Kenya explosion underscores need for counterterrorism in Uganda


Media-counterterrorism seminar

 We college teachers often worry about making our lessons   relevant.   Thus, we’re always coming up with creative ways to connect what we teach with our students’ lives.

Sometimes, though, the connection is made for us.

Here in Kampala, Uganda, our lesson on peace media and counterterrorism (sponsored by the US Embassy and Center for Global Peace Journalism) is taking on a special urgency this week. This is because neighboring Kenya suffered a terrorist attack a few days ago. A bomb exploded in a crowded marketplace in Nairobi, injuring 33 people. Authorities are still investigating the bombing.



Prof. John Hamilton leads the discussion

It was under the cloud of the Kenyan attack that our seminar participants, journalists and local government officials, teamed up yesterday to create an action plan for collaborating on anti-terrorism projects. Instructors and Park University professors John Hamilton, Ken Christopher, Carol Getty and I were gratified to hear the conciliatory language used by the participants as they described how they planned to cooperate. This congeniality is especially noteworthy given the traditionally adversarial relationship between press and government, particularly here in Uganda. (I elicited laughter with the phrase “Not exactly best friends”.) One group of participants said that media and local leaders should march “hand-in-hand” to combat terrorism, while others pledged cooperation for “a more secure Uganda”.

Media-counterterrorism seminar

 The participants’ ideas on potential collaborations were also well-conceived. These include educating the public about Ugandan anti-terrorism laws, creating pamphlets on how the public can remain vigilant, and arranging briefings for average citizens by security officials. All the while, the press would work with the officials to keep the public aware, informed, and empowered.

Prof. Ken Christopher, right.

Although the professors urged the participants to nurture the anti-terrorism seeds we planted this week, I suspect in hindsight that we really didn’t have to do anything to get the participants engaged. All they have to do is turn on the news or open up the New Vision newspaper and see the banner headline: “Uganda on alert after Kenyan terrorist attack.”

Mbale seminar wraps; PSA's posted

Our first peace media and counterterrorism seminar in Mbale went well (see previous post). As part of the seminar, participants created anti-terrorism radio public service announcements. To listen to the outstanding work done by the local leaders and journalists, click here.

Our project, sponsored by the U.S. Embassy-Kampala and the Center for Global Peace Journalism at Park University, continues next week with two seminars in Kampala.

Northern Uganda mourns a true man of peace

I was sadded to learn of the recent passing of a truly great man, Mr. A.K. Banya, who was the chairman of the peace club in Gulu, Uganda. (He didn't want to be called president; he thought it too pretentious). Every time I met Mr. Banya, I was impressed by his ability to organize, motivate, and inspire his neighbors. He had a kind word for everyone, was quick with a joke, but deadly serious about keeping his region free from any more violence.

I first met Mr. Banya in July, 2010. Then in October, 2010, Mr. Banya invited me to an event to launch the Gulu peace club. It was my honor to attend and to write this story:

GULU, NORTHERN UGANDA—Here in Gulu, they’re very serious about peace. Of course, this is understandable since a bloody, 20-year long civil war centered here in northern Uganda ended just a couple of years ago.

This peace hungry area is indeed fertile ground for anti-violence messages. Capitalizing on this, our peace journalism project planted some seeds last July when we called together community leaders in Gulu to form what we call a peace club. These clubs are meant to complement our effort to train radio announcers and journalists about peace and electoral journalism.

Around election time, the Uganda peace clubs will also monitor radio stations in their area, using a rubric developed by my peace journalism class that met last spring at Park University. Data collected, some of it using SMS messaging, will be used to confront and correct “hate radio” purveyors, those who incite violence in their communities. The info the peace clubs collect will also be used to gauge the efficacy of the peace journalism project.

At the Peace Club organizational meeting in Gulu in July, the enthusiasm for the concept, and the citizens’ desire to work against election violence, was palpable. We could tell we had a great group.



The late A.K. Banya of Gulu

Between July and October, the club created a motto (“Peaceful Elections for a Peaceful Uganda”) and a lengthy, detailed constitution. They also elected leaders, and planned the launch ceremony held last week.

About 35 people gathered for the club’s launch ceremony at the Diamond Hotel in Gulu on Oct. 5. The attendees were young and old, and included politicians and religions leaders. When a local Imam (Muslim religious leader) recited a prayer quoting Jesus (“Those who promote peace are the children of God”), I knew we would have an eventful few hours.

The most colorful and inspirational speaker was Gulu Peace Club Chairman A.K. Banya, a retired civil servant. (“I was a chief accountant, not a thief account,” he joked, mocking the rampant corruption in Uganda).

Banya said that the new peace club is “a baby born in our midst, and we embrace it wholeheartedly.” He continued, “Peace is an important asset in our community. Forming this peace club will help ensure that there will be no violence. We must sensitize the community and ourselves. We should continue to enjoy the peace now prevailing…We need a vibrant organization to sensitize the community, so that the peace that we’ve been craving for two decades (during the civil war) won’t be lost.”

Banya didn’t mince any words about the need to advocate for peace. “Formation of the peace club is imperative,” he observed. “Violence and danger is imminent unless we act. I ordain you as apostles of peace. Let’s spread the message.” He said spreading peace is like sending ripples through a pond. “We will stop only when the entirety of Uganda is peaceful,” Banya promised.

It was deeply gratifying to see the seeds we planted in July blossom so boldly in October. I’m not sure if the peace club concept will catch on in other places like it has in Gulu, but if it does, and if journalists do their part by practicing responsible, peaceful reporting, Uganda can’t help but have violence-free elections.

Post script: The 2011 elections were largely peaceful throughout Uganda, but especially so in Northern Uganda, thanks in no small part to the efforts of Mr. A.K. Banya. Rest in peace, Mr. Banya.

             Eastern Ugandans unite to battle violent extremism

Park Univ. Professor Ken Christpher teaches "Terrorism 101".

The regional government leader, a big, well dressed man, practically leapt out of his seat, and turned to face the reporter. Pounding the air with his fist, the animated leader addressed a criticism leveled by the reporter. As the leader spoke, several others raised their hands to be recognized while others began to loudly make their point without being called upon.

This happened during the first few hours of the first day of our three day peace media and counterterrorism seminar here in Mbale in Eastern Uganda, near the Kenya border. The seminar is part of a peace media and counterterrorism project sponsored by the U.S. Embassy-Kampala.

My colleagues (Park University professors Ken Christopher and John Hamilton) and I managed to restore order in that instance and several other times when chaos threatened to overtake the room. What we discovered as things settled down was that while the 20 local and regional government leaders, police, army, and media representatives assembled certainly have their differences, they definitely share one parcel of common ground: the desire to combat terrorism.


Professor John Hamilton, collaborating on a PSA.

Interestingly, it was the term terrorism itself that lit the fuse that launched the government leader into his forceful speech. In Uganda, protesters have been arrested (some this week, in fact) and charged with terrorism. The argument between the government leader and the journalist was whether these anti-government protesters are indeed terrorists.

Seeing the threat of the seminar degenerating into a political brawl, an astute Professor Hamilton decided to re-frame the discussion. Since terrorism is such a loaded term here in Uganda, Hamilton wisely dictated the assemblage that we would, henceforth, use the term violent extremism, a term that carries no extraneous baggage. It worked like a charm, since all those gathered agreed that violence was something to be avoided.

Seminar participants, hard at work.

 By the end of the seminar, the participants may not have become best friends, but they did learn to work together in teams consisting of government representatives and one or two journalists. First, each team produced radio public service announcements that urge the public to remain vigilant against violent extremism. These PSA’s will air on local radio stations. Secondly, the participants produced a plan, a blueprint, for future cooperation among government agencies and the media that commit both sides to cooperating to combat violent extremism.

It was encouraging to see these Ugandans set aside their political and professional differences and unite to keep the public safe here in Eastern Uganda.

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Professors learn invaluable lessons in Uganda

 


It’s always fun to show friends places that you already know.

I had the change to do just that today in Kampala with my friends and colleagues John Hamilton (pix 1, left) and Ken Christopher (pix 1, right and pix 2), both of whom teach with me at Park University. I lived for almost a year in Uganda. This is the first trip here for both of my colleagues.

As we drove through the streets, it was fascinating to watch their reaction to Uganda’s many eccentricities. For starters, my friends couldn’t believe the traffic and especially the boda-bodas, motorcycle taxis that zoom in and out of traffic with a suicidal, maniacal fervor. They also noted Kampala’s entrepreneurial spirit that is reflected in the thousands of tiny mom and pop shops and kiosks (sometimes, nothing more than a table and a chair) selling everything from vegetables to cell phone recharging.

The strongest impression on all of us was made during a brief tour of the working-class neighborhood of Kasanga, where I had been several times before. Our tour guide was Tabu, my friend and our driver. John and Ken were, I think, both equally taken aback by the difficult living conditions and the kindness and openness of the people. We visited a church where they were having Sunday supper (beans, potatoes, and spaghetti), and we were all greeted like long lost cousins. We took pictures of the church and of the kids, who squealed with delight when shown their digital image.

During our tour, we briefly chatted with a young university student who was sitting on a stoop studying for her exams. We did our professorial duty, and urged her to study hard. She smiled, and assured us that she was doing her very best.

For all of us, I think the day was a count-your-blessings lesson. For me, it was also a reminder that Uganda is a country in need, and that it is worth my time and effort to try to do my tiny little part to make it a better place.

Off to Uganda, Kenya to teach peace journalism

Our efforts to bring peace journalism to Uganda continue next week. We fly to Uganda on Thursday. Then, myself and three colleagues from Park University's criminal justice department will be teaching six peace media and counterterrorism seminars in Kampala, Mbale, and Fort Portal. The project, sponsored by the U.S. State Department in conjunction with the Center for Global Peace Journalism at Park University, began with two seminars last December. (click here to see archived photos and stories about the December seminars).

I'm looking forward to sharing Uganda with fellow professors Ken Christopher, John Hamilton, and Carol Getty. I'm especially anxious for my colleagues to meet my Ugandan friends Caesar, Tabu, Betty, and Gloria Laker of the Peace Journalism Foundation of East Africa. Gloria will be coordinating our activities in Uganda. She does an outstanding job, and has made me look good for several years now.
After Uganda, Gloria and I will travel to Kenya to teach several peace and electoral journalism seminars.

You can follow all of our (mis)adventures on this site and on Twitter @PeaceJourn during the next few months.