NEW FOOT PEACE AMBASSADORS CREATED

New Foot Peace Ambassadors have been created in Bundibugyo On the 31^st August 2016. RIC-NET trained 62, members from Malomba United Scholars Association (MUSA) and United Children Integrated Development Action (UNCIDA) participated in the trainning. These members include youth in and out of school, elders from the community, women and local leaders who are members of these groups.

Foot Peace Ambassadors from Kasitu sub county pose for a photo after training on 31/8/2013

The overall objective of the FPAs is to ensure an increased and coordinated involvement of the well informed citizens to prevent and manage conflicts, monitor and take action to improve human rights situation in Uganda and Bundibugyo in particular.  The objective of the meeting was to localize the action, and sensitize the community on the causes of conflicts and role individual can play towards peaceful co-existence.

Members agreed that, there has been a lot of misinformation and deceit from the politicians, government and the local institution that have created misunderstanding among the communities in the bundibugyo. Such deceitful information revolves around the cultural institutions, the role of certain politicians in development, land ownership and the interpretation of the law regarding cultural institutions and operation of the government institutions. The community tends to believe in few individual who provide wrong information and create tension among the people. Mrs. Kumorororo agreed that the training have fully offered them the tools to use as the transverse the community to ensure preach the message the peace and reconciliation.

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On the other hand the members agreed that, focus should be put on the sources of information to ensure that the flow is following the right channels to reduce on this deceitful information circulation. Members also agreed to increase monitoring of human rights violations and agree on means of management and prevention of human rights violations in the District. An agreement on policy reviews of actions towards the prevention violence and defending human rights that can be taken further for actions in at local government. A team of 6 members was formed that will be moving moving to preach the message of Peace, trust, mercy and justice to the communities.

BAMBA AND BAKONZO FORM YOUTH VOLUNTEER TEAM

On 24^th August  2016, the community members of Nyasoro village, in Ntotoro sub county Bundibugyo District held a meeting to share views on their involvement in the post election conflicts and how as community they can prevent and manage further occurrences. 

The meeting was attended by 87 community members, the LCI chair person Mr. Friday Alex, the CDO Ms Margret and the LCIII chairperson Mr. Monday Hannington. Others who attended the meeting were the foot peace Ambassadors from Yesu Atubalye group of Ntotoro Sub County.

LCIII chairperson Mr Hannington address the meeting.

In a meeting held at the compound of Mr. Mukirania Gideon who is also living in hiding. About 20 houses were burnt down in Nyasoro village alone, over 50 household were displaced, the Bamba moved in the camps set by UNICEF while the Bakonzo moved in the mountains to seek sanctuary, children no longer go to school, some lives were lost. The villages and cocoa garden have turned into park.

The community members shared that, the post election conflicts had an origin in the past and cannot be blamed to the political situation moreover all who contested was candidates from the NRM party. It was agreed that members who had been displaced should come back. Members from all tribes agreed to provide security to each other’s incase of attack. 

They also agreed that conflicts were results of issues they could not understand themselves and found themselves in the fight. A team of 20 youth was formed that will support the security team in guarding the cocoa garden. These volunteer youth comprising of all tribes shall be moving around the village with a police officer. Similarly the community agreed to support each other in putting up temporally shelters in the village.

OUR RIGHTS OUR IDENTITY.

CDO sharing her views

On 25^th August 2016, RIC-NET held a sensitization meeting with the Batwa community. The meeting was held at Kasitu sub county headquarters in bundibugyo District. The objective of the sensitization meeting was to create awareness among the minority community to understand their rights, responsibilities and how to co-exist with the other communities living in the area.

The Batwa minority community in not represented in government, thus their voices are not fully heard. There is a lot of misinformation in the community, deceit, pride and lack of respect of rights of individuals especially right to own property, employment and participation in the political process. The current conflicts have led to violation of rights to marriage and association.

King Nzito explaining concepts

Nzito Geoffrey the Cultural leader of the Batwa highlight that, his kingdom has no problem working with the other tribes and personalities but what they want is other tribes and groups to recognize their identity and also be willing to work with them. “…we always welcome our visitors with courtesy but they can’t do the same to us…”

During the meeting a number of community led actions were identified that would improve the relationship in area these include, holding sensitization meetings with the elders from all tribes, holding dialogue meetings, forming groups that can sensitize the youth, explain the issues in the constitution provisions about the cultural institutions and the role of the kings in the socio-economic development. The focus should be to remove the superiority complex and feelings ethnic tribes have over others.

some of the members who attended the sensitization meeting.

The Batwa mainly stay in Kasitu Sub County. Other people who attended the meeting were, Local leaders, community development officer (CDOs) working in the areas of Kasitu, Ntandi, Bundimulombi and Ntotoro attended the sensitization.

PEACEFUL CO-EXISTENCE STARTS AT HOUSEHOLD LEVEL.

On 18^th August 2016, members of Yesu Atubaliye Group in Ntotoro Sub County Bundibugyo District attended one day training on conflict analysis and management. 37 members (15 males and 22 female) attended the training that was held at Kirumya Nursery and Primary school.

members of the group during the training.

The training objective was to increase the level of activism among women and other persons vulnerable to violence to prevent and manage conflicts and defend human rights violations in the community. Content of the training involved an understanding of the root causes of conflicts, analysis of the actors and their roles in fueling and prevention of conflicts and ways of improving communication as key to manage conflicts.

Muhindo Susan 43 years a member of the group, mentioned that “the mapping of the actors has help me understand that we should not be engaging in wars that we don’t clearly understand…we enter in wars we don’t understand their causes”. Ms Maureen a member of the group at the same time a Primary teacher realized the training has opened their mind to  think beyond the current conflicts in the district which has been blamed on politics and outcomes from the election. “ ..From today I have learnt that peaceful co-existence starts with me and my neighbours not looking at our leaders in Kampala as the one to offer me peace...”

Mr Samuel elaborating the point during training.

The training equipped the members with the skills and knowledge to analyze the causes of the conflicts that have happened in the area and be able to interface with the local leaders and the community on policy review in order to prevent and manage conflicts and other human rights violations in the area.

A number of dignitaries attended the training ie , the LCI chairperson of the area Mr. Alex, the chairperson of Bundimagwara cultural groups Mr. Baker Samuel and Ms Ngwali Erina the Board secretary Of UNCIDA. Mr Alex mentioned that the people were  misinformed and act out of ignorance thus knowledge obtained during the training would offer opportunity to the people analyze the situation before they take part in it. 

THERE IS NOPROBLEM TOO BIG THAT WE CANNOT SOLVE IT -KABAROLE RDC TELLS RESIDENTS

RDC addressing the people

The Resident District Commissioner  of Kabarole district Mr. Asiimwe Stephen has warned against fighting one another, wasting time on trivial issues and promoting unnecessary divisionism that hinders development and education in the region. “Most cardinal objectives of cultural leaders is to promote values, norms and behavior” he said. He made these remarks at the beginning of this week while officiating as chief guest at cultural leaders training on the prevention and management of conflicts and human rights violations at St.Josephs Inn Fort Portal organized by RICNET. It was also agreed that a problem cannot be solved if the root cause is not looked at. Therefore cultural leaders should go down and look for the root causes of conflicts in the community inorder to enhance peaceful coexistence. Tolerance was also looked at as a key to conflict management. Cultural institutions should accept the diversity in the region and learn to live peacefully with one another. Cultural leaders should prioritize peace, brotherhood  and unity for the good of the Rwenzori region. Cultural leaders should look beyond confusion and iron out their differences inorder for peace to prevail in the region. Cultural leaders should stop blaming each other and focus on peaceful co-existence, always speak the truth and show youth the right path to take.

Cultural institutions receiving the ICT tools

This training aimed at equipping cultural leaders of Obukama Bwa Tooro, Obudhingiya Bwa Bwamba and Obusinga Bwa Rwenzururu with knowledge on the use of ICT tools in the prevention and management of conflicts and human rights violations in the great Rwenzori region. There is need for enhanced information sharing among the cultural institutions to have an informed peaceful citizenery in the community thus a computer set, printer and desk phone were given out to each cultural institution to allow free and easy flow of information and also check deceptive messages that contaminate the society causing tension and pressure that finally spark off conflicts.  An electronic library has been put in place among other platforms to help equip the users with materials such as the constitution, a number of acts and laws  that enhance their knowledge.On this same platform we are able to  one can upload information for the public. This helps us tap peoples views, comments, concerns and issues from the community.

TRUTHFUL INFORMATION IS KEY TO PREVENTION AND MANAGEMENT CONFLICTS.

On the 15^th August 2016, at the dinner hosted by Rwenzori Information Centers Network (RIC-NET), the Prime ministers and spokespersons of Cultural institutions met to share the trend of conflicts in the region. Those who attended among others were RT. Hon. Kitsumbire Thembo of Obusinga Bwa Rwenzururu (OBR), Rt. Hon. Mubulya Wilson of Obudingya Bwa Bwamba (OBB) and Hon. Benjamin Kennedy who represented the Prime Minister of Toro (OBT) at Mountains of the Moon hotel.

 Due to the high level of conflict and human rights violations in the Rwenzori region, RIC-NET has implemented a project on Community action to prevent and manage conflicts and human rights violations in the region. The action is executed in close coordination with cultural institutions to enhance information sharing among the stakeholders, local community based organization as foot peace ambassadors and ethnic minority groups.

The meeting was a continuation of a series of engagement meetings with cultural institutions on the level and kind of information that should be shared with the community. During the meeting a number of issues were discussed including the implementation of the Royal communiqué of 14^th April 2016, the Mubende royal meeting, the peace process in the region and how cultural institutions can foster Agriculture and Tourism to increase on the per capita income of the subjects.

The Prime Ministers agreed that during the creation of the cultural institutions deceitful information was used by some of the subjects to convince people to accept the installation of the cultural leaders. In such a multilingual environment deceitful information fosters the community into conflict. At the moment there is no clear way on how such information can be eroded from the people who have accepted it. The channel of communication in the institutions should be streamlined such that only authentic information is shared to the public by the responsible people. Such information should be well sourced, evidence based and concrete truth.
RICNET has looked at empowering Spokespersons on how to make use of the changing patterns in the society to communicate to the public (online using the available social media and social gatherings where leaders are given a platform to speak). Such information must be the same across the region to reduce bias and being altered by agents of conflict.

RIC-NET will continue supporting cultural institutions with training of staff on collecting, analyzing, documenting and dissemination of information to enhance development of indigenous people’s livelihood, cultures, attitudes and behavior that promotes peaceful coexistence among different ethnic groups in the Rwenzori region.

……End…….

CONFLICT AFFECTED GIRLS SUPPORTED WITH SANITARY MATERIAL

some of the girls during distribution of the material

Adolescent girl children are some of the most affected group during any conflict. In the Rwenzori region girls continue to face a challenge of lack of sanitary material to use during menstruation periods .This makes them miss school and classes so that they are able  to handle the periods while at home .This leads to poor performance of the girl children, involvement in sexual activities and possible drop out of school. RIC-NET with support from  the Global Fund for Children looks out for conflict affected girls in school with psychosocial support and mentoring ,reproductive health training, supporting with sanitary and scholastic material so as the conflict affected girls are able to manage school and achieve a bright future. These girls are also availed with a chance to learn vocational skills , reproductive health knowledge and entrepreneurship skills. The girls are also given start up kits to help them start up their own businesses.

On 1^st August 2016, 10 conflict affected girls at Semliki High school in Bundibugyo district  were supported with sanitary pads, soap, books and pens to help them in their daily life while at school.

Girls pose with RIC-NET staff and mentor teacher

The girls were happy with the material and said that this would help them concentrate on their studies .One of the girls was overheard saying “at least I will have what to use during my periods comfortably “. 
The idea of changing the lives of people inspires RICNET to go on supporting these girls.