Le texte ne s’affiche pas intégralement dans la langue que vous avez sélectionnée ? La Boîte à outils ne cesse d’évoluer, et il semblerait que nous n’ayons pas encore totalement traduit cet article. Contactez-nous si vous avez envie de traduire de nouveaux textes!
En bref
Female elders in northern Uganda invoked powerful cultural taboos by removing their clothes in front of two government ministers who were attempting to grab their land, successfully chasing them away.
For a number of years, a land conflict has been raging between residents of the oil-rich, fertile rural area of Amuru District in northern Uganda and the self-interested dictatorship and its corporate affiliates who were seeking to sell off the land. Several lives had been lost at the hands of abusive government agencies seeking to drive off those living on the land. In April 2015, the situation came to a head: The government began evicting people in Apaa Village by force, at night. They used the Uganda Wildlife Authority and the Uganda People's Defense Force (UPDF), setting homes and gardens on fire and physically attacking locals. This particular area had been sold by the adjacent district, as if that district (Adjumani) were the owner of land outside of its geographic reach. The buyer was a South African investor by the name of Bruce Martin, who wanted the land, which includes an animal reserve, for elite sports game hunting.
The Minister of Lands burst into tears at the sight.
In response, community leaders working with organizers from Solidarity Uganda called for peaceful demonstrations. After trainings in nonviolent direct action, a few days of simple marches, and other related peaceful demonstrations, residents prepared to risk their lives, as more and more military personnel began setting up camp sites. Two government ministers, the Minister of Lands and the Minister of Internal Affairs (who is also a military general), came to demarcate land once and for all in an attempt to redistrict Apaa out of Amuru District and into Adjumani District.
To block the ministerial convoy, the community put up a roadblock in a forested area of the village (see: TACTIC: Blockade). Local women stripped naked at the roadblock, invoking a powerful cultural omen or curse in Uganda, where it provokes deep shame to see a woman the age of one’s mother naked. The Minister of Lands burst into tears at the sight and began begging the community to end the protest, trying to argue that he hadn’t come to steal their land after all. The Minister of Internal Affairs attempted to dodge the situation altogether by looking away, but the massive number of people and the overwhelming sight of the elders flailing their naked limbs about prevented him from proceeding with his mission. The convoy returned to the capital city having failed to place the mark stones they had brought for redistricting.
Shortly thereafter, the military occupation in Apaa was disbanded. Many soldiers repented of their wrongdoings, claiming that they hated carrying out the orders of their superiors. Civil society groups organized local leaders to pass several resolutions, demanding the release of a few community leaders arrested in conjunction with the action, and insisting that the land of Apaa never be considered part of Adjumani District.
Originally published in Beautiful Rising.
Tactique clé
When the female elders fell naked to the ground, wailing and shouting, they made the ministers run away, ashamed. It reminded those male officials about how disgraceful they were being against those women, who were only trying to help sustain lives, like their own mothers did.
Principe clé
Stripping naked and pointing breasts at the enemy is a cultural omen in Acholi culture. It invokes the worst maledictions and great harm against those who do injustice. The curse of nakedness has proven very effective in helping movements strengthen the collective identity tied to the land.