“IF YOU’VE GOT A CHANCE TO HAVE A SMALL SPACE, PLANT A TREE.” HON. TOM BRIGHT AMOOTI, a member of Uganda Parliament of Kyaka Central, Kyegegwa District.
World Refugee Day is an international day organized every year on 20 June by the United Nations. It is designed to celebrate and honor refugees from around the world. The day was first established on 20 June 2001, in recognition of the 50th anniversary of the 1951 Convention Relating to the Status of Refugees. The event aims to recognize the strength of the refugees who have fled the conflict and persecution of their country in hope of finding safety and living a better life. The World Refugee Day builds the concept of understanding for their plight which shows one’s resilience and courage in the rebuilding of their future.
On 22nd June 2022, Hon. Tom Bright Amooti, a member of Uganda parliament of Kyaka Central, Kyegegwa District joined the Office of the Prime Minister, Kyaka II office members; UN-High Commissioner for Refugees, Kyaka II Officials; different NGOs & Civil Society Organizations; Kyaka II refugees and host community populations in order to commemorate the World refugee Day 2022.
The Global theme of the Day was “WHOEVER, WHEREVER, WHENEVER EVERYONE HAS THE RIGHT TO SEEK SAFETY.”
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The event was filled with literary performances. Traditional troop dances and exhibitions from different refugee and nationals’ groups dramatized massive egregious episodes refugees go through along the way of seeking safety and conveyed a really heavy and vivid mood to those who witnessed such acts. Being moved by what he saw in such presentations, Hon. Amooti Bright asked community populations that hosted refugees that came from different regions of Great Lakes that they should learn from them a lesson of unity and reconciliation and always seek to find sustainable solutions of what makes them conflict among themselves before their quarrels take a bad step ahead to violence. Take a home messages from those presentations involved but not remitted to child exploitation and abuse, gender-based violence, and torture both in the country of origin and asylum.
However, in spite of gloomy life experiences displayed, both refugees and nationals reassured that rejuvenation and restoration of wounded souls is possible even in the country of asylum. This was showcased from various productive and creative exhibitions of talents, personal intellectual capacities through different crafts and productions they brought on board. The exhibitors demonstrated productions in sectors such as agriculture, energy/environment, arts, crafts; water, hygiene and sanitation (WASH), among others.
The Kyaka II Refugee Settlement Commandant, Mr. David MUGENYI OKIKI shared his experiences while working in Kyaka II seven years before he was sent to another refugee camp. He also briefed the audience about the history of Kyaka II Refugee camp. “Kyaka II Refugee Settlement was established in 2005 to receive the remaining population of Kyaka I refugee settlement following the mass repatriation of Rwandan refugees the same year,” he said.
Speaking to the event, Ms. Arata Otake (Associate Field Officer) representing UNHCR Kyaka II Field Office, stated that 100 million people have now been forced to flee their homes globally, and the solutions deficit continues to grow as more people are forced to flee than are able to return home, resettle to a third country, or integrate fully into the country where they have sought safety. With this background, she emphasized the importance of leveraging refugees’ existing capacity, talent, and knowledge to find solutions to the challenges. “Often, refugees are the ones with innovative ideas, talents, knowledge, and solutions, which could contribute to addressing the challenges that their community is faced with,” She suggested.
HON. TOM BRIGHT AMOOTI, a member of Uganda Parliament of Kyaka Central, Kyegegwa District, who serves also as the Chairperson of Refugees Forum at the parliamentary level, opened his speech by consoling refugees that attended saying that their fates were predestined even long before they knew it. This predestination message to them was meant to harmonize many refugees and other persons suffering from circumstances out of their capacity of control as humans. It also conveyed another message that people should get used to forgiving themselves to whatever mistakes they might have made in life in order to effectively plan for the future. His speech that focused much on the WRD 2022 national theme “Right to seek safety Protect and Conserve the Environment” sensitized both refugees and host community populations to keep involving environment-friendly measures into their daily life by planting as many tree as possible, not encroaching valleys and wetlands. “If you’ve got a chance to have a small space, plant a tree because it will save you from future unknown circumstances and also make it a habit every year when you celebrate your birthday to plant trees equivalent to your ages,” he advised.
Among other officials that gave their remarks during the event include but not remitted to Beatrice KATUSHABE who is the CAO/DPC from Kyegegwa District who remarked about water scarcity in Kyaka region and waste management challenges. LC III Chairperson from Ikanja Sub-County, Aidah from ALIGHT gave a remark on behalf of all partner organizations operating in Kyaka II during the 2022 World Refugee Day that venued in Kyaka II Refugee Settlement, Byabakora playground. All remarks pointed to unity and peace among refugees and host community populations and collaboration among civil, government and international organizations.
The event was adjourned at late noon by a word of prayer from a staff of Inter-religious council Uganda.
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The event adjourned at late noon by a word of prayer from a staff of Inter-religious council Uganda and after that the departure was at ease.