The Uganda People’s Defence Forces (UPDF) cannot be eliminated when you are talking about the silence of the guns in northern Uganda as the army used all the tactics including recruiting the defectors from the Lord Resistance Army (LRA) side to get their style and launch a strategic offensive.
Joseph Kony never penned his hands in the Juba peace talk agreement and the UPDF through the support of the South Sudan Government and the Central African Republic with blessings from the African Union kept pursuing the UPDF even outside Uganda to keep the borders safe.
Archbishop Dr. John Baptist Odama who was the chairperson of Acholi Religious Leader’s Peace Initiative kept the side of having dialogue to using guns as the end means to the conflict. He never at any point accepted or agreed to using guns as the end means to the LRA insurgency but kept telling the President and the UPDF that it’s only through peace talks that the North can rest from war.
Recently, President Yoweri Museveni said they delayed flashing out Allied Democratic Forces rebel in the Democratic Republic of Congo because the DRC government had not given them access but now they are in operation due to the access now granted by the DRC.
“These countries were supportive and they allowed us to enter their territories to keep chasing Joseph Kony so that he is never a security threat in Uganda and neighboring countries”.
President Yoweri Museveni said recently in his latest address to the Country on ADF rebels currently in the Democratic Republic of Congo.
The UPDF could have registered some shortfall in dealing with the civilian community during the war but many people believed that the UPDF as well deserved civilian recognition for the roles they played.
“Is true the UPDF sacrificed a lot, there were junior officers like Okok among others, I used to hear their names, they gave their best to protect students at Sacred Heart Girls Schools, Gulu High Schools, St Joseph’ Collage Layibi. Even though they were doing their normal duty, I know for a fact, that some of the students remember them today”. Okot Francis a Gulu City town resident told the Elephant.
Okello Michael, not a real name said the UPDF officers deserve no recognition because most of the commanders and officers who operated in Northern Uganda like Nathan Mugisha, Lucky Kidega, Shief Ali, James Kazini, Paddy Ankunda, and Chris Magezi, among other generals got promotions, and were appreciated by the UPDF, hence there is no need again for the civilian community to appreciate them again.
Owor Arthur, the Director Centre for African Research said that because of the volatile situation in the north, it strategically became ground for the promotion of many UPDF officers but as a combat area, northern Uganda also suffered the wear and tear in many operations like Sim-Sim and Iron Fist with some errant commanders who were completely not sensitive to human rights and practiced excesses in the operations.
“We appreciate increasing cordial civil-military relations the army has been building for a long time. We see journalists being allowed to go to the Fourth Division Barracks, play football together, the army cleaning towns and markets and this is a positive development”. Owor said.
In his opinion, the UPDF commanders who were cognizant of people’s rights and remained humane even at the time of the LRA war need to be recognized for their conduct but should be selective in terms of conduct audit as per that time.
The late Abiriga, the strongest proponent for recognition of the Army’s Role in peace:
In September 2012 when the late Retired Major Abiriga Ibrahim was still the Arua Resident District Commissioner, he traveled to Gulu, to attend a function where Archbishop Dr. John Baptist Odama was being awarded the 2012 annual International Peace Award by World Vision from Kaunda Ground.
When James Nabinson Kidega, the then Gulu RDC at that time gave his fellow RDCs to speak, Abiriga used his opportunity to rubbish the peace award with the first complaint that is not proper for the International Community to be the one giving the peace award since they might not have full records of every contributor to the peace.
“This peace price should have been going to the UPDF; I mean the caliber of General, Salim Saleh, the likes of Otema Awany, and other UPDF commanders but not selectively like this” He retorted.
He added that people have forgotten that guns played a major role in the peace the Northerners are seeing today.
The heated then RDC said many people had hard worked for peace and there was no reason for the international community to be the one giving the peace price but rather the mandate should have been given to the local community to give it to the people they felt, played a bigger role. This left the crowd murmuring and jeering.
“This peace price is useless and based on these criteria soon or later it would also be given to chicken to have it “. Immediately all the people got up in uproar forcing Gulu RDC to remove the microphone away from his mouth.
Then Gulu district speaker, Okello Douglas Peter who also had swallowed, enough blasted the RDC.
“My friend this thing has its process, you can come and see it with me later but you can’t fatten a cow on a market day “Douglas Peter yelled, sending relief to the crowd who had wanted to beat Abiriga Up.
The then Chairman, of Acholi Parliamentary group, Okumu Regean told Abiraga Ibrahim at that time, the UPDF who were fighting were doing their national duty and they had been recognized with medals as others were promoted away from their previous ranks.
“The Bishop deserves the Award because many people got millions of shilling from the President to go to the bush but never went, though here is a man of God who received no coin to talk to the LRA and makes him above many “Okumu defended the Archbishop.
Archbishop Dr. John Baptist Odama in his acceptance speech knelt, sending people into tears, as he asked forgiveness from everybody in case he had wronged anybody in his struggle for peace in the region.
“My tribe is the tribe of Humanity and that is where I belong, however as I receive this peace award, I forgive all those who have abused me, though there is a lot to be done since many children still hang in captivity “. The teary Bishop commented.
The award comprised of a medal with his pictures and 5000 US dollars but after receiving the cheque, the Bishop donated the Money for School fees there and then.
“I cannot use this money because many children need to go to school and today and here I will hand it over for school fees for children in Acholi Education Initiative sponsorship.
Then Minister of State for Northern Uganda, Rebecca Otengo who was the Chief Guest also applauded the Acholi Religious Peace Initiative which united for peace in the region.
“Here they are together from all faiths but never got separated on the religious grounds because they were for the same course, peace”. She commented
Was Rtd Major Abiriga Misunderstood or His Advocacy Was on The Wrong Forum?
Reviewing what happened Twelve years ago as presented above, got the Elephant’s editorial asking if the late Abiriga was misunderstood for pushing for the UPDF soldiers to be recognized or maybe he used a wrong advocacy forum to push for what he felt was right.
As the Late Abiriga criticized the International Community for recognizing the people who contributed to peace, Betty Bigombe Oyella, the former Minister of Northern Uganda and Current Ambassador of Uganda to Malaysia is also not contented with the International awards but rather wants a home award, thank God, Makerere has already started the process.
Audio File One. Bigombe wishes for more local recognition-Eng
This demonstrates the relevance of local recognition by the community not far from what Abiriga was advocating for. According to Abiriga, the local community knows you best and at times doesn’t have to read about you to recognize you.
The name ‘Atuku’ is a name given by the native to Betty Bigombe and without the local ownership, Bigombe feels her thirteen international awards are useless to her.
Ovola George the NRM Registrar in Gulu believed that Abiriga felt it was the best platform for him to send his message. According to Ovola, people liked Abiriga for speaking the truth and later saw him as a member of parliament for Arua.
Ovola said Abiriga could have just advocated for the UPDF to be recognized by the community and would have not gone personal on the Archbishop who is a genuine peace icon in the region.
UPDF speaks out on Civilian Recognition of the Army:
Colonel, Deo Akiki the Deputy UPDF spokesperson told the Elephant that the Army has the sole duty of protecting the borders and ensuring there is peace in the country and the service is not for any recognition but a patriotic sacrifice to the nation.
He said if the civilian community feels they want to recognize or give an award to any military officer, it is additional but never a demand of the UPDF.
“Ours is service and that is it, whoever wants to recognize the army we appreciate, but we shall never demand recognition, never”. He said.
Ends
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