Even if Kony is caught, Ugandans will still suffer

Once in awhile, the mainstream media prints the truth about northern Uganda. In this case, we get a half-truth from aid worker Andrew Cuddy, who recently writes in the Ottawa Citizen about his recent visit to Uganda.

Cuddy restates a common myth regarding the Ugandan government's involvement in the violence inflicted upon the people of Northern Uganda during the decades of war -- namely that all the violence was inflicted by the rebels. In actuality, both the rebels and the government committed unspeakable acts.

Cuddy writes emphatically:

"Although Kony's rebels are the only people raping, murdering, and kidnapping,"

then goes on to speak of President Museveni and the NRM regime's indifference, and details what he observed in the camps in the North.

"Horrendously corrupt and from another tribe, Museveni is far from concerned with the plight of Northern Ugandans.

I learned of this disturbing reality when I travelled to northern Uganda. I saw the countless thousands starving on two meals of rice a day while the corrupt government officials ran the refugee camps on plump full stomachs.

I visited the hospital wards where women and children did not come for treatment; they came to die.

I interviewed ex-child soldiers who, after managing to escape from Kony's rebels, had received no support from anyone. And I spoke to community leaders who tried to leave the refugee camps, only to discover that their lands had been expropriated by the government for industrial farming. I was even detained by the Ugandan army, who were worried that we were journalists attempting to expose the situation.

So, even if the ICC succeeds, Kony is caught, and the violence ends, it will take far more than that to help the millions of Northern Ugandans who have suffered for over two decades.

As Canada continues to neglect our commitment of spending 0.7 per cent of gross national income on development aid, it's clear we're far from ready for what it would take."

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