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Ugandan
Father Carlos Rodriguez, from Spain, had accused the army of starting a fire at a camp for displaced people and then shooting at people as they escaped. The army was unhappy with this and a security committee meeting in Gulu recommended the priest leave the area. An army spokesman said the priest should leave "for his own safety". What does that mean? The LRA has been fighting a brutal war against the government of President Yoweri Museveni since 1987. The BBCâs Will Ross says it will now be up to the national security committee whether or not the Spanish cleric can remain in the north of Uganda. "He is always misrepresenting what is happening on the ground," army spokesman Major Shaban Bantariza told the BBC Network Africa programme. He denied the attempt to get him to leave the area was a bid to silence army critics. "He is not the only person in this country that has criticised some aspects of our failings," he said. Father Rodriguez has been working with northern religious leaders trying to broker peace between the army and the LRA. The world court is investigating the LRAâs alleged atrocities The priest says he is playing a positive role in persuading rebels to give up the rebellion, but he has had public disagreements in the past. When priests held a meeting with rebels in the bush in 2002, the army attacked - and accused the priests of being rebel collaborators. Father Carlos and his colleagues survived but sustained injuries. He once stated "Nobody is winning this war -we are all losers." He has also criticized the operation of the Ugandan army saying: "So many innocent people have perished and have been gleefully counted as rebels killed." President Yoweri Museveni responded saying: "Father Carlosâs arguments like most arguments of pacifists are misleading and erroneous." In this case, I tend to beleive the pacifist priest. I am biased, though, as I recognize the monk standing next to Father Carlos in the BBC article. He was been in Uganda since the Idi Amin years, returing to the states once every year or too to solicit parishes for humanitarian donations. He expressed his preference for the company of African Catholics, who have more convictions with respect to religion - and donât leave church directly after communion. The brother caught me red-faced on that one. He related that he actually has to return CONUS periodically because his is partial to Frosted Flakes. Posted by: Super Hose 2004-02-13 |
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