ARTIFICIAL, NATURAL CATASTROPHIES AND RECONCILIATION EXPERIENCES IN UGANDA

Jacob Waiswa
Situation Health Analyst
Dishma-Inc.
P.O. Box 8885,
Kampala-Uganda
Tel. +256392614655/+256752542504
dishma.imhs@gmail.com
www.situationhealthanalysis.blogspot.com

Uganda has experienced tragedies that are of natural origin, because of the poor conservation practices in the country and others political, economic and cultural factors. These combined or in isolation have had a significant impact on displacement which called for reconciliations.

Incidentally all catastrophes –either natural or artificial had a human hand and, henceforth, required a human action and solution.

Reconciliation took political will of government for any step towards it to be realized. Because of lack of political will, populism plays by government, and selfish interests; government has been found culprit in the ‘businesses of encroachment on natural reserves.

Several recommendations are made to free them (natural reserves) from communities sanctioned by government fall on deaf ears as they struggle to protect their popularity. It is when over 400 people were buried alive in Eastern village of Bududa the government got reminded of the natural fight-back. Over 500,000 living in mountainous areas of Uganda, had to be relocated (environment reconciliation).

Once successfully negotiated, called for a multi-disciplinary approach to provide the livelihood solution (economic reconciliation), health personnel to provide physical and mental healing mechanisms, the social scientists to provide continuous counseling and be available to affected parties (intra-personal reconciliation), the cultural leaders to lead in initiation and cleansing ceremonies (norms reconciliation), the community to witness cleansing forgiveness and reintegration (community acceptance), and the spiritual leaders to ask for God’s (or the gods) for mercy and forgiveness involving the offender and his or her victims (spiritual reconciliation).

Population is another issue –which government has to put greater effort on. It is because of the increased pressure on land that people chose to move to natural disaster prone zones.

There existed unresolved socioeconomic problems –usually branded as marginalization of certain regions of the country as political weapon to weaken and subdue them as beggars, and no more as political opponents.

In Uganda, today, the leadership is quick to pursue military approaches towards its opponents than to dialogue and initiate the process of reconciliation and peace.

In conclusion, because behind every problem is the question of leadership, the leadership in Uganda is today characterized by corruption (environmental corruption) –where companies are given licenses to build in should-be natural reserves and much of the funds meant for the grassroots services deliveries is swindled –which leaves poor population continue to live in misery.

If there has to be reconciliation in all its manifestation, Ugandans must be empowered to courageous demand for their human rights alongside international pressure on natural resources conservation, reproductive health reforms, and strengthening of democratic governance in the country (Uganda).