Grace Akallo

**Grace Akallo** (yazaalibwa mu 1981) mukyala Munnayuganda eyali y'awambibwa mu 1996 okukozesebwa nga omwana omusirikale ku magye g'abayeekera aga Lord's Resistance Army (LRA), agaali gakulemberwa Joseph Kony. Mu kaseera k'okuwambibwa, Akallo yali w'amyaka 15 nga yali asomera ku St. Mary's College, essomero ery'ekissulo eliri ku musingi gw'ekikatoliki mu Aboke, Uganda. Yasigala mu magye ga LRA okumala emyezi musanvu nga tannaba kutoloka. Oluvanyuma lw'okutoloka, yaddayo ku St. Mary's College okumaliriza emisomo gye egya Ssekendule. Emisomo gye egya Yunivasite yagitandikira mu Uganda Christian University, naye Diguli ye endala ey'enyongereza yagifunira ku Gordon College oluvanyuma lw'okufuna sikaala. Akallo yeyongerayo ne Diguli ey'okubiri okuva mu Clark University/ Okugoberera okutoloka kwe okuva mu LRA, Akallo yatandika okulwanirira eddembe ly'abakyala n'abaana ba Africa. Abadde akozesa obumanyirivu bweyafunira mu maggye n'ebyo byeyafuna okuva mu misomo gye egya Ssekendule okulwanyisa ebikolwa eby'okutulugunya n'okukozesa abaana ng'abasirikale mu magye saako n'okubudabuda abaana abaali bafuulibwa abasirikale naye nga baatolokayo.

Akallo akoledde ebitongole eby'enjawulo nga the Sister Rachelle Rehabilitation Centre ne World Vision, saako ne pulojekiti ezenjawulo omuli n'okwetaba mu kuyisa etteka mu ssemmateeka erikwata ku baana abafuulibwa abasirikale erya 2008 Child Soldiers Accountability Act. n'okunyumya emboozi ezimukwatako ng'eyali omwana eyafuulibwa omusirikale Akallo yatandiikawo ekitongole ekirwanirizi ky'eddembe ly'abaana n'abakazi okuva mu Africa ekiri mu America ekiyitibwa United Africans for Women and Children's Rights (UAWCR); saako n'ekikwasaganya abavubuka abaali bakoseddwa olutala ng'ayita mu kitongole kya UNICEF. Ebiwandiiko ebiwerako ne firimu ezimwogerako ziwandiikiddwa era n'ezifulumizibwa nga zinnyonyola Akallo bye yayitamu saako n'abaana abalala abaafulibwa abasirikale, nadda mu mboozi emwogerako eya 2007; *Girl Soldier: olugero olw'essuubi eri abaana b'omu Bukkikakkono bwa Uganda*, nga lwa wandiikibwa ne Faith J. H. McDonnell, the 2015 biography *Grace Akallo and the Pursuit of Justice for Child Soldiers* olw'awandiikibwa Kem Knapp Sawyer, ne firimu engatte eya 2010 *Grace, Milly, Lucy... Child Soldiers* eyafulumizibwa Raymonde Provencher.

## Bwe yali mu Ggye lya Lord's Resistance Army (LRA)
Akallo yawambibwa Eggye lya Lord's Resistance Army (LRA) nga 9 Ogwekkumi 9, 1996, nga w'amyaka 15 gyokka. 9 Ogwekkumi lwe lunaku lwa olwamefuga Uganda, nga lunaku lwa kujjaguza; wabula ku lunaku luno, Akallo n'abawala abalala abato 138 bawambibwa ekibiina ky'abayeekera ba LRA okuva mu kisulu ky'abwe ku St. Mary's College.

Mu kiro ky'okuwambibwa kwa Akallo, abayeekera ba LRA bamenya ne bayingira mu kisulo nga bayita mu madirisa mu kaseera ng'abawala n'omulabirizi waabwe, Alupu Jemma Obace, baali bagezaako okudduka okwekweka. Abayeekera ba LRA basiba abawala ku miguwa n'ebabakaka okutambula n'abo ekiro kyonna nga babatiisatiisa okubatta singa bagezaako okugyeema. Enkeera, abasirikale ba LRA b'ata abaana 109 ne baddizibwayo ew'omukulembeze w'essomero Sister Rachelle, oluvannyuma lw'okwegayirira omuduumizi wa LRA Laguira, wabula Akallo yali omu kubawala 30 abasigala.

Akallo n'abalala abaali bawambiddwa bakakibwa okukuumba ppaka mu Sudan––olutambula olw'abatwalira ssabbiti bbiri okuggusa ng'abasitudde migugu. Abasirikale ba LRA bawaamba abaana abalala mu kkubo gy'ebayita mu byalo bye Gulu ne Kitgum, naddala mu lugendo lwaabwe olwe Sudan. Omu ku bawala bweyagezaako okutoloka, Akallo n'abawala abalala bakakibwa okumukuba okutuusa omutujju omu bweyamutta n'embbazzi. Mu firimu ya *Grace, Milly, Lucy... Child Soldiers*, Akallo anyumya butya omuduumizi Laguira bweyabagamba, "Mwerabire ebikwata ku Uganda. bwe muligezaako okutoloka, ekyo ky'ekigenda okubatuukako." Abaana baakakibwa okugondera amateeka oba si ekyo baali bakukubibwa oba okuttibwa.

Abasirikale ba LRA baatwala Akallo n'abaana abalala mu Sudan, gye gatendekebwa okufuuka abasirikale Baakubibwa n'okutulugunyizibwa era baakakibwa okutta bannabwe abaali bajjemeddea ebiragiro. Mu kaseera keyamala mu LRA, Akallo yatendekebwa okukumba n'okulongoosa, okupangula n'okupanga emmundu kika kya  AK-47, wabula yalina okweyigiriza okugikozesa. Akallo ne banne bakakibwa okulwanyisa amagye ga Sudan People's Liberation Army (SPLA), awali okwesigama kundowooza z'okusimattuka. Yayiga okukozesa emmundu era nga mu kulumbibwa okwasooka yali kitundu ku kibinja ky'abaana abajjaasi abalondebwa 700. Abaana bano bategekebwa era n'ebagambibwa okulumbagana bannakyalo okubagyako emmere.

Abawala bano bayita mu kutulugunyizibwa mu ngeri ez'enjawulo. Okugyako emyaka emito, abawala omwali Akallo, bakabasanyizibwa abasirikale ba LRA, ababakabasanya n'okubakuba. Bulimuwala yawebwa eri buli mukulembeze wa LRA okufuulibwa "bakyala baabwe". Akallo agamba nti "okufuuka mukyala w'omuntu ku lw'empaka, kikosa omwoyo gwo lubeerera," mu *Grace, Milly, Lucy... Child Soldiers*. Newankubadde Akallo teyafuna lubuto, abawala abawerako bafuna, n'oluvanyuma baddayo ewaabwe n'abaana n'abamu nga basiigibwa enddwadde z'ekikaba nga akawuka ka mukenenya. Bannakawere bano baali bakyakakibwa okulwana mu lutalo, abaali embuto n'abalala nga baweese abaana baabwe ku migongo.

Lumu nga bali mu lutalo, obukoowu n'ennyonta byaviraako Akallo okuzirika. Abasirikale ba LRA baalowooza nti afudde era ne balagira abajjaasi abalal okusima entaana okumuziika. Era yagezaako okwekuba amasasi emirundi ebiri.  Mu *Grace, Milly, Lucy... Child Soldiers*, Akallo agamba: "n'atoloka okufa emirundi egiwerako."

Waliwo okulumbibwa eri aba LRA okuva mu kibinja kya southern Sudan nga 9 Ogwokuna 1997. Akallo yakozesa omukisa guno okutoloka okuva mu magye. Yadduka era neyeekweka okumala ennaku ssattu mu nsiko era ku lunaku olw'okuna yasanga abasirikale abato abaali batolose. Bazuulibwa abajaasi ba Uganda ababayako okudda ewaka mu famire zaabwe. Abaana abaali batolose baddizibwa mu Uganda bazadde baabwe ne sisita okuva ku St. Mary's College, Sister Akali, gye baabasisinkanira.

Akallo yali yawambibwa abayeekera ba LRA, ng'akabasanyizibwa, n'okukibwa okulwana n'okutta okumala emyezi musanvu nga tannatolokayo.

## Emisomo gye
Akallo eby'okusoma bibadde nga bya mugaso gy'ali. Yasomera ku St. Mary's College, ssomero ery'ekissulo eliri ku musingi gw'ekikatolik mu Aboke, Uganda,. Emisomo gye eyo gyataataganyizibwa lweyawambibwa abayeekera ba LRA era nakakibwa okulwana. Oluvanyuma lw'okutoloka ng'amaze emyezi musanvu, Akallo yaddayo ku St. Mary's College n'ekigendererwa eky'okumaliriza sekendule ye. Oluvanyuma lw'okumaliriza, yegatta ku Uganda Christian University (UCU) mu Mukono, Uganda. Ng'ali ku UCU, yasisinkana abayizi abasomera ku Gordon College mu Wenham, Massachusetts abaaliyo mu pulogulaamu ya student exchange program. Yewandiisa n'asaba era n'afuna sikaala okumaliriza Diguli ye ey'ennyongereza ku Gordon College. Ngali eyo, Akallo essira yalizza ku byampuliziganya n'ekigendererwa eky'okweyongerayo ne misomo gye mu nkolagana wakati w'amawanga eg'enjawulo n'okutabaganya abali mu kugugulana. Yatikkirwa ku Gordon College mu 2007 nga tannaba kutandika misomo gye ku Clark University mu Worcester, Massachusetts mu 2008. Akallo yafuna Diguli ey'okubiri mu by'enkulakulana n'enkyuakyuka mu bulamu bw'abantu obwa bulijja eya International Development and Social Change okuva mu Clark University.

## Emirimu gye ne by'eyalwanirira
Oluvanyuma lw'okudda awaka okuva mu lutalo, Akallo yaddayo mu ssomero. Wabula abaantu b'okukitundu kye bakiraba bubi eky'okuzza abaana abaali bafuuliddwa abajjasi. Basosoddwa olw'ebikolwa byabwe okuva mu magye era abawala bakyalimu ekiwuggwe olw'okukabasanyizibwa. Abatuuze bakyalimu okutya okuva eri abaana bano abaava mu magye era abazadde abamu tebannakkiriza baana baabwe kudda mu famire, naddala abo abakomawo n'abaana baabwe. Abamu balina okukkiriza nti abamu ku baana bano "baali bawambiddwa emyooyo emibi". Newankubadde Akallo yakkirizibwa famire ye, okudda kw'abaana bano kyakaluba; era abaana abasinga basalawo okuddayo mu bayeekera oba okwegatta ku magye okwewala kino.

Akallo yakizuula nti asobola okubudabuda abaana bano abaali bafuuliddwa abasirikale, nga ye. Yatandika okuwanjaga olw'emirembe n'eddembe ly'abakazi n'abaana okuva mu Africa. Mu mboozi y'akafubo mu 2013 n'aba UNICEF, Akallo agamba: "N'abaana abamaze emyaka 10 mu buwambe basobola okufuna obulamu obulungi mu by'enjigiriza, okutendekebwa n'okukirizibwa mu bitundu gye bava."

Okulwanirira eddembe n'emirembe okwa Akallo kwatandiika bweyaddayo ku St. Mary's College okumaliriza Sekendule. Yakolera wamu n'omukulu w'essomero, Sister Rachelle, ku Sister Rachelle Rehabilitation Centre okuyamba okubudabuda abaana abaali batolose okuva mu bayeekera.

Oluvanyuma bweyali mu Uganda Christian University (UCU), Akallo yatandika okwogerako eri abantu ku mboozi ye ne byeyayitamu ng'omwana afuuliddwa omujaasi. Ng'ali ku UCU, yayitibwa okugenda mu New York City, New York okwogerako eri ekitongole ekirwanirizi ky'eddembe mu nsi yonnaAmnesty International. Oluvanyuma lw'okukyusibwa n'atwalibwa ku Gordon College yayitibwa okubeera ssekamwa w'ekitongole kya World Vision, n'okunyumya olugero lwe ku CNN ne*[[:en:The_Oprah_Winfrey_Show|The Oprah Winfrey Show]]*. Okwongerako, Akallo abadde nga asabibwa okwogera ku myoleso gy'ebyenjigiriza egy'enjawulo okumanyisa abantu ng'ayita mu kugabana emboozi ye n'eyabalala abaali bawambibwa okufuulibwa abajaasi. Agamu ku masomero gano mwalimu Rutgers University mu 2004 ne Brandeis University mu 2009. Era yayograko eri aba Bbanka y'ensi yonna mu Washington, DC mu 2009 mu lukuŋŋaana olwali lukubaganya ebirowoozo ku kulwanyisa okutulugunyizibwa; era n'eri ab'akakiiko k'ebyokwerinda mu kibiina ky'amawanga amagate mu kukubaganya ebirowoozo ku baana abakwata eby'okulwanyisa mu 2009 mu nkolagana ne Offisi ey'enjawulo ekiikirira Pulezidenti wa abaana abalina ebyokulwanyisa.

Akallo ayagala okugaba ku lugero lwe n'ekigenderwa eky'okumanyisa abantu akabi akali mu kutulugunya abaana okuli mu lutalo n'ebiyinza okukolebwa nga okukomekkereza ebikolwa bino n'okubudabuda abaana ababeera batoloseeyo. Mu kulwana kwe, Akallo essira alissa ku mboozi y'abawala abato kubanga emboozi zaabwe tezogerwako ate nga babonabona okusinga abalenzi nga bava ku ky'okubeera abajaasi abato ate nebakabasanyizibwa. Mu *Grace, Milly, Lucy... Child Soldiers*, Akallo agamba nti okuyamba okubuulirira n'okubudabuda abaana abaali bafuuliddwa abajaasi ky'amugaso nnyo kubanga "singa tukkiriza omujjiji gw'abwe okubula, ssi gwe gwokka oguggya okubula".

Akallo era atandisewo ebikolwa mu Washington D.C. okuyamba okukomya okutulugunyizibwa mu Uganda ng'afuna obuvujirizi mu US Congress n'okutuusa obujulizi. Yaleeta obujulizi mu kubaga etteka ku baana abafuuliba abajaasi erya 2008 Child Soldiers Accountability Act, ekya yambako mu kuyisa eteeka eryo. Eteeka lino ligaana okukozesa abaana nga abasirikale era likangavvula abo ababakozesa.

Akallo era abadde akolagana n'ekibiina ky'obwannanyini ekiyitibwa Empowering Hands. Newankubadde ssi y'omu ku batandiisi, n'okukolera ju kitongole biterevu, Empowering Hands ky'atandiikibwa abaana abaali baafulibwa abajaasi mu LRA, ng'abamu baali mu nkambi y'emu ne Akallo. Abatandisi baali Milly Auma, Lucy Lanyero, Jennifer Achora, ne Sara Ayero era balabibwa mu *Grace, Milly, Lucy... Child Soldiers* ne Akallo, wamu n'abakyala ab'enyigira mu pulogulaamu. Ekigendererwa ky'abwe kyali kya kubuulirira n'akubudabuda bakazi abaali baatoloka mu magye okubayambako mu bakwasagana n'abantu b'ebitundu gy'bava n'okubawa omukisa okufuna ebiseera eby'omumaaso ebirungi.

Mu 2009, Akallo yatandikawo ekitongole ky'obwannanyini mu America ekiyitibwa United Africans for Women and Children's Rights (UAWCR) ekigenderera okukuuma eddembe ly'abakyala n'abaana mu Africa. Era yali omu ku batandiisi ba  Network of Young People Affected by War (NYPAW) ng'ayita mu UNICEF mu 2008 wamu n'abo abaali bakoseddwa okutulugunyizibwa omuli Ishmael Beah, Kon Kelei, Emmanuel Jal, Shena A. Gacu, ne Zlata Filipović. Ekilubirirwa kya  NYPAW kuteekawo nkolagana wakata w'amawanga ag'enjawulo agalina abaana abakoseddwa okutulugunyizibwa mu busirikale nga bakyali baana bato n'okunoonyereza kki abantu abo ky'ebetaaga okubeera obulungi.

## Ebijuliziddwamu