This just in from Sudan. When will the LRA lay down their arms?
***
South Sudan, Uganda urge International pressure on rebel LRA
Saturday 10 February 2007 00:55.
Feb 9, 2007 (KAMPALA) — Governments of Uganda and southern Sudan have called for international pressure on the Lord’s Resistance Army (LRA) rebels to return to the negotiating table.
The appeal was made by foreign minister Sam Kutesa and South Sudan regional cooperation minister Dr. Barnabas Marial Benjamin yesterday, after the two signed a historical trade pact, the New Vision reported.
“We urge the international community to exert more pressure on the LRA,” Kutesa said. “They acted in bad faith. They wanted (to move the talks to) Kenya and South Africa. Both countries have categorically stated that they will not host the talks.”
The LRA delegates pulled out of the talks last month, claiming they were no longer safe in Juba and that the mediator was biased. But Kutesa dismissed these claims, warning this was the LRA’s last chance for peace.
The Ugandan rebels who have been fighting for 20 years in a bloody insurgency known for widespread atrocities.
“It is not a timeless exercise. It is not a business. It is a joint effort to end the suffering of our people in northern Uganda and South Sudan. We have confidence in the Government of South Sudan, the mediator and the special envoy Joaquim Chissano,” he said.
Benjamin added that after 39 years of war, the people of South Sudan wanted peace. “Our commitment is total. It is strategic that the LRA comes back to the talks. The talks must continue and Juba shall remain open. In spite of the insecurity caused by the LRA in Eastern Equatoria, we are asking the LRA to assemble so that we can end this thing once and for all”, the minister of South Sudan said.
The remarks were made at the end of a two-day closed meeting where the ministers worked out a cooperation agreement.
The deal, the first of its kind, provides a framework for cooperation on infrastructure development, trade, education, health, justice, law and order, defence and security, agriculture and animal husbandry, environment, energy, mines, gender, culture, youth and sports.
“Trade between our people has been going on without our initiative and all we are doing, as smart governments, is to provide a framework within which they can operate,” Kutesa concluded.
Trade between Uganda and South Sudan has increased dramatically in the past years, particularly since the signing of the peace agreement for South Sudan in January 2005. Ugandan exports went up more than five-fold; from $9m in 2001 to $50m in 2005.
(New Vision)
Saturday, February 10, 2007
Wednesday, February 07, 2007
What it means to be Christian.
well put...
****
Rest
By: Here's to Hindsight
"Come to me, all you who are weary and burdened, and I will give you rest." (Matthew 11:28)
When Jesus said [those words], He assumed we would all grow weary, discouraged, disheartened along the way. These words are a touching testimony to the genuine humanness of Jesus.
- Brennan Manning, The Ragamuffin Gospel
One of my friends asked me once if Christianity is like the "lazy" form of religion, because it kills off the notion of the necessity of being a good person. And after I thought about it, I think I realized that Christianity is not at all lazy, because it requires a great deal of effort to remember that I can do nothing to earn my salvation, especially when everything inside of me wants to lay claim to some worthy actions. Christianity, in its truest form, tells me to kill off the notion of pride... to recognize myself incapable of doing good. It's pretty humbling. And immensely beautiful.
Here it is, really: Jesus did not die to make me a good person. He died to make the dead thing in me alive.
****
Rest
By: Here's to Hindsight
"Come to me, all you who are weary and burdened, and I will give you rest." (Matthew 11:28)
When Jesus said [those words], He assumed we would all grow weary, discouraged, disheartened along the way. These words are a touching testimony to the genuine humanness of Jesus.
- Brennan Manning, The Ragamuffin Gospel
One of my friends asked me once if Christianity is like the "lazy" form of religion, because it kills off the notion of the necessity of being a good person. And after I thought about it, I think I realized that Christianity is not at all lazy, because it requires a great deal of effort to remember that I can do nothing to earn my salvation, especially when everything inside of me wants to lay claim to some worthy actions. Christianity, in its truest form, tells me to kill off the notion of pride... to recognize myself incapable of doing good. It's pretty humbling. And immensely beautiful.
Here it is, really: Jesus did not die to make me a good person. He died to make the dead thing in me alive.
NEWS FLASH: Donations Delivered Successfully to Unyama IDP Camp
A note from my contact in Gulu about his journey to Unyama to distribute donations made by friends and loved ones. THANK YOU!! I wanted to share below the email I received from Joseph about his time at Unyama...please continue to pray. Pray in addition for the people living in the camps, for good health for Joseph, for the start of this Community Based Organization which is now in the works and which Joseph will head (with my support in the States)...and please pray for peace in Northern Uganda - restoration, peace and hope for those whose lives have been shattered by the war.
For updates, see: Manna Seeds of Hope site.
***
Hello Sue!
Sorry for keeping you waiting for long for so long without informing you informing you about our journey to Unyama. Well, i was in Unyama on the 28th Jan. Sunday with the donations and handed them over to the camp leader, but i made sure i saw the whole distributing exercise. The people present were: Daniel Otto, Kinyera Alfred, Aciro Jennifer, Adong .R., Akello Margret, Ayoo Doroteya Ayoo Margret and finally the camp chairman. I hope the names are the ones you have.
We took group photos -that will be sent to you as soon as they are ready. The people were very happy and really appreciated what you did. However, the wife of the camp chairman said , you had promised them some money to start-up petty businesses, she enquired whether i had some knowledge of it.My reply was: i don't know anything about it , but promised to remind you if you could have said it but forgot.
Otherwise it was a very interesting day for me and the beneficiaries.
About opening an organisation to work in the camps, i think I'll inform you soon, but another because we are still making some consultations and other important things that the foundation of the organisation will be laid upon. But, on an informatory note, i would love to keep you well informed that, the future of the organisation will majorly be out of your efforts, in that we shall ask you to help us knock doors of potential donors. We are looking into possible ways of including you in the organisation structure so that we can have some of your visions - as a person who has been on the ground and disapproved all the sugar coated facts about the situations in the whole of Acholi sub-region. For real, we count on you.
It's a pity that you laboured to pull a large sum of money to send donations this way. I know what it means to get money, especially when i reflect how we stress ourselves to get money for our tuition when the University authority threatens to lock us out of the examinations room if we don't pay the semester fees of 300 dollars. And now if i compare with your situations where you have to meet your study expenses and to afford the high cost of living in the US, sincerely it becomes difficult. So we shall look into possible ways to make things easier.
I hope to communicate to you soon about the organisation, but you can have a say even before i E-mail you.
Thanks
Joseph
****
Tuesday, February 06, 2007
Community Based Organization
Joseph has written me an email recently about starting a Community Based Organization in Gulu to work with people in IDP camps and assist them, using funds from the US and anywhere, to direct them to the CBO there and allow them to devise plans to assist those in the camps. I am excited to be a part of this initiative and amazed at the initiative undertaken by Joseph to begin this endeavor.
Please stay tuned. The first two camps to be the focus of the CBO are Unyama and Cope. I am so glad this is the case - i remember very well the conversations I had with the people in these two camps and how much I remember wanting to maintain contact with them in some way.
I hope you will join me in praying for the CBO and for the people who continue to languish in the camps and communities in the war-ravaged North of Uganda.
I have been informed that Joseph Kony and his LRA soldiers are now fleeing to the Central African Republic...
I hope that the developments on the ground, with this CBO, your prayers and our communication will continue to breathe life and hope into this situation.
Thanks.
For updates, see: Manna Seeds of Hope site.
***
Hello Sue!
Sorry for keeping you waiting for long for so long without informing you informing you about our journey to Unyama. Well, i was in Unyama on the 28th Jan. Sunday with the donations and handed them over to the camp leader, but i made sure i saw the whole distributing exercise. The people present were: Daniel Otto, Kinyera Alfred, Aciro Jennifer, Adong .R., Akello Margret, Ayoo Doroteya Ayoo Margret and finally the camp chairman. I hope the names are the ones you have.
We took group photos -that will be sent to you as soon as they are ready. The people were very happy and really appreciated what you did. However, the wife of the camp chairman said , you had promised them some money to start-up petty businesses, she enquired whether i had some knowledge of it.My reply was: i don't know anything about it , but promised to remind you if you could have said it but forgot.
Otherwise it was a very interesting day for me and the beneficiaries.
About opening an organisation to work in the camps, i think I'll inform you soon, but another because we are still making some consultations and other important things that the foundation of the organisation will be laid upon. But, on an informatory note, i would love to keep you well informed that, the future of the organisation will majorly be out of your efforts, in that we shall ask you to help us knock doors of potential donors. We are looking into possible ways of including you in the organisation structure so that we can have some of your visions - as a person who has been on the ground and disapproved all the sugar coated facts about the situations in the whole of Acholi sub-region. For real, we count on you.
It's a pity that you laboured to pull a large sum of money to send donations this way. I know what it means to get money, especially when i reflect how we stress ourselves to get money for our tuition when the University authority threatens to lock us out of the examinations room if we don't pay the semester fees of 300 dollars. And now if i compare with your situations where you have to meet your study expenses and to afford the high cost of living in the US, sincerely it becomes difficult. So we shall look into possible ways to make things easier.
I hope to communicate to you soon about the organisation, but you can have a say even before i E-mail you.
Thanks
Joseph
****
Tuesday, February 06, 2007
Community Based Organization
Joseph has written me an email recently about starting a Community Based Organization in Gulu to work with people in IDP camps and assist them, using funds from the US and anywhere, to direct them to the CBO there and allow them to devise plans to assist those in the camps. I am excited to be a part of this initiative and amazed at the initiative undertaken by Joseph to begin this endeavor.
Please stay tuned. The first two camps to be the focus of the CBO are Unyama and Cope. I am so glad this is the case - i remember very well the conversations I had with the people in these two camps and how much I remember wanting to maintain contact with them in some way.
I hope you will join me in praying for the CBO and for the people who continue to languish in the camps and communities in the war-ravaged North of Uganda.
I have been informed that Joseph Kony and his LRA soldiers are now fleeing to the Central African Republic...
I hope that the developments on the ground, with this CBO, your prayers and our communication will continue to breathe life and hope into this situation.
Thanks.
Friday, February 02, 2007
2007.new blog
New year, new blog. While I will continue to update this one from time to time on anything or everything dealing with Uganda, I've decided to create another...for anything and everything, having to do with anything and everything.
:)
Click here for more.
:)
Click here for more.
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