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Please stay on topic–in this case the film Children of War, child soldiers, Uganda and Africa’s future…

PLEASE STAY ON TOPIC/s If you want to jump in about Assange, New NAFTA Bush-era tax cuts and other campaign promises broken, or anything else not about tonight’s topics please find a post elsewhere on FDL to do so. Thank you.

Please–and I can’t believe I still have to say this, but–no ad hominen remarks, no attacks. And please be respectful of our guest and of each other. And yeah, I tpye badly…

Hello Bryan, and welcome to Firedoglake Movie Night!

Hi Lisa, very happy to be here. Thanks for having me.

Bryan thank you for this powerful and moving film.

Bryan, how did you come across Rachele Rehab Center?

I’ve spent a lot of time in sub-saharan Africa as a still photographer. I met an English journalist who introduced me to the founder, a Belgian woman by the name of Els de Temmerman. Els and I became friends and she invited me to visit and tell the story.

You scored some amazing footage–the scene at the village where the children are rescued is stunning, as are your nature shots. Your love of s-S africa comes through your lens and narrative.

I felt it was really important not to just focus on the horror. Africa, like any place, is always so much more. The film is about the light as much as the shadow of human experience.

How did you meet up with former supporters of Kony, the messianic murderous rebel leader?

And what has happened with Abonga Papa,–was he really granted amnesty? He is truly :::shudder:: insane.

The nature shots are meant to illuminate the impermanence of things. The flowing waters, the passing birds, the changing weather patterns. Even our afflictions, as displayed through some of the childrens stories and personal transformations, are impermanent.

I met the former supporters of Kony by spending a lot of time in the IDP camps. They all were anxious to tell their stories and the sacred mountain they took me to was the place where this 24 year war all began. It was an incredible place.

I was deeply moved by the sacred mountain, and by the power of faith(s) in Uganda. I don’t doubt for an instant that Kony captured energies and mis/used them.. the sacred mountain story reminded very much of the New Testament story Christ on the mountain tempted by Satan. If you accept that model, Kony went for it…

Abonga Papa, who was the Chief Priest of the Lords Resistance Army for 20 years, was granted amnesty through an act of reconciliation by the Ugandan government, and as a tool to convince more commanders and rebel leadership to accept peace. He is a classic example of an individual whose fierce ideology has perverted and distorted his moral compass.

Indeed. In fact, as the story tells, he began as a healer revered by the community. A man tapping deeply into an intuitive power, a power of visions and prophecy, a power rooted in nature. He has always been incredibly charismatic in communicating his point of view also. He sees himself as a prophet like Moses.

Yet, he became very twisted. The government he was fighting–what were his and others’ issues/complaints with them?

{ Thank you Lisa and Brian for holding this salon. Thank you all in attendance. }

Thank you all for airing this issue as not even Amnesty International has a presence in Uganda (link).

Motives are always a tricky thing to pin down in someone like Kony — he’s always claimed an imbalance in power between his tribe and the southern-ruling tribe of the President’s. There were forms of economic and social oppression against the Acholi (his tribe), as well as a deep spiritual vacuum in their society. With Kony, I believe what began as a personal calling for spiritual leadership, born in an expression of love, slowly gave way to an expression of egoic narcissism. In short, the power of being a near-mythical figure (as he was attributed) I believe became too seductive.

Sadly there are many groups abusing children, form Kony’s soldiers to “churches” torturing children to cast out demons

The messianic curse…and I do believe that many of his followers were true believers, and in the same breath that many were corrupt and getting away wiht as much as they could.

Abuse through unconscious projection. It’s why I found the story of the children undergoing a process of healing so poignant. As part of this process, they were be guided to look deeply into their own hearts and personal shadows, bringing these negative projections/feelings from their own experiences into the light of day — learning to work with them, transcend them.

I have not had a chance to see your film. In a separate context I’ve been examining PTSD. Are you able to touch on that in this film?

That was the postive aspect of faith and exorcism, and I am so happy that you showed both how religon can be pervertd and how it can redeem and uplift and heal.

Addressing PTSD, and what it means to return “home” in the aftermath of war, lies at the very core of the film. Since the story is very immersive, we see many of the children suffering through the symptoms, such as fear, guilt, low-self esteem, nightmares, isolation, as well as how their trauma counselors work with them to dissolve these symptoms.

The conselors are astounding, so direct. what is their backgrounds?

Yes, Lisa. Although I am careful not to explicitly advocate religion or ideology in the film, we see very clearly how this society connects to the fundamentals and cohesive power of faith (love, compassion, forgiveness, prayer) as a balm for healing.

Most of the counselors are ordinary folk who were deeply touched by the war and felt a need to nurture and heal, spread compassion and love. They found the necessary training in social work or trauma counseling and dove into their work headfirst. True hero’s… Jane has now become somewhat of an international spokeswoman and nearly had the UN Secretary General in tears a few months ago during a presentation of the film.

I am all for religoions’ use as a positive, pro-active force. It’s just when it gets used as a tool to turn people agianst each other, becomes hypocritical (as Jane points out in the film), causes the sins it is supposed guard against.

Alos there is something to the children saying (my paraphrase), “Forgiveness for the first time, after that, not so much”

You have another key presentation coming up–and how Los Angeles, you were at the Egyptian last week…awesome theater, btw.

did you ever feel at risk while filming?

We’re screening in Brussels next week for Human Rights Day, before delegates of the UN and the EU. Then off to Berlin, Geneva, Brussels again, etc. Los Angeles will be quiet for us until perhaps the spring, when we may release theatrically. Please follow on the screenings page of the website, and spread the word!

Never felt at risk with the children. I found it incredible to witness how the environment at the rehabilitation center, which was rooted in a daily focus and practice of listening to each other, working with each other, sharing common responsibilities, and above all love and encouragement from the counselors, translated into an atmosphere where violence was no longer tolerated by the children themselves. The power of positive community.

Outside of the center was a different story… it was a war zone with rebels still active, so I had to travel with at least half a dozen armed soldiers everywhere I went.

Outsid eof the center is what I meant…You filmed over a three year period?

Also please tell us about the Children of Peace project.

Three long years, a couple bouts of malaria, etc, etc.

The Children Of Peace Foundation is still new and we’re looking for partners. We want to expand the work of the trauma counselors in Uganda as they continue to nurture renewal and peace in the lives of the former child soldiers. We also want to create a cross-cultural dialogue and educational program that connects these former child soldiers with schoolchildren here in the US in a way that provides perspective and is activating, motivating, inspiring.

The story of Children Of War for me embodies two archetypes which seem particularly resonant in our times — the shadow and the healer. The shadow, to which the gods of war (abuse of power, shock and awe, torture, violence, etc) make their alter, and the healer (the voice of listening, truth-telling, empathy, compassion, creativity, reconciliation, forgiveness) were both being channeled through these former child soldiers during their process of moving from war to peace. I believe there is a lot we can learn from them.

I thik that is a very wonderful goal, I and I trust that it wil be ecumenical in spirit, in that many modalities both secular and form various religions–cna brng forth healing. A Jane points out each child has a unique set of foundations and experiences that need ot be addressed.

Also, I’d to say that in light of the 14-year old who was used as an assassin by a drug cartel, we will be seeing more of this in the western hemisphere as well as in the “old world”

And has George Clooney gotten involved at all wiht this particular issue in s-S Africa?

Yes indeed. The idea is to set a tone of “listening” and promote empathy by presenting multiple perspectives, not just one. It’s time the world recognizes that, because of our increasing interconnectedness, war is an antiquated model for solving disputes and can no longer be tolerated.

Clooney remains dedicated to Darfur and Sudan, if I’m not mistaken. Not sure if he’s ever been to Uganda, which is next door.

Kony’s soldiers had incursions into Sudan and the Congo…the whole area is a powder keg. And what is the end game: Oil? Minerals? water? Arable land?

We’d love to share the film with him, though.

For Kony, the end game is political power in Uganda, pure and simple. He finds allies where he can to keep his army alive. Khartoum has been accused of using/supporting him (the LRA) as a proxy army to destabilize southern Sudan, who is voting to secede soon. (S Sudan sits on a lot of oil, Congo’s Coltan makes your cell phone and playstations work)

China is involved in the politics?

thanks so much Bryan for making this and for all your efforts on behalf of children and for the peach process.

China supports Khartoum as an oil trading partner.

Thank-you for hosting me here at FiredogLake, Lisa!
Peace.

Thanks Firepups for joining us, and see you next week! Bryan THANK YOU so much for everything!

Tangential– Take a look at this, BevW (sorry– I fixed your name): “NGOs gathered in Kampala Call for End to Impunity Crisis Following Israeli Attack on Aid Convoy” June 1, 2010, Press Release, Center For Constitutional Rights)

Thank you, all.

I’m sorry about that– I tried to fix your name in my comment.