How likely is conflict over the Nile waters?
Ferdinand Katendeko finds that pre-independence agreements by the then dominant Colonial power over the control of the vital Nile waters may lead to further conflict in conflict-torn Africa.
Crying out loud for the children
Catherine Onekalit asks the question can von-violent methods help to end the war that has lasted seventeen years in northern Uganda destroying the lives of thousands of children and young people. She notes that progress has been slow but that is no excuse for stopping. Quite the opposite, and one way of moving forward is to shout as loudly as possible. The Peace and Conflict Monitor is helping. Join in the cacophony.
Unknown Eternity
Catherine Onekalit offers another prose poem to bring home the horror of war and the hope for peace.
Development Aid and Human Security in Uganda
Human insecurities regarding food, water, education, and health characterise Uganda, despite the billions of aid dollars that flow into the country each year. The connection between development aid and corruption takes a central stage in this article, which shows how the intended purpose of development aid is largely diverted to meet the individual needs of elites, leaving the basic needs of the majority poor unattended to. The author concludes by boldly stating that if accountability, transparency, community participation, and good governance are not enforced in Uganda, then however much aid flows to Uganda, the common man SHALL remain in poverty and misery.
Kony2012 and the legacy of the Rwandan Genocide
Atkilt Geleta compares and contrasts the ways in which African conflicts have been treated by “the international community”, with a special emphasis on the 1994 Rwandan genocide and the Kony2012 campaign. Despite their differences, Geleta argues that there are significant, and unsettling, similarities.
Oil in Uganda: A Resource Curse?
The discovery of oil in Uganda places high hopes but also poses challenges for the country, thus it is both a blessing and a curse. Various literature and documents are reviewed in this paper to validate my personal experience and observation from the civil society perspective, that many conflicts including land conflicts, the displacement of wildlife, propaganda, a scramble by multinationals, tense political exchanges, anxiety, and high expectations enshrine the discovery of oil in Uganda. Action research and a continuous, conflict-sensitive approach can help achieve sustainable peace.
The Year 2003: A Beacon of Hope in Eastern Africa
With the year 2003 drawing to an end in less than two months, Ferdinand Katendeko, despite the history of conflict and simmering violence in many parts of the region, looks at the countries that compose the Inter Government Authority on Development (IGAD), and finds much to be hopeful about.
Three tales of Rwandan Genocide
Ferdinand Katendeko writes:
“Whenever the month of April approaches, I recall what happened in my neighbouring country, Rwanda. What policies should governments put in place to avoid this genocide? How should the international community prepare itself to avoid such an occurrence? What role should the local community in such circumstances of brother killing a brother? What about the regional community? These are some of the questions that I would pose for every one to ponder as they read the testimonies given below.”
Women’s Voices at War: In the Stars
Women’s World is a global free speech network founded in 1994 to develop programmes to enable women to have a stronger public voice. They recently ran an essay contest “Women’s Voices in War Zones” co-sponsored by the Nation Institute and supported by the Puffin Foundation. The essays were judged by Ammiel Alcalay, Katha Pollitt and Paula Giddings. The three categories for entries were: citizens/residents of the USA; immigrants/refugees;
citizens/residents of other countries. We print the winner from Uganda.
Genocide in Rwanda: Draft Case Study for Teaching Ethics and International Affairs
This case aims to use the genocide of 1994 in Rwanda to help students appreciate what may be the roots and common causes of genocides. It is written in the suspicion that there may be some sort of “recipe” that can be followed by political elites bent on the extermination of a group. This article was originally published on http://www.ciaonet.org/isa/wrs01/