Genocide must be stopped, Otunnu warns

Olara Otunnu, former United Nations special representative for children and armed conflict: “When 6 million Jews were exterminated, we said never again, but after the fact. When genocide was happening in Rwanda, we said never again, but once again it was after the fact. The genocide unfolding in northern Uganda is happening on our watch and now with our knowledge.”

4:13 p.m., March 13, 2006--While the United States' military power is formidable, its international influence has the ability to end the genocide in northern Uganda, Olara Otunnu, former United Nations special representative for children and armed conflict, said at UD Wednesday evening, March 8.

“I cannot help but wonder if we as an international community have learned any lesson from the dark episodes of our history,” he said. “When 6 million Jews were exterminated, we said never again, but after the fact. When genocide was happening in Rwanda, we said never again, but once again it was after the fact. The genocide unfolding in northern Uganda is happening on our watch and now with our knowledge. Tomorrow shall we once again be able to say that we do not know what is going on?”

In his lecture, Otunnu said the genocide has been occurring for more than 20 years in northern Uganda, with more than 2 million people in concentration camps, where more than 4,000 people share one latrine and women must line up for over 12 hours to get water for their family.

Otunnu, former UN Under-Secretary General, explained that the genocide in northern Uganda was a comprehensive genocide carried out by the government of Uganda.

Otunnu said the war between ethnic groups is a pretense to distract international attention from the camps.

“I have personally been working in areas of human rights catastrophe for many years,” he said. “And I have to say that I know of no recent events in history where all the elements of genocide have been brought together in such a chilling and comprehensive manner as in northern Uganda...It is most sad for me to note that the situation in northern Uganda is far worse than the abominations in Darfur and Rwanda.”

Otunnu explained the conditions in the concentration camps and said the government is deploying HIV-infected soldiers to spread the disease and use it as a weapon in the camps.

Otunnu said the United States has a role to play in ending this kind of genocide.

“I think there is a moral responsibility that comes with the territory,” he said. “People look to you to make things happenŠwe cannot have enough good will around. Being engaged with the U.S. providing leadership will provide goodwill and can tackle issues.”

Otunnu said the United States can hold sway in the international community without use of its military.

“For the most part, the U.S. can show leadership and stewardship and without using hard power and without having to engage in attack, and sending U.S. men and women into harm's way,” he said. “And that use of soft power, in fact, is what is most in demand in the world, and is expected of the U.S.”

Otunnu: “For the most part, the U.S. can show leadership and stewardship and without using hard power and without having to engage in attack, and sending U.S. men and women into harm's way.”

Otunnu said the world has accepted the market economy as the economic model to follow, but the United States has to make sure countries achieve the same level of solidarity.

Otunnu said attention has to be brought to northern Uganda so that something can be done.

“I would like to appeal to those of you that are here,” he said. “I ask that you may consider joining in a campaign to break this conspiracy, in a campaign to end this genocide in northern Uganda because this genocide is happening on our watch.”

Otunnu explained the ways the United States could use “soft power,” or its economic and cultural influence to combat problems such as genocide.

Otunnu's lecture is part of a series of Global Agenda lectures entitled "Hidden Dangers: Global Challenges Below the Radar," which are free and open to the public.

The lectures by policymakers, government leaders and foreign affairs experts explore the issues facing the United States. Topics include the affects of war on children and the developing world, war crimes and global relations. Other issues include the role of the U.S. and national security.

The next lecture will be March 22, with Lisa Meadowcroft, executive director of the African Medical Research Foundation. Meadowcroft was previously with the International Rescue Committee, the largest U.S. refugee organization worldwide. Meadowcroft is now executive director of the American affiliate of the African Medical and Research Foundation, the largest non-governmental health development organization.

Organized by Ralph Begleiter, UD's Rosenberg Professor of Communication and Distinguished Journalist in Residence, the series is cosponsored by the University of Delaware and the World Affairs Council of Wilmington and is intended to investigate the complexities of global affairs.

For more information on the speakers and their lecture topics, visit [www.udel.edu/global]. For general information on the series, call the Department of Communication at (302) 831-8041.

Article by Julia Parmley, AS '07
Photos by Duane Perry

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