Awareness

Uganda: The State of Ugandan Children
by Andrea Samuelson

Since its independence in 1962, Uganda has failed to maintain any semblance of national unity. Bringing infamy to his country Dictator Idi Amin was responsible for the disappearances and deaths of between 100,000 and 500,000 people. He was overthrown in 1979 and was succeeded by Milton Obote. Heightened expectations for a more lenient leader resulted in an increase of widespread violence.

In 1986, Yoweri Museveni, leader of the National Resistance Army, rose to power and has remained in power since. Under his leadership, he created a universal primary education program whose mandates boosted net attendance rates to 87%. Despite his attempts to promote national reconciliation, the activities of rebel armies have hindered any such progress. Economic incentives have failed for this country which is dependent upon foreign aid and whose GNI in 2003 hung at a low $240 in comparison to the America’s $35,060.

Led by Joseph Kony, the most active of Ugandan rebel groups (the Lord’s Resistance Army) has waged 16 years of guerilla attacks against the government and in villages in addition to abducting large numbers of civilians, mainly children. The children are forcefully turned into rebel fighters and the abducted children comprise over 85% of the rebel fighting force.

These children are seen as governmental enemies, soldiers and military targets. According to the Women’s Commission, “these young people have been abused twice: they are abducted and forced to fight and are then attacked for fighting, instead of being protected and rescued.” In addition to being beaten, raped, forced to march until exhausted and to commit the murders of innumerable “enemies,” the children are often forced to kill each other as a test of loyalty. In seventeen years over 14,000 children in Uganda have been abducted from homes, schools and communities.

The abduction of Ugandan children has been seen as the longest hostage situation in the history of the modern world. Approximately 4,000 children were abducted between June and October of 2002. These rates indicate that in a single day, 20 children are abducted.

Both girls and boys are used as soldiers; whether attacking Ugandan villages, fighting the Uganda People’s Defense Force or fighting in Sudan alongside the Sudanese army which is waging a war against the armed opposition group of the Sudan People’s Liberation Army. For this reason, the Sudanese government has provided the LRA with military and logistical support since 1994. The perpetual violent atmosphere has resulted in the displacement of Ugandans; refugees within their own country. Amidst the internal conflicts, Uganda has been host to 230,000 refugees from neighboring countries; mainly Rwanda, Sudan and the Democratic Republic of Congo.

Back to Awareness Home