Life After Night?

I have to say that I am pleased with how much more I have been able to do these past few weeks, with trips to IDP camps and visits with various folks in Gulu. On Thursday I traveled with the head of the ACORD office and some other colleagues to within just a few kilometers of the Sudanese border to visit Atiak displaced persons camp. When we arrived en route at Pabbo camp, the largest camp in Northern Uganda with 60,000+ displaced persons, we picked up several heavily armed soldiers to escort us further north to Atiak. While I know these men were there for our security, it is still unsettling to require machine guns and rocket-propelled grenades to escort us for our work. The purpose of the trip was to discuss rural electrification with the camp leadership – yes, this means that most of Northern Uganda has never had electricity. ACORD is initiating a project for electricity in Northern Uganda, both for environmental concerns (people are cutting down all the trees for cooking wood) and for poverty alleviation (they would be able to use machines and better technology for cultivation and what not). I am still ignorant of the Luo language, so the meeting was pretty much over my head. But I do have to admit to concerns about bringing electricity to the camps – namely that these camps are likely to become townships and impede people from returning to their lands. I regret that I didn’t have the chance to really explore the camp and speak with people because we had to get right back on the road to ensure we avoided nightfall. But the landscape is just breathtaking – mango trees, dense savannah, rocky hills in the distance (not mountains, as Ugandans would have me believe). I didn’t exactly get to stop for pictures, as we had to keep moving to avoid any chance of an LRA ambush. It is surreal, really, and I continue to be so impressed by all of these Ugandans who have been risking their lives for the past 18 years to do their work and serve their people.

On Friday I met with my friend Lucie, the Acholi woman from Sweden, at World Vision to learn about their programs. They have rehabilitation centers (food, counseling, etc.) for former combatants and abductees: one for children and child mothers and another for adults, which is mostly men who were commanders in the LRA. The visit gave me more insight into the dynamics of this conflict and the challenges for reintegrating these children and young people who were abducted. What is so impressive is the love that all the children have for each other: they really take such care with each other, as they came to depend on each other while they were in captivity. Despite the fact that these children were exposed to such cruelty and violence, they never display violence toward one another – even those who are more educated and can speak English usually stick to Luo in order to maintain equality among the children. These children really have to be the strongest and most resilient in the world. While child soldiers in Liberia and elsewhere were often drugged, these children never smoke, drink, or take drugs. Most are very religious and well disciplined. There was one little boy that I was especially struck by: he decided to change his name from Vincent to Calvin because he didn’t want to be associated with his LRA father. This boy couldn’t have been more than 4 or 5 years old. Also of interest are the child mothers in the camps (remember that abducted girls became the forced wives of LRA commanders and bore children). I met one of the wives of Joseph Kony, the LRA leader, and she still struggles to maintain her rank above other women even while at the center. The women/girls who shared an LRA husband also maintain a surprising camaraderie or sisterhood, taking care of one another’s babies. I am told that a significant number of these girls would like to still be married to their forced husbands, with the other wives. This surprised me, as so many of these forced marriages were consummated through rape and violence. Really, I feel I could write a book on this one visit alone.

Believe it or not (and I had to indeed experience it for myself), there actually is nightlife in Gulu, aside from the hundreds of children who commute to the town to sleep each night. It mostly revolves around the Corner Café, less than a block from where I stay, which is your basic African bar with neon lights, cheesy American music, a few brave souls dancing, that serves up Ugandan Waragi (gin) and local beers. I even stayed out until midnight on Friday night. While this may not seem impressive, come to Gulu and see for yourself - my hotel was already locked up when I returned, if that is any indication. There is even a dance club, though I haven’t yet indulged - and we are well aware of the danger I pose to my own knee health when I dance. Last night I was among the largest mzungu contingent yet in Gulu, as 6 of us gathered to go eat dinner at a friend’s house – one that included those elusive green things called vegetables! I didn’t know there were 6 mzungus (actually the proper Swahili for more than one mzungu is wazungu) in Gulu, though we certainly drew quite a crowd as we drove through town. Having Dutch flat mates in Rwanda turned me onto Nutella (or Jempy, as was the available brand in Rwanda), and last night my British host had me try the British version of Vegemite (think “I’m from a land down under” from the 80s). I can safely say that this will not become apart of my international food repertoire, or at least no more than matooke.

The rumor on the Gulu streets - ok, actually according to my new wazungu friends - is that there is a pool at a hospital outside of town and that there is even a small gym in town where there just might be exercise classes. You cannot even imagine the joy that truth to either rumor will bring me, and you can bet that I will seek out both options ASAP.