I Responsabili religiosi di Acholi (Uganda) e del Sud Sudan chiedono l’intervento dell’ONU nel conflitto in nord Uganda

The following statement was read at a Press conference addressed by the Archbishop of Gulu John Baptist Odama (Chairman, Acholi Religious Leaders Peace Initiative) and the Bishop of Torit Diocese (Sudan) Paride Taban. Fifty delegates attended the “Reflection workshop” on the conflict situation and peace prospects in the region . They came from Northern Uganda (Acholiland) and parts of South Sudan. Other members include the Anglican Bishops Nelson Onono-Onweng ,Macleord Baker Ochola & Benjamin Ojwang; the Acholi Khadi Shiek Musa Khalil,Rev. Fr Julius Orac of the Orthodox Church, Acholi region, .the Paramount chief of the Acholi David Onen Acana II, several priest and elders. Women representing different religious and peacebuilding organisations were also present.
 
RELIGIOUS AND CULTURAL LEADERS FROM ACHOLI AND SOUTH SUDAN ASK FOR UN INTERVENCION IN NORTHERN UGANDA WAR
 
We, the religious and cultural leaders from northern Uganda and southern Sudan, gathered in Gulu from the 18^th-20^th of June 2003 to deliberate on the search for peace in our common border region, have the following to state:

We express our satisfaction at the involvement of the international community, namely under the auspices of the Inter-Governmental Authority on Development (IGAD), in the peace process in Sudan which we pray will reach a lasting peace. However, we do believe in the interdependence of the political situations of Sudan and Uganda, and therefore highlight the need for regional attention to the conflict in northern Uganda. We are deeply troubled about the intolerable situation in which the people of northern Uganda find themselves. The increased and inhumane violence in recent weeks has worsened the situation, displacing the population, subjecting children to fear of abduction, and paralyzing the social and economic livelihood of most individuals.

To date the involvement of the international community in northern Uganda has been typically humanitarian in nature. While appreciating these long-standing efforts, we strongly feel that this tragedy is generally not taken seriously by the international fora and international media agencies.
We appreciate the various peace-making attempts by local organizations and support their continuation. We, however, recognize that involvement at the international level will be critical to end this war as has been the case in several African countries, including the Sudan.
We are therefore sounding a strong appeal to the UN Security Council to address the issue of conflict in northern Uganda so that all necessary measures are put in place for the protection of the civil population and to bring about an end to the 17 year old conflict.
We also appeal to various international bodies, heads of diplomatic missions in Uganda, East African Union, African Union, European Union, IGAD, Arab League to support our proposal for establishing a comprehensive peace for northern Uganda.