Uganda in the Global Eye
BBC
BBC
"How the Rwanda-Uganda border crossing came to a halt"
by Catherine Byaruhanga
"Uganda FGM ban: 'Why I broke the law to be circumcised aged 26'"
by Catherine Byaruhanga
Tensions between the two countries has been brewing for the past two years, but on March 6, 2019, Rwanda closed its border to Uganda and its citizens. It has not been officially closed, but no citizen, either for travel or delivery purposes, is allowed to cross. The border acts as a physical division between some communities, which makes a more definitive separation an even greater challenge. Additionally, this particular border point is a crucial crossroads for traders both going to Rwanda, or through Rwanda, from Uganda and vice versa.
The cause of the closure is due to Rwanda suspecting Uganda of supporting a rebel group trying to upset the current government, which Uganda has dismissed. The border remains closed as of March 11 (m3).
The practice of Female Genital mutilation (FGM) was banned by the government in 2010, but it is still practiced, primarily in secret by Ugandan women. Those who practice FGM can receive up to five years in jail, with those performing the ceremony receiving up to ten years. The practice, while dangerous, is one of cultural significance for many women. It is a rite of passage and a sign of womanhood, which is why some women still have the ceremony performed despite the risks. Those who have not undergone FGM have reported feeling like outsiders within their own communities.
The woman depicted, Sylvia Yeko, underwent the procedure in part for cultural reasons, but also in protest of the government's failure to educate and advance prospects for women once the practice was banned. Despite the risks of conviction, Yeko filmed and shared her ceremony, and chose to disclose her name for the article (m4).
Reuters
New York Times
"Rwanda Accuses Uganda of Supporting Rebels"
by Clement Uwiringiyimana
On March 5, 2019, Rwanda accused Uganda of assisting rebel groups Rwanda National Congress (RNC) and Democratic Forces for the Liberation of Rwanda (FDLR). RNC founders organized around the premise of a political party, whereas the FDLR is composed of former Rwandan soldiers and Hutu militias who fled to the DRC after the 1994 Rwandan Genocide. These two groups oppose the current Rwandan government, and the alleged support of such groups led to the closing of the Rwanda-Uganda border. Shockingly, these two governments have supported each other in years past through various endeavors, usually of a political orientation (m14).
*This article also appeared in the New York Times
Al Jazeera
"Diagnoses by Horn, Payment in Goats: An African Healer at Work" by Donald G. McNeil Jr.
"Migingo Island: Africa's 'smallest war'"
by Andrea Dijkstra & Jeroen Van Loon
Migingo Island is one of many residing within the borders of Lake Victoria, which is bordered my Kenya, Tanzania, and Uganda. The island is smaller than a football pitch and houses more than 500 people on it, almost all of them Ugandan and Kenyan fishermen. The waters at the edges of the lake have grown sparse from over fishing and an invasive water hyacinth, but the waters around Migingo are swarming.
“Africa’s Smallest War” is a joke among the inhabitants of the island, but the implications over disputed territory are clear. Neither country has determined a claim over it since forming a joint committee in 2016 (m5).
Samuel Muriisa, photographed above, is widely respected omushaho wekishaka, or traditional healer, in the Western region of Uganda. Located near Lake Bunyonyi, Muriisa is only vaguely aware of the threat lingering in neighboring Democratic Republic of the Congo: Ebola. The border is a mere 20 miles from his home and he is hopeful that it will not enter Uganda. Healers such as Muriisa play a crucial role in their communities with people often coming to them for all ailments, even if they are also consulting medical professionals. The danger in this is these healers are not nearly informed enough regarding serious diseases such as Ebola, making "misinformation and hope" the most prominent tools (m7).
Al Jazeera
"Is the African Union fulfilling its mandate?"
By Hamza Mohamed
Founded in 2001 with 55 member states, the African Union holds a common objective to “promote democratic principles and institutions,” and endeavor that some countries have skirted. One of the stipulations of the AU was limiting the term for presidency, a restriction that countries such as Uganda have eliminated over the years. It has also struggled against fighting corruption, heightening security, financing reforms, promoting free trade, and eliminating sexual harassment of women working at the AU (m8).