from students and parents in the community. Small successes are becoming the food that sustains me.

I will leave you with a few thoughts from my experience so far:

Red clay is impossible to get out of your clothes.

Hospitality really is lacking in the United States, and we should really reach out to each other much more.

Never give your phone number to a drunk Ugandan woman.

Friends make it all worthwhile.

And most importantly, warm beer can be quite delicious sitting under a Eucalyptus tree out of the hot African sun or sitting on a porch in the cool african evening.

Best wishes to all in the states! Let the adventure continue!

Best,
Matt

Installment #15--TGIF

Friday was all right. School was only in session through break at 11:30, but Charles and I had two classes. The first class was the same as before, but during the second class, Charles actually did incorporate one of the strategies (for five minutes) that we had been talking about. Finally, a little sign of exchange happening! After yesterday, it was enough for me to feel slightly better. After break, teachers hung out for a while. The school was supposed to have the handing over celebration (where class prefects step down and pass their position on to the newly elected prefects), but like everything in Uganda, it did not start on time. While we waited, we were able to play a few games of Scrabble. The teachers at Pabo play Scrabble fiercely—many know the Scrabble dictionary and pull out words that I have never heard of before. Lunch was served a little after 1:30, and by 3:00, the handover ceremony still had not started. The IC truck swung by the school though, so we hopped on our bikes, headed back to the White House, packed, and scooted off to Gulu. When we got to the IC house, there was some homemade pizza waiting for us, and at 7:00 we had another group discussion on an article about cultural education in Africa. When the group discussion was over, a large group of us (John, Aaron, Amy, Jon, Ben, Josh, Allison, and a few other people) headed out to KSP for a few beers. John, Josh, Aaron, Ben and myself headed out to Da Pub and had a few more beers, and then came back to the IC house where we played cards for a little while longer before finally hitting the sack.

On Saturday morning, we had a discussion about Paulo Friere’s book, Pedagogy of the Oppressed. It is a book that talks about revolution and how it must happen so that the oppressors and the oppressed can come to some cultural praxis of change. Very intense stuff. After the book talk, I headed into town and went to the market. I purchased some fabrics and am having a few items of clothing made. The market is full of tailors who will make just about anything you ask them to, all for 5000 ugsh (about $3) and the price of the fabric. I also hopped over to the fruit section of the market and picked up a few things for lunch, and our teacher party Sunday afternoon. In the early afternoon Saturday, we headed out to Fort Patiko. Patiko is an old Arab slave trading fort that was liberated by Sir Samuel Baker in the late 1800’s. We had a guide who shared much history with us, showed us the hundreds of gouges in the rock floor where axes had stuck after cutting cleanly through the necks of slaves who were sick, weak, or would otherwise not bring money at market, and shared with us some details about life at the fort. It was a very interesting tour. After the tour, most of the group headed out on a hike to the top of a hill (very very large hill with steep rock walls) to catch a view of the surroundings. The hike was tedious, but the view was worth it. Standing on the top of the hill, one can see for hundreds of miles. We were able to see Pabo camp, Gulu, and even see the mountains/hills that are the border to Sudan. Had the hills not been there, we would have seen Sudan. We came back down after the hike to a barbecue of vegetables, chicken (which I hear was delicious), and chapatti. Everything was washed down by a few nice warm beers (I even had a Guiness). After enjoying our relaxing barbecue, it was back to the IC house. Unfortunately, when we got there, the power was out (another common occurance in Uganda). So, making lemonade out of lemons, it was back to Da Pub (they have a generator) for a few cold Nile Specials and some good conversation with Kyle, Sarah, Jen, Jolene, Allison, David A., John M, Josh, and one really drunk Ugandan man.

Best,
Matt