COVID19 is the enemy. PEACE is the weapon.

In January of 2020, as I was making plans for my annual visit to the Mungula and Olua refugee settlements, we had a great deal of concern about increasing reports of violence between refugees and local Ugandans.  Eleven people had been killed a few weeks earlier in fighting between the two groups in a refugee settlement just a few miles from the Olua Settlement.

When I arrived in Uganda, the tensions were so high that it was decided I should not even travel to the settlements but remain in Adjumani, the nearby town.  Working with our three professional community developers, we decided to hold a full-day training in Adjumani for leaders from the two settlements, emphasizing women and youth.

By the conclusion of the training, there was unanimous agreement that mutual forgiveness for past offenses and reconciliation leading to co-operative work was the only way forward.  Furthermore, all future community development programs would be equally shared with their Ugandan neighbors.  Within a few weeks, hundreds of local Ugandans and refugees had met, reconciled their differences and agreed to work together on a number of economic development projects.

Looking back on these efforts prior to the Covid crisis, we realize that if they had not taken place, the tremendous disruptions of economic activity and every aspect of daily life resulting from the current crisis would have made co-operative efforts almost impossible and could well have led to far greater violence between the two communities.  Instead, we have witnessed a most remarkable community effort of the two groups working together to plant greatly expanded gardens in preparation for expected severe cut-backs or even elimination of World Food Program deliveries.

The next crisis we anticipate could be the inability of pregnant women to give birth in the health centers if Covid patients are being treated there.  Ugandans and refugees are working together to make sure that every pregnant woman will have the necessary supplies and a doula to assist her in giving birth.

So far the area around the two settlements has not seen any diagnosed cases of Covid 19.  However, Ugandans and refugees are organized and committed to working together to meet whatever ensues. 

Their slogan is: “Covid is the enemy, Peace is our weapon.”

John Musick, President

April 25, 2020