The so-called Lord’s Resistance Army has abducted over 30,000 Ugandan children and brainwashed them to kill their own people. Rebel violence has displaced 2 million Northern Ugandans. This war has been waging for the last 18-years. Why haven’t I heard anything about this?
It seems I’m not alone in my ignorance. According to invisiblechildren.com, the Northern Ugandan situation has been called the “worst humanitarian crisis in the world today because of the lack of attention.” It’s time to spread some awareness.
Every night, more than 40,000 children commute on foot into Northern Ugandan cities to sleep together in public places (hospitals, bus depots…). Huddled tightly together, these children seek refuge from the threat of abduction they'd face if they remained in their own homes. This “solution” exposes the children to a number of other horrors (experimental sex, peer aggression, etc.) they may have avoided at home, but the risk of rebel capture is too great. These children are doing the best they can.
On Saturday, April 29, my Taylor friends and I will venture to Indianapolis to take part in the Global Night Commute, a nationwide demonstration occurring in 130 cities. We will join other Hoosiers for a mass sleep-in at Monument Circle from 7 p.m. to 7 a.m. Please join us if you live in the Indy area OR if you want to make a road trip out of it. Like I said, there are 130 US cities participating in the GNC, so find one near you at http://www.invisiblechildren.com/. Be sure to register on the site to make your commitment count. One April night is really not so much of a sacrifice when you consider the suffering the Northern Ugandan children endure every night. I hope you’ll consider taking a stand to shed some light on these “invisible children.”
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