Rwenzori residents deserve to live in peace
What you need to know:
Our view: Keeping the findings of inquiries under wraps, and a continued presence of the forces whose motives are not known, does not help. Instead, the government should allow the people to voice out their concerns.
At the weekend, several newspapers, including Daily Monitor, published articles reminding us of the tragedy that befell the Rwenzori sub-region, when the Rwenzururu Kingdom went up in flames, their loved ones killed, and others disappear and a whole year later, they still remain unaccounted for.
The story, ‘Tale of pain, tears: One year after Kasese palace assault’ that run in the Sunday Monitor of November 26, stated that investigations by Parliament and inquiries by the Human Rights Commission, have not provided any answers yet. No findings have been released to the public yet.
A region leaves in fear and they cannot be blamed, after all, they have seen horrendous things continue to happen. Months after the arrest of their king and his royal guards, a number of people have been killed. Police state that these people attacked their own and were trying to escape arrest.
Residents and witnesses, however, say these people were innocent and did not attack anyone. Others talk of children who were killed at the palace. Parents are distraught as they cannot think of any reason as to why a child would be shot and killed in such a manner.
In another case, a teenager, Biira, lost both parents and a six-year-old sibling. She now has to fend for a living and pray that the church, which offers some support, continues to do so as she figures out how to raise her siblings.
Trust has been broken between the government and area residents. They now live in fear of the forces that they believed should have protected them. They are not sure of what will happen next and they tread carefully, constantly watching their backs.
This is not the way to live. As citizens of this country, the people of Rwenzori deserve to live in peace. They need to have their questions answered. The government should have already started the process of healing.
Keeping the findings of inquiries under wraps, and a continued presence of the forces whose motives are not known, does not help. Instead, the government should allow the people to voice out their concerns.
They should work with the leaders to see to it that calm and peace is fully restored. They should treat this case, not as a sore they wish to ignore and hope will heal by itself somehow, but instead as an important part of the country whose peace, security and general wellbeing is necessary for the nation to thrive.
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