LIVE BY THE TRUTH AND THE TRUTH WILL SET YOU FREE (Jn 8/32)
Statement of the Association of the Major Superiors of Religious Institutes in Uganda (AMSRIU) concerning the present situation in our Country
To All Fellow Religious,
And All Lovers of Peace-in-Justice and Brotherhood in Uganda,We, the Catholic Religious of Uganda, want to join our voice to the many other voices - Uganda Catholic Bishops, Uganda Joint Christian Council (UJCC), Uganda Law Society, Uganda Governance Monitoring Programme (UGMP), individuals citizens and foreign states, which, in these last weeks and months have expressed their concern and anxiety about the socio-political developments that are taking place at this particular moment in the history of our country.
The objective of our statement is no other than to join in the effort of reflection and action of all those who seek to know and live by the truth which will set us all free in order to be able to work for peace-in-justice and brotherhood in our country. We know that truth is bitter, but we are also convinced that it is only its bitterness that can heal the many wounds inflicted on individuals and our society in general, wounds that presently hinder us from forming a family where each, in spite of our tribal, religious and political differences, recognises the other as a brother and a sister to love and respect!
We are witnesses of many forms of non-truth and injustices in the different parts of the country where we work and live. These falsehoods and injustices have to be called by their proper names! As we try to name some of them, we also try to reflect and act on them in view of changing our attitudes and behaviours for without this change the current socio-political transition process may not lead to true peace- in-justice and brotherhood in our country.
Our concern focuses on five crucial areas:
1. Consolidating the democratic process
2. The Northern-Eastern conflict
3. The fight against corruption
4. The consequences of the ruling against Uganda by the International Court of Justice (ICJ)
5. The forthcoming elections1. Consolidating the democratic process
The political transition process is now within a few weeks of completing its course. Our evaluation leaves us with serious reservations about the way the Government is handling it. The following are some of the facts and events on which we base our reservations:
- Many people did not register not because they did not want to do so, but because of the failures in the registration exercise.
- Delay of civic education about the transitional process and the elections.
- Bringing forward the date of the elections without any convincing reasons which in the eyes of many is but to the disadvantage of the opposition parties.
- The Movement structures, e.g., the Movement Secretariat, which are still in place, give the NRM-O an unfair advantage in the current electoral campaign.
- Systematic and radical discrediting of the political opponents, their actions, and the social and ideological structures within which they act and think.
- The ambiguous role so far played by the armed forces.
- The ongoing antagonism between the Supreme Court and the General Court Martial.
- Threats to arrest political opponents.
- Threats to suppress the freedom of press and association.However, in spite of our reservations, we remain optimistic that it is not too late for the government and all those concerned to remedy the situation!
2. The Northern - Eastern conflict
After twenty years the government has failed to resolve this scandalous conflict! Meanwhile, nearly two million of IDP are obliged to live in desperately inhuman conditions. About 1000 IDP people die every week to the shame of the Government and all of us! In their desperation, some commit suicide! Concerning the IDP, we find the letter of Mahmood Mamdani (Daily Monitor of 4-12-05) quite appropriate.
Moreover, the UPDF continue to demonstrate very serious indiscipline like the killing of the civilians in Lalogi camp on the 26/12/05.
This appalling situation in the camps is a crime against humanity! It is a big challenge to each and all of us. We have to do all that is possible to bring it to an end!
Furthermore, we would like to express our concern about the possibility of enabling our brothers and sisters in these areas and camps to freely exercise their constitutional right of participating in the forth coming elections.
3. The fight against corruption
Corruption continues to be rampant and it is ineffectively challenged! Several commissions of inquiry into issues of corruption, especially the Porter Commission Report, have not been acted upon! The recent scandal of the embezzlement and misuse of the Global fund is yet another link in the long chain of similar cases!
We call upon the government to bring to justice all those guilty of these crimes.
4. The consequences of the ruling against Uganda by the International Court of Justice (ICJ)
According to the verdict of the International Court of Justice (IJC), the UPDF committed in the Democratic Republic of Congo (DRC) horrendous inhumane acts of torture and killings, incited ethnic conflict, trained child soldiers and looted the Congo to the tune of 10 billion dollars. This debacle has ruined the reputation of our country and has brought enormous shame to the whole Nation!
The Government is answerable to all this. It should ask forgiveness, not only to the people of Congo, but also to the Ugandan citizens. Also, the government should ensure that the payment in reparation to the Congo be made by the individuals who profited from this plunder.
5. The forthcoming elections
The date for the local, parliamentary and presidential elections has already been fixed on the 23.02.06. The electoral campaigns are well under way! As noted here above (# 1), a number of issues need to be redressed if we are to have free and fair elections.
We are revolted by the many false and empty promises pronounced during these electoral campaigns. Building our country on such politics disconnected from moral principles is like building a house on the sand! We strongly denounce this behaviour and call upon voters to be on your guard against such promises.
Let us cast our votes for candidates who love truth and are ready to live by it whatever the cost; those candidates who will uphold the dignity and value of the human person (born or un-born); those candidates who, as recommended by the Uganda Catholic Bishops in their letter of November 2005, will in all likelihood strive and promote national reconciliation, real peace and prosperity for all. (# 7)
Conclusion
The objective of our statement as mentioned here above is to join in the effort of reflection and action of all those who seek to know and live by the truth which will set us all free in order to be able to work for peace-in-justice and brotherhood in our country.
And, it is in the light of this objective that we conclude our statement promising to collaborate - within our possibilities and the demands of our vocation - in all that will ensure that the current socio-political transition process lead to a more peaceful, just and prosperous Uganda.
INVITATION: We invite all religious and all seekers of peace-in-justice and brotherhood for our country to a public day of reflection and prayer for our Nation in all Dioceses on Sunday: 19th February 2006.
The Executive,
Association of the Major Superiors of Religious Institutes in Uganda (AMSRIU)