Cate Johnson Shares Her Ideas on "What's at Stake in the Juba Peace Talks?"
Continuing with our Uganda-CAN series "What's at Stake in the Juba Peace Talks," we are asking YOU to send your stories, reflections and ideas for posting to pquaranto@ugandacan.org. Today, we feature our first reflection by Cate Johnson:
"I just returned from a two-week research trip in Northern Uganda. I could go on endlessly describing how failed peace talks will result in chaos and increased suffering for the people of Northern Uganda, but instead I will focus on one person. While in Gulu, I was befriended by a former child soldier named Johnny. He was abducted at age 12 and lived in the bush for five years. When he finally escaped, his whole family, except one sister, died of an ebola outbreak in a camp. Johnny, now an orphan, struggles to survive everyday. We spent a lot of time together and he often expressed his happiness with the peace talks and was eager to live in a community that was free of fear and violence. He wanted Kony to be punished, but mostly wanted safety. He wanted the UPDF to be held accountable, too. He was hopeful about Juba and thought it could be the salvation he's longed for. Just yesterday I received a troubling e-mail from Johnny. He is terrified now that violence reports are increasing and the peace talks seem to be stalled. He is heading to southern Sudan to escape and find work. He will not stay around and watch his home fall apart again. Northern Ugandans have suffered enough and they will not stand for more violence. Johnny is just one of the millions who have lost so much. For his sake, we must salvage the peace talks."
"I just returned from a two-week research trip in Northern Uganda. I could go on endlessly describing how failed peace talks will result in chaos and increased suffering for the people of Northern Uganda, but instead I will focus on one person. While in Gulu, I was befriended by a former child soldier named Johnny. He was abducted at age 12 and lived in the bush for five years. When he finally escaped, his whole family, except one sister, died of an ebola outbreak in a camp. Johnny, now an orphan, struggles to survive everyday. We spent a lot of time together and he often expressed his happiness with the peace talks and was eager to live in a community that was free of fear and violence. He wanted Kony to be punished, but mostly wanted safety. He wanted the UPDF to be held accountable, too. He was hopeful about Juba and thought it could be the salvation he's longed for. Just yesterday I received a troubling e-mail from Johnny. He is terrified now that violence reports are increasing and the peace talks seem to be stalled. He is heading to southern Sudan to escape and find work. He will not stay around and watch his home fall apart again. Northern Ugandans have suffered enough and they will not stand for more violence. Johnny is just one of the millions who have lost so much. For his sake, we must salvage the peace talks."