Wednesday, April 05, 2006

The Invisible Children



I just got back from viewing the Invisible Children's documentary film at Jammin Java. This film is about the thousands of children in northern Uganda who have to flee their homes and sleep in the city streets, hospitals, or make-shift safe haven buildings in order to escape the Lords Resistance Army (LRA) so they too are not abducted. Being abducted means you become numbed to any sort of feelings because you experience brutal beatings, cruel killings, and the fear of death. However, not being abducted also means fear of death and abduction, the great possiblility of sexual behavior at a very young age, being raped, contracting HIV/AIDs virus, same sex encounters at will or by molestation, etc. So there is a whole generation of children who are being jaded and made to grow up too fast. Here are some of the cold hard facts...

Northern Uganda called the worst humanitarian crisis in the world today because of the lack of attention

1.7 million people forcibly displaced

An estimated 20- 50,000 children abducted to fight as soldiers

tens of thousands of children commuting nightly

130 people die per day in Northern Uganda due to violence


This is shocking news that never hits the press here in America. Not belittling the harsh reality that there is a war going on in Iraq and Afghanistan, there is genocide going on in Africa yet everyone seems to turn a blind eye. Here is what people all around the world are doing to make a difference. On April 29 there is going to be a Global Night Commute where people all around the World are going to commute to their city and sleep on the streets for one night as these children do every night. Please be a part of this stand. How can you ignore the harsh reality of these Ugandan Children? I have a link to the right in order to find out more information for the Global Commute in your city.

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