For the past 10-20+ years, Life in Africa’s members have lived in an ad-hoc camp for the displaced, near a rock quarry on the outskirts of the Ugandan capital. In 2014, however, the land they live on is being sold for commercialization, and the neighborhood has become the scene of riots and inter-tribal violence against them. It’s been time to go home since the war ended 6-7 years ago, but the costs involved in moving are well out of reach for most families. Now, it’s becoming increasingly urgent.
[Ndelo Peter] I hope you will keep us updated here on happenings there in the Acholi Quarter, and the current state of unrest that is brewing.
Home is home
Last year and January this year there has been serious unrest in Acholi quarter with the police battling with the locals. The fact that people from Northern Uganda settled in this place that came to be called “Acholi quarter” was due to rebel Leader Joseph Kony insurgency that claimed and displaced thousands of people! The people of Northern Uganda have lived on this peace of land for over 20+ years.
But that does not make it their home to live permanently, much as everybody would wish to go back home since the war is now history, there are so many challenges, people need to organize themselves in terms of transport, knowledge about how to start life when they get there, For twenty years in internally displaced persons camp means that some people were born here and may not even trace their ancestral land. To make matters worse, the government is already pushing the people to leave so that the place can be developed into modern commercial building without giving the people time or even finding ways to settle them!
As life in Africa who are working and have worked with some of these women, we feel that we should put in place a transitional center up northern Uganda where they come from, This is will help as a learning place for all homestead related issues and also a connector to different villages where these women originated from. I strongly believe that with this kind of collaboration, we shall forge ways to settle not all the people from Acholi quarter but at least some.
1 Like