Santayana reminded us that “Those who do not remember history are condemned to repeat it”. We should not forget that Uganda has been recorded as a country where genocide has already taken place (Fran Alexander et al., 1998).
Those who want to prevent genocide in Uganda must study carefully the definition of genocide and then analyze what is going on in their communities because genocide may be taking place slowly, incrementally and silently without being noticed. Ugandans know the type of genocide that took place in Rwanda – the armed killing of targeted groups that took place in 1994. Genocide that takes place silently and incrementally overtime is difficult to detect and much less to condemn. Let us revisit the definition of genocide which has the following elements:
- Killing members of the group
- Causing serious bodily or mental harm to members of the group
- Deliberately inflicting on the group conditions of life calculated to bring about its physical destruction in whole or in part
- Imposing measures intended to prevent births within the group
- Forcibly transferring children of the group to another.
Acts of genocide can take place in time of peace or in time of war. In Burundi (1972) and Rwanda (1994) genocide took place in time of war. Acts of genocide or complicity in genocide can be undertaken by “constitutionally responsible rulers, public officials or private individuals” (Joel Krieger 1993).
The characteristics of genocide include targeting a particular group on the basis of race, tribe or ethnicity, religion, political or social group; the destruction in whole or in part can be done at once or incrementally (in small amounts at different times) using various means including economic instruments. Deliberate and targeted destruction cannot take place without the involvement of or coordination by government. “The crime of genocide can hardly be committed without at least an indirect involvement of a government and it is unlikely that such a government would bring before the court individuals responsible for such crimes” (Joel Krieger 1993). That is why acts of commission or omission of genocide are no longer considered as a matter exclusively within the domestic jurisdiction of the state concerned. Therefore the United Nations has a moral and legal right to intervene to prevent genocide or punish those responsible for it. The United Nations adopted a resolution on the “Responsibility to Protect”, allowing the United Nations to intervene in domestic affairs of states to prevent or stop acts of genocide, war crimes and crimes against humanity.
Since many Ugandans and others are familiar with the Rwanda and Burundi type of genocide, let me in the balance of this article synthesize the silent genocidal acts against the Bairu of Rujumbura county in Rukungiri district of southwest Uganda that have happened incrementally over many years with adverse physical and mental impact. After you have read this article check what has happened or is happening or could happen to your communities (ethnic, tribal etc) that resembles genocidal acts of commission or omission using the five elements of genocide cited above.
When I wrote my first article on “How Rujumbura’s Bairu got impoverished” a few individuals accused me unfairly of ‘sectarianism and tribal hatred’ subject to prosecution. Their primary goal was to prevent me or others from writing about such topics that might discredit the government. As time passed and a few people actually visited Rujumbura and checked on what I had written an increasing number is supporting me and confirming what I wrote then and since.
In the following paragraphs, the repetition of some historical facts is unavoidable in order to give a complete story. The indigenous or native people of Rujumbura are Bantu who entered the area from Cameroon/Nigeria border through the Congo basin some 3000 years ago. They owned cattle, goats and sheep and were skilled in (e.g. iron) technology. They were identified by their clan names and totems. They grew many crops, herded livestock and manufactured many products especially those based on iron ore. They had plenty of balanced foodstuffs that reduced diseases through immunity and the population grew fast, settled in communities that led to the establishment of political and governance systems to maintain law and order. There were kings and chiefs with palaces and other perquisites that go with such civilizations. The surplus was traded in regional markets leading to the accumulation of wealth.
The silent genocide against Bairu committed by Bahororo (Batutsi from Rwanda who disguised themselves as Bahima until recently) has gone through the following incremental phases.
- Around 1800 Bahororo sought refuge in Rujumbura when they were chased away from southwest Nkore by Bahima under the Bahinda ruling clan. They came with the Rwanda feudal and military mentality of defeating, dispossessing and exploiting the native populations who had lived in relative peace. The natives’ resistance was crushed by Bahororo with support of Arab slave traders who had brought with them European weapons. Members of the defeated tribes were sold as slaves thereby reducing their numbers or completely wiped out. “Weaker states [or tribes] were raided for slaves while interstate warfare became rampant” (B. A. Ogot 1976).
- Bahororo imposed the collective epithet of Bairu (slaves) on all native communities that had previously been identified by their clan names. Bairu’s grazing land was taken away for grazing Bahororo long horn cattle which resulted in the disappearance of short horn cattle belonging to native communities now as slaves. Because Bahororo did not cultivate because it was an activity beneath their dignity, they did not appropriate cultivation land but they liked food and drinks produced from it by Bairu. Bahororo then came up with the concept of ‘protection’ of Bairu against unspecified dangers. In return for this ‘protection’, Bairu would contribute unspecified amounts of food, drinks and labor resulting in severe exploitation and consequent hunger, loss of immunity, increasing poor health with possible genocidal outcomes in terms of reduced population growth of Bairu through increased mortality.
- Post independence politics in Rujumbura that divided Protestant Bairu into Banyama (those who stole and ate the ruler’s cow) and Baboga (those who refused to eat the meat and ate vegetables instead) was used by Bahororo politicians to make the two groups of Bairu fight each other so much that some so-called Banyama eaters left the area permanently while others went into exile. These Bahororo engineered atrocities had tremendous negative psychological impact on Bairu. Those who were chased away had difficulties settling in a new place ecologically different from Rujumbura. The Baboga Bairu also felt terrible when they discovered they had been used and got nothing when the fruits of independence began to be shared out. The lion’s share went to Bahororo politicians and their relatives. It is still the case today.
- Since 1986 the coming to power of the NRM government led by Bahororo at the national and Rujumbura levels, conditions for Bairu have deteriorated very fast contrary to Major General Jim Muhwezi’s claim that as Member of Parliament representing Rujumbura constituency his job has been to reduce poverty in his constituency. The deliberate targeting of Bairu is taking place at two main levels. First, the level of unemployment is so high among the educated and illiterate Bairu (there are no unemployed Bahororo in Rujumbura) that the genocidal outcomes cannot be ruled out. Mortality rates are high, the young ones are avoiding getting married because they cannot afford a family, men are abandoning their families and have drifted and disappeared into towns resulting in reduced reproduction, increased diseases of poverty are taking a heavy toll especially on Bairu children, the number of Bairu sex workers has increased to make ends meet resulting in the spreading of HIV and other sexually transmitted diseases, many people are developing neurological problems because of economic stress. Second, as if unemployment was not enough to do the job, Rukungiri district council and Uganda parliament decided without consulting the people mostly Bairu to incorporate large chunks of their land where they derive their livelihood into municipality the terms and conditions of which will force them to sell their land cheaply become landless and penniless with obvious silent genocidal consequences. That this decision targeted Bairu can be seen by the way the land was demarcated. A whole sub-county of Kagunga where the majority of Bairu peasants live and earn their livelihood was incorporated into the municipality which has become owner of the incorporated land.
To sum up, the combination of these silent and incremental activities affecting Bairu of Rujumbura fit the first four points included in the definition of genocide as recorded above. Those who threaten that raising these issues with possible genocidal implications will not be tolerated because it is unpatriotic and designed to incite the public to commit genocide and other crimes against humanity should recast their attitude and inflexibility and instead formulate policies and strategies that stop and reverse the genocidal environment in which Bairu have lived since their interaction with Bahororo in Rujumbura.
I call on other Ugandans to examine what is happening in their communities to make sure that what has happened to Bairu in Rujumbura does not happen to anyone else or if it is already happening silently it is stamped out without delay. Let us together make the twenty first century a period of peace, equity, sustained and sustainable growth and development for all Ugandans. Together we cannot be defeated. To succeed in this noble cause we need to realize that all Ugandans are born free and equal in dignity and rights.