SOS: Crisis in Northern Uganda

Over the past eighteen years, conflict has caused tremendous suffering and loss for the civilian population of Northern Uganda. The Lord's Resistance Army (LRA), led by Joseph Kony, and the heavy handed and indiscriminate response from the government of Uganda has created a dire humanitarian crisis, including some 1.5 million internally displaced persons (IDPs), thousands of abducted children and hundreds killed or maimed.

(PRWEB) July 3, 2004 -- Where Were You When Rwanda Happened?

That is the question that many are asking on the 10th Anniversary of the Rwanda Genocide. Between April 6th and July 17th 1994, an average of 8,000 Rwandans a day were butchered. It was the fastest rate of mass killings in the twentieth century. Some 800,000 people - roughly 10% of the population - were murdered. Ninety percent of the victims were Tutsis. Ten years after the Rwanda genocide, has the world community learned anything that could help prevent another Rwanda?

Crisi in Northern Uganda

Over the past eighteen years, conflict has caused tremendous suffering and loss for the civilian population of Northern Uganda. The Lord's Resistance Army (LRA), led by Joseph Kony, and the heavy handed and indiscriminate response from the government of Uganda has created a dire humanitarian crisis, including some 1.5 million internally displaced persons (IDPs), thousands of abducted children and hundreds killed or maimed. UN Under-Secretary-General for Humanitarian Affairs Jan Egeland recently termed the situation among the worst humanitarian disasters in the world. In February 2004, in one of the most horrific atrocities since the conflict began, the LRA massacred approximately 200 civilians, revealing serious deficiencies in the governments capacity to defend the population and defeat the insurgency.

Call for immediate international intervention

To respond to the escalating crisis, Friend for Peace in Africa, a California-based NGO, has convened an emergency international conference in Toronto between Friday, July 02 and Sunday July 4, 2004. Friday will feature an open forum featuring speeches and discussions by NGOs such as World Vision, Canadian Physicians for Aid and Relief, Acholi Diaspora Association, the Liu Institute, and delegates from Canada, Uganda, the US, Australia, UK and Sweden and Germany.

For more information on the conference or background information on the conflict call Opiyo Oloya-416.567.3646 or 905.727.3646
Venue: Monte Carlo Inn, 8900 Woodbine Avenue, Markham, Ontario (North of Highway 7 on Woodbine)