Human
rights issues in Uganda worth attention
Nancy
Luong
I
am your typical student. I go to school
and have a part-time job. I love shopping,
partying, hanging out with friends, watching “Sex
and the City” and basically having
the college life. I am not really informed
on anything going on in the world; the
only news I watch is Entertainment Tonight.
I admit I am in my own world and I do
not really care to hear about current
events relating to politics or war.
April 24 was like any other average day and at 3 p.m., I engaged in my daily
ritual: watching “Oprah.” I turned on my television, only to find
African children who look like they were starving and on the edge of death
in some third world country. I immediately changed the channel to MTV, for
I could not bare to watch anything so tragic. For a couple of seconds, I sat
there and realized changing the channel was equivalent to closing my eyes and
denying reality. So I changed the channel back to “Oprah” and educated
myself.
I learned there is a war and genocide happening right now, at this very moment,
but it seems many Americans do not know about it nor seem to care about it.
Today Uganda is experiencing what is known to be the worst humanitarian crisis
in the world.
For two decades, a brutal Civil War has threatened this East African. The government
has been fighting a rebel group called the Lord’s Resistance Army (LRA)
led by Joseph Kony, an elusive man who reportedly believes he is God. According
to reporter Lisa Ling, “The majority of the combatants in this rebel
army are abducted children.” Ling also said, “Most of them were
kidnapped from their families.”
These abducted child soldiers often are forced to engage in rape, murder, kidnappings,
cannibalism and torture. Those who refuse to commit these horrors are subjected
to rape, murder, torture or kept as sex slaves. The danger is so high for these
children who are forced to leave their homes in the villages every night so
they will not be kidnapped.
These children are known as “night walkers” who walk up to two
hours every night to camps provided by the Ugandan government. For their safety,
thousands of children are locked into a single cage, which is still not a safety
guarantee. On her visit, Ling was even warned she was not guaranteed safety
if she were to be on the site.
So the question remains: Why are so many people unaware of what is happening?
I had admitted earlier to being wrapped up in my own little world and selfishly
living in my own comfort zone, much like an average teenager. When I first
saw what was happening on “Oprah,” I was scared and did not want
to look outside my little comfortable box and face reality. But I have changed
and I am educated about the horrors of what is happening around the world.
People are afraid of exposing themselves to knowledge outside the norm because
it might corrupt their comfortable world. It is time for all us to change our
ways and contribute.
Invisible Children Inc. is an organization created by three college students
in San Diego. They made a documentary in Africa entitled “Invisible Children” which
shows the typical lives of the children there. These college students traveled
across the country in an RV showing different colleges, churches, etc. so that
the word could spread.
If you have not seen the documentary I recommend you watch it; I guarantee
it will have an impact on you. It is available on their Web site www.insivisblechildren.com,
where you can make contributions to the organization.
You may think raising awareness can only go so far, but you will be truly amazed
with what a difference it will make. So make that difference and just simply
spread the word.
Nancy Luong is a freshman business marketing major.
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