by MORIS MUMBERE,
The European Union Delegation in Uganda has
earmarked over Sh. 1.6 billion to fund a 3-year Community Action to Prevent and
Manage Conflict and Human Rights Violations project in the Rwenzori region.
The project is to be implemented by the Rwenzori
Consortium for Civic Competence (RWECO) in collaboration with
Hivos-Netherlands, Jimmy BalukuOdyek the project Coordinator told the press
today.
“We have
received Euro 472,500 and equivalent of Ug. Sh. 1.653.750.000 to run a
three-year project to sensitize the people on how they could prevent or manage
conflicts and human rights violations in this [Rwenzori] region”, Odyek said.
He said that the project is built on the premise
that the Rwenzori Region is synonymous with conflicts since 1921and government
responses to them have either been political or military while community
actions have not been recorded as a means of conflict resolution and yet the
communities suffer much the effects of the conflicts.
Speaking to the press at RWECO offices in Kasese
town, Odyek noted that when conflicts break out, lives are lost and property
destroyed and social life is disrupted ending into a threat to food security as
well.
He said that women, children, people living with
disabilities, the elderly and the youths are the most affected groups when
conflicts break out.
The Rwenzori region of the country is just
recovering from a bloody and property destructive post-election conflict
especially in Bundibugyo and Kasese districts during which at least 30 people
lost their lives.
RWECO is a consortium of Rwenzori region based NGOs including
Karambi Action for Life Improvement (KALI), Good Hope Foundation for Rural
Development, Human Rights and Democracy Link Africa (RIDE- AFRICA) and Rwenzori Information Centres Network
(RiC-Net) which will implement the project in the districts of Bundibugyo,
Ntoroko, Kamwenge and Kasese to develop local initiatives aimed at preventing
and managing conflicts.
During the project, 40 Foot Peace Ambassadors from
20 sub-counties are to be trained.Under the project, the three Cultural Institutions
in the Rwenzori region including the Obusinga bwa Toro Kingdom, the Obusinga
bwa Rwenzururu and the ObudhingiyabwaBwamba will be equipped with Electronic
equipments for sending peace massages to the people in the region.
The cultural institutions will also be encouraged to
work alongside the Interreligious Council of Uganda to preach and send peace messages
to the communities.
ENDS
