Since October 2006, the army has been trying to disarm the men to clear the way for gold mining by the Barrick Gold company (branches in Australia, South Africa, North and South America).  Years ago this major company was allowed to do an exploratory study, but in fact started mining.  The people of Karamoja feared they would lose their land and cattle without which they cannot survive, but the company promised to bring improvements.  The promises were never kept so the warriors began ambushing and killing company workers, forcing them to leave. 

We have been told that “… the gold in Karamoja is of a better quality, so the company still wants to do the deal with the president of Uganda but the condition is to make sure he removes all the guns in Karamoja …” 

This forced disarmament has brought death, rape and displacement to women and children in the area.  

To make visible how women have been affected and what they are doing to change this situation, AWARE-Uganda, formerly Kaabong Women’s Group ,organised an event for International Women’s Day at which their demands were raised. 

DEMANDS

A halt to forced disarmament now

As usual women, children and older people are bearing the brunt of the fighting.  Bombing from helicopters has burnt down over 50 homesteads and many precious granaries, killing 300 women, children, men and many animals – on which everyone’s survival depends.  People have died after eating meat which was poisoned by the bombs.  The women are being taken hostage by the army, subjected to intimate body searches, and imprisoned – they are released only if their husbands agree to hand in their guns.  Women and girls have been raped.  No one can move freely.  Roads are blocked.  Hospitals and schools have been taken over as holding camps for local residents.  Famine is widespread as the World Food Programme is not reaching the villages.  Hundreds of refugees, mostly young widows whose husbands were killed, and their children, who had found their way to Kampala, the capital, have been rounded up and moved into camps.  On 9 December 2006, AWARE held a demonstration in Kampala with the refugees to highlight the atrocities and called for an end to the fighting. 

Women’s peace teams and compensation for men giving up their arms

AWARE says disarmament will work if women are involved in informing the community and getting men to give up their arms peacefully, and if the government compensates men for giving up arms, for example, with ox ploughs, money to start a business, skills training for young men.  Before this, the policy was to persuade warriors to give up their guns voluntarily with promises of economic alternatives to replace their dependence on cattle.  But as promises of aid never materialised, the men continued to arm themselves, and the desperate needs of women and children continued to be ignored. 

Accessible clean water for all

Once a lush and fertile region, there is now drought every year.  Women walk miles to dig deep holes in a dry riverbed for dirty water which has caused the death and illness of many, especially young children.  AWARE’s campaigning won a government promise over two years ago of 16 boreholes, but nothing has been done.  Goldmining, instead of boreholing, is prioritised.

Food security

Hunger is constant.  Women cannot grow enough food with so little rain.  Until three months ago the World Food Programme did not recognise pregnant and breastfeeding mothers, young children and older women as ‘productive’ and therefore a priority for food aid.  Only waged workers and schoolchildren were considered “productive” and therefore eligible for food aid!  Since 2002, AWARE and the Strike have insisted that women’s caring work of giving and sustaining life be recognised as productive work – no work is as productive.  The WFP was forced to change its sexist policy.  Now at least those of us in Kaabong who are giving life are not doomed to starvation by doing that caring and life-sustaining work.  But more is still to be done: aid is still not reaching remote villages. 

WHAT THE WOMEN HAVE ACCOMPLISHED

AWARE has brought self-help woman-led development.  They have built a Women’s Centre with their own hands, and have organised adult literacy classes, birth attendant skills training, land rights campaigns and assistance to AIDS orphans. They make sand filters which makes muddy riverbed water safe to drink. They have reclaimed scrubland for a fruit orchard.  In 2002, as part of Global Women’s Strike actions, they demanded and won free healthcare. 

WHAT YOU CAN DO

AWARE and the Strike in Uganda urgently need you to support our Karamoja sisters by protesting to your nearest Ugandan Embassy or High Commission (search on Google for the contact details; if you can’t find them send to the UK below).  Write letters and emails demanding that the Ugandan government invest in caring not killing, that they immediately withdraw their army from the area; meet women’s demands for survival and safety; assist rape survivors; provide food, clean water and shelter to refugee women and children; and start work on the 16 boreholes for Karamoja.

UK: Her Excellency Mrs Joan Rwabyomere, High Commissioner,

Uganda House, 58-59 Trafalgar Square, London WC2N 5DX.

Tel: 0207839 5783 Fax: 0207 7839 8925

Email: info@ugandahighcommission.co.uk

Copy your letter and any response to Global Women’s Strike and your MP. 

Further information: tel 0207 482 2496   email womenstrike8m@server101.com

Uganda

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