Forgive and Forget, Brig. General Bonny Bamwiseki tells LRA Survivors

Brig. General Bonny Bamwiseki, the Defence Attached in Juba, South Sudan who is also a former UPDF 4th Division Commander has called on Lord Resistance Army-LRA survivors to Forgive and Forget the atrocities committed by the LRA rebels on them during the two-decade-long insurgency in Northern Uganda.

He made this call while presenting during a public lecture on Forgiveness and Reconciliation after the war in Northern Uganda from Gulu University New Library on Tuesday 9 July, 2024. Brig, General Bamwiseki acknowledged that it is very difficult to forgive and forget but once that is done, it marks the beginning of a healing process to the wounds of the offended.

The Vice Chancellor of Gulu University, Prof. Openjuru George Ladaah said as war survivors forgive the LRA rebels for the atrocities committed on them, the perpetrators should as well be remorseful and apologize for their actions.

Prof. Openjuru assures the survivors that the University will organize a similar engagement and bring on board the government to discuss better reparations plans for the LRA survivors.

The lead presenter, Prof. Stephen Pope from Boston University also shared the same sentiment with Prof. Openjuru saying that for forgiveness to happen and be meaningful, the perpetrators should acknowledge their wrong doings publicly with honest discussions and apologies that usher into repentance.

Sheikh Musa Khalil, who doubles as the Vice Chairman of Acholi Religious Peace Initiative-ARLPI and the Northern Regional Assistant to Mufti of Uganda says both the Bible and Quran talks about forgiveness and therefore, forgiving and forgetting is very key in the lives of all people.

Rev. Fr. Jino Mwaka, the Vice Chancellor of the University of Sacred Heart who represented His Grace Dr. John Baptist Odama, Archbishop Emeritus of Gulu Archdiocese said as long as we carry anger and resentment for someone’s mistakes, we continue to suffer and remain in prison to bitterness.

He therefore, urges those affected by the war to forgive and embrace peace and harmony since we cannot change the past.

Associate Professor Grace Akello, a medical anthropologist at the Departmental of mental health, Faculty of Medicine, Gulu University who was at the centre of organizing this event appreciated every individual involved in the planning process for making the public lecture a success.

The public lecture which attracted hundreds of people from different walks of life including the LRA survivors in Northern Uganda, scholars and local leaders was conducted under the theme “Forgiveness, justice and reconciliation after Amnesty in Northern Uganda: What do they have to do with one another ?”