September 8th-16th,
2016 was a period of trained Community based organizations’ members to comb
villages and urban centers in Kasese District, sensitizing people on Conflicts
prevention and management and human rights violations prevention. This one week work left 1347 males and 1657
females reached through; Music dance and drama, Community meetings, house
to house visits, and Peer to peer method.
Ten community based
organizations from Kitswamba, Munkunyu, L.Katwe, Karusandara sub counties and
Katwe Kabatoro town council that included; Karusandara youth
united Development association, Kikorongo Service Centre, Katunguru Women’s
resource users Foundation, Katwe Kabatoro association for PWDs, Kakone Mwemukye
Tufanye Youth, Mother Care Women Group, Kitsutsu Youth, Ophfund Uganda ,Bigando
Youth United group and Bigando Farmers deployed 300 trained members of their
organizations to carry a one week sensitization campaign of communities for
Peaceful co-existence and Human rights violations prevention.
 |
| One of the sensitization meetings in Munkunyu sub county |
Several
issues were raised by community people reached that among others included the
following;
·
Most conflicts are silent and therefore
end up in communities and homes, un reported.
·
Cases of Domestic violence especially
against women and children are still rampant in communities
·
Early marriages and adolescents’ sex
abuse are still common in communities, needing serious intervention.
·
Most organizations in communities do
work on prevention especially concerning sexual abuse. The response part has
not been fully funded and this has left most victims traumatized in
communities, and has promoted connivance between child sex abusers with Parents
of the victims because after all they see no help at all than settling their
issues locally
·
Violent Conflicts to a great extent are
being triggered and fueled by bad politics. “Politicians are target workers and
do not at all mind about their actions so long as they have achieved their
missions”, said by one of the community members in Bigando, Kitswamba sub
county.
·
Youth un employment is contributing a
lot to un ending conflicts in communities. The Youths are easily lured into bad
acts because they have nothing to do, and lose
·
Politicizing culture has also bred
conflicts in Kasese Communities. According to some members, there are
tendencies of destabilizing Obusinga Bwa Rwenzururu cultural institution for
political interests that face resistance from people who very much believe in
it.
·
Land conflicts are increasing because of
population increase, which population is not innovative enough to maximamly
utilize the little available land.
·
Most community people are still ignorant
of the laws governing Ugandans as per the National constitution. Many offences
have been committed ignorantly.
·
People have not changed their behaviors
of engaging in reckless acts like adultery, defilement, prostitution especially
in the fishing villages and urban communities which has contributed to
increasing cases of HIV and AIDS.
·
Climate change is a serious threat to
Peace and development in the communities visited. Seasons have changed and yet
over 80% of community members derive their livelihoods from Agriculture. If no
action is taken to completely tackle climate change, more conflicts of survival
are yet to happen.
·
Police force according to most community
members is not a people’s force, but a political force.
 |
| Sensitization local meeting by a Foot Peace Ambassador in Lake Katwe sub county |
This
sensitization exercise has made us to learn the following;
·
A lot of information is wrongly/or under
reported about local communities by media. There is need to invest in community
journalism for evidence based reporting of genuine community issues.
·
Investing enough in civic education may
tremendously reduce on un lawful actions by community members. Most of them are
just used by self seekers, ignorantly.
·
Police force has a lot to do in
redeeming its image in communities. Stakeholders need to come in to help close
the gap between Police and the civilians if people must support actions of law
enforcement, championed by Police.
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