Displace Me, Saturday
The peace talks for northern Uganda are set to restart today. Two days later, this Saturday April 28, Invisible Children is hosting the largest ever demonstration of international support to end this war. The event is called Displace Me, and Invisible Children is calling on Americans to show their compassion by spending one night in a mock displacement camp. I am asking you to join them.
Over 90% of the population of northern Uganda has been displaced by this war. What this means in reality is that families who rely completely on seasonal harvests have been removed from their farms, their livelihoods. Children that make it past infanthood are thin, with the bloated bellies of malnourishment and worms. Mothers watch their children battle malaria, meningitis, cholera, and children watch their parents slowly succumb to AIDS. What this means in reality is that a culture is slowly perishing, and that a baby born two weeks ago to my friend Walter, his first child, might never take her first steps.
The only hope of these people is peace. They want to go home but cannot until they are assured that the bullets will not rain on their villages again. On April 28 you have the chance to bring them this peace. Uganda relies heavily on American support and is therefore very sensitive to American political pressure. If the American government wants these peace talks to succeed, they will likely succeed. But various geopolitical interests make our leaders hesitant to apply this pressure. They need our encouragement. Especially at this critical historical moment, when the peace talks offer the best opportunity ever for peace in northern Uganda, we can make a difference.
Our voices matter, especially with elections on the horizon. Let’s use them to give Walter’s baby a chance at life and prosperity. Let’s come together at Displace Me and with one voice lead our leaders to bring peace to northern Uganda.
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As you commute to mock displacement camps in America, I will be staying in Koro-Abili IDP camp in northern Uganda for three days. I will endeavor to live as much like the displaced residents as their hospitality will allow. When I asked them what I should bring with me they said, “Bring nothing.” While there I will be writing about and photographing my experience to share with you what displacement looks, smells, feels like. I don’t know quite what will come of it, but I hope that you will join me.
Over 90% of the population of northern Uganda has been displaced by this war. What this means in reality is that families who rely completely on seasonal harvests have been removed from their farms, their livelihoods. Children that make it past infanthood are thin, with the bloated bellies of malnourishment and worms. Mothers watch their children battle malaria, meningitis, cholera, and children watch their parents slowly succumb to AIDS. What this means in reality is that a culture is slowly perishing, and that a baby born two weeks ago to my friend Walter, his first child, might never take her first steps.
The only hope of these people is peace. They want to go home but cannot until they are assured that the bullets will not rain on their villages again. On April 28 you have the chance to bring them this peace. Uganda relies heavily on American support and is therefore very sensitive to American political pressure. If the American government wants these peace talks to succeed, they will likely succeed. But various geopolitical interests make our leaders hesitant to apply this pressure. They need our encouragement. Especially at this critical historical moment, when the peace talks offer the best opportunity ever for peace in northern Uganda, we can make a difference.
Our voices matter, especially with elections on the horizon. Let’s use them to give Walter’s baby a chance at life and prosperity. Let’s come together at Displace Me and with one voice lead our leaders to bring peace to northern Uganda.
--
As you commute to mock displacement camps in America, I will be staying in Koro-Abili IDP camp in northern Uganda for three days. I will endeavor to live as much like the displaced residents as their hospitality will allow. When I asked them what I should bring with me they said, “Bring nothing.” While there I will be writing about and photographing my experience to share with you what displacement looks, smells, feels like. I don’t know quite what will come of it, but I hope that you will join me.
Labels: Displace Me, Invisible Children, Koro-Abili, Uganda
posted by James at 05:52
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1 Comments:
Hey James - It's April 28, and we're thinking of you and the rest of the crew in Gulu today.
Peace.
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