Forgiveness and Reconciliation after War
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Audio Slideshow | Posted Feb 26, 2009
Program: Exposure
Kelsey Bell
The war in Uganda is notorious for its duration, often called "Africa's longest running war." By the time I learned of this war it had been going on for more than twenty years. On the day I submitted my essay detailing the history of the conflict for this workshop I had just turned twenty years old. While I was growing up, the children fighting in this war were growing up. When I was in grade school children the same age as I was were abducted from their homes and schools and given a new education in murder. During the war there had been many attempts at peace talks, both by individuals and by the government, but most failed miserably. The difference now is that the quell in fighting over that last few years has opened up dialogue on what it means to being justice and lasting peace to this region. Currently there is a large debate surrounding the extent to which raditional methods of justice and western methods of justice should be implemented (if at all) to deal with the conflict. While this discussion has yet to be concluded, many of those living in Acholiland have expressed their preference for the use of the traditional methods which emphasize truth and forgiveness to create restorative rather than retributive justice and lasting peace.
The war in Uganda is notorious for its duration, often called "Africa's longest running war." By the time I learned of this war it had been going on for more than twenty years. On the day I submitted my essay detailing the history of the conflict for this workshop I had just turned twenty years old. While I was growing up, the children fighting in this war were growing up. When I was in grade school children the same age as I was were abducted from their homes and schools and given a new education in murder. During the war there had been many attempts at peace talks, both by individuals and by the government, but most failed miserably. The difference now is that the quell in fighting over that last few years has opened up dialogue on what it means to being justice and lasting peace to this region. Currently there is a large debate surrounding the extent to which raditional methods of justice and western methods of justice should be implemented (if at all) to deal with the conflict. While this discussion has yet to be concluded, many of those living in Acholiland have expressed their preference for the use of the traditional methods which emphasize truth and forgiveness to create restorative rather than retributive justice and lasting peace.