Thank you Mr. Lacambel, My name is Akera Wilson am the LC of Lulojo. I want to appeal to the children who are in the bush to come back because the government is still committed to supporting returnees. Female returnees who have children are being supported with bursaries, the male returnees have been assisted and some of them are commercial bike riders. Others got vocational training and are employed.So I appeal to the rest of the abductees who are still being deceived that you should continue with the war to come back home. The government has intentions to receive you. The community also awaits your return. We beg you to come back home so that we resume the good life we had in the past.

Your mothers are crying and begging you to come back home and support them because they are helpless. So if all of you continue to fight in the war in Zere or Central Africa, you will not help us in solving problems. You come back and resume your education, vocational training. The government wants to support you and even give you loans to assist your reintegration. I don’t have much to say. Am a local leader as an LC and I know that all LCs want you to come back home. If you come back we shall receive you and hand you over to the government not to make them do anything bad to you because you are all our children. Thank you Mr. Lacambel

I am Rwot Justo Obita of Koch Omiya Nyima Kitgum District, in Uganda. I want to talk about forgiveness and appeal to you my children of Acholi who were abducted and taken in the bush. You are very innocent. In the recent past 3 to 4 years ago, we were telling you to come home; some of you listened to what we were saying and came out. Those who came out are now living a good life at home. Some are at school, others have already completed their education and now employed. There is nothing bad that the government is doing to them. Those of you who returned and are still at school are being supported by the government.I appeal to all of you children of Acholi who are still in the bush to come back home. If you come back home, nothing bad is going to happen to you. Your colleagues who returned are already in their homes even if they have just a few problems because it’s very difficult to rebuild a home. When you come out, you will join them with our help as Rwodi, we shall ensure that we work together so that we make you have a better life.

We Rwodi in our capacity will appeal to the government and all available agencies to support your reintegration just like the kind of support which your colleagues who have already returned received.

I advise you not to listen to the nonsense they are telling you in the bush. If you follow those useless ideas they are telling you, you will die in the bush but if you listen to what we are telling you and escape, then you will live. I know that we shall all die at one time, but it’s better for you to die at home rather than dying in the bush.

Government does not have to just look for you. If you report, they will receive you because you were just abducted. You will be received like any other member of the community. Therefore, if any of you is listening to me, then they have to spread it to everyone around you. You tell them that the Rwot has assured us that if we come out of the LRA; we shall get a good reception at home. This is what am asking of you so that you don’t let us down. Because you are the Acholi of the next generation. I am already 82 years and I don’t expect to live for a very long time from now but whatever am trying to communicate here is for all of you. Listen to us and come home.

I also want to tell you that the paramount chief of Acholi. Rwot David Onen Achana is also struggling to ensure that there is peace in Acholi and also to ensure that the Acholi get equal treatment. So you who are away in the foreign lands should listen to his appeal to support him. We trust that because he is still young, he will be efficient in his administration even after we have passed on. I also pray that he lives for a longer time so that when you come home, then you join him in his efforts. He cannot let you down.

I also want to inform you that It was me who received your colleagues who came out of the LRA because of the mandate given to me by other Rwodi to perform the cleansing ceremony to all returnees. I received all of them, made then go through the traditional cleansing process to reunite them with their family members. They all stepped on an egg, they also used the olive branch to receive them so you have no doubt of the process just come back home.

I know that you also keep getting information that there are many conflicts related to land in our region. The conflict is because we are not united. This should not give you worries. Just come back home and go right back to your ancestral land and settle there. Nothing can defeat us. The government which is also supporting us in the struggle to bring you back home will ensure that there are applicable laws to settle all land conflicts. These land conflicts will all be settled without malice and fear. So just come back home and go back to your home. There is an Acholi proverb which says “LADONG CEN MATO MULEL-LE” meaning “if you are the last to drink water from a cup, you might drink some of the impurities which have settled at the bottom of the cup”. So don’t be the last to drink water from the cup.

My name is Oryema Tito of Kweyo , in Lela parish, Omiya Nyima sub county, in Kitgum District. My daughter; Aryemo Harriet. I remember in 1999 on the 31st of January is when you left us. By the time you left us you remember that I was a teacher in Palabek S.S. When you were abducted from Omiya Nyima, in Kweyo at that time of xmas, I was in Palabek as your father. I want to inform you that we are still fine here at home in Omiya Nyima. As I speak, everyone at home is fine. Healthy and they are sending you regards. We all love you Harriet. You don’t have to be worried. All the children are fine your younger sister named Acuk Josephine has finished school and she is also fine.We pray to God for your protection and if time allows. We ask you to come and we live together at home. If possible, come with the father of your child. So that other cultural formalities can be settled from home here. If you have children then bring them so that we can see them as your parents. We love you so much. Therefore I should let you know that your mother Paska gave birth to twins and they are alive. Tito’s mother is also fine but she is a little old now but she wants to see you so much.

I want to appeal to you as my daughter Aryemo Harriet that in this world, you have to move on. There is time for everything. Going to the bush was not your wish. So we have a lot of hope and love for you.

I also want to inform you that your brother Tata Roy the one you were abducted together with came back and is very fine. He has planted very many crops and has a lot of yield from his gardens. I also want to inform you that as I speak now, am a leader. When I left the teaching job in Palabek S.S, I came back to Omiya Nyime and the people here gave me leadership duties and now am at the District council. Am the deputy LCV of Kitgum.

I appeal to you and your colleagues to come back home. There is nothing bad here. You just inform your colleagues to also come back. Don’t let your husband have any worries, come with him. I as a leader and someone who is exposed will receive you. So I appeal to you and your colleagues to come back home. It was not in your interest to be there. That I know for sure. We want you all to come back home and am saying this as a father. Listen to me. There is nothing bad we are thinking about you but love for you.

So Achop is fine, Okure is fine, Paska is fine, Janet also is fine. All the children are also fine here at home. I have nothing more to tell you. If you get this message then just take it like love from me and am saying this so that you can come back home. We have a lot of love for you. Thank you.

I am Joseph Odong Piny your father. I know that it was not your intention to be in the bush but because of the war. I hope you are well. We are also fine. Your mother Elma Akwero is also fine and wants me to extend her regards to you. Your sister Concy also sends you regards if you are able to listen to what am telling you. Your brother Tonny also sends you warm greetings. We are all fine here at home. We pray that when God wishes, you will come and find us all here at home.We know that you are fine and nothing bad will happen to you because we also had very many problems at home but we were able to come out of them. If you come back you will find the others who returned before you here having a very good life. They are getting assistance. I will also assist you when you return but the government will assist you more in return for coming home and persisting all the suffering you underwent while in captivity.

I don’t have much more to say but we shall be very happy to receive you when you return. We at home were not killed, we are still alive and healthy. All your siblings are at home without any problems but all they keep thing about is you. I am Joseph Odong Piny, your mother Elma Akwero.

• Lacambel
  What is the name of the child?
• Odong Piny
  Samuel Oola, am your father talking to you. I did not think that I would talk to you but God made it possible. And am sure that you will hear my voice. They abducted you when we were at the fireplace up to now. So listen to my voice. We are all fine at home without any problems.
• Lacambel
  When your child was abducted, were you there or you were not at home?
• Odong Piny
  I was there. I was at the fire place. He was a little far from me because children do not like to sit very close to the fire. That’s when the rebels appeared form the bushes. They were two; Tony and then him Samuel Oola. They told Tony to get up and then told Tony to sit down because he was young. Then they asked if Samuel takes alcohol. Samuel replied that he does not take alcohol because he is still a student. They also asked him if he has a wife. He replied that he has no wife.Then they asked me to give them my son to go and assist them in their work. That was when they took him up to now. I didn’t know what to say and I never ever got a chance to say anything at that time.
• Lacambel
  At that time, what was Samuel’s level of education?
• Odong Piny
  he was in primary seven (p.7).
• Lacambel
  what do you have to tell the people who abducted Samuel?
• Odong Piny
  I beg them to release you Samuel to come back home. They should also come back home. Home if fine. There is not problem but only waiting for you to come back home. The government is waiting to receive you and support you like they are assisting those who returned before you.

Thank you very much. My name is Joyce Oryem. I represent LAPEWA (Laroo Peace Women’s Association). Lapewa is an association dedicated for the rights of children of any diversity.Before I say anything. I want to thank Lacambel for coming back to moderate the come home messages. He really struggled, for a long time and many people have recognized his efforts.

We the women of Lapewa praise God in everything we do. God listens to our prayers. We are talking with grief. Because a child is being turned into mothers I want to thank the government for the work they are doing for us. For the government intends to bring you back home through the operations in foreign land but they do not want to harm you. So that the children have a future.

Iam Okongo Joseph of Kitgum Town Coulcil in west land village. Am 61 years am grateful for giving me the opportunity to talk to you my children still in the bush who are Central Africa. I am an elder in Acholi. I am not deceiving you. So many people have reported home and nothing bad happened to them. For you who are still in the bush, my prayer to you is that you should come back home. Uganda is developing very rapidly and if you people don’t comeback home and the war you are fighting does not yield benefits then you will be left out. You will have no place in the process of development.It’s not good to keep disturbing your neighbor. The war has now affected many countries; Southern Sudan, north Sudan, central Africa and Congo. You have to stop disturbing those people and listen to what am telling you and come back home. Take your time and come home and avoid making those people suffer. In Acholi, if someone kills the other, they take the bitter herbs called Oput then they forgive each other. For us, we have forgiven you and want you to come back home. For all the things that happened here, we shall back you up as elders and cultural leaders of Acholi.

You people also hurt me very much but I have forgiven you. There won’t be charged for anything you did, I appeal to you to listen to what am telling you and come back home because you are our children no matter what. You remain our children in blood and spirit. Do not be deceived by anyone. I did not ever think that I would talk to you like this. I have let go and the Acholi have also let go of the anger in our hearts.

Acholi People are moving on, they are continuing to have many more children, they are becoming educated and they are using computers. If you don’t come back home to catch up with the development, how will you live with others in the community? Listen to me, the cultural and elders from the Acholi. We who have stayed for more than 60 years have been able to live for all this time because we listen to advice. Listen to people like Lacambel of Mega fm like others who came out after their advice. We shall all put our voice together to ensure that there is a legal protection for everyone who comes home because this government is a government that listens to the people.