Two decades ago, Joseph Kony’s Lord’s Resistance Army stormed St Monica’s with guns firing, searching for children they could coerce to be new soldiers. But on this day in January 2017, the bullet holes that still pepper the ceiling of the classrooms were contrasted against thousands of people outside, clasping their hands in a prayer for peace. Sitting among the crowd was Sr Rosemary Nyirumbe, the former director of St Monica’s school. Kony, a self-described prophet bent on overthrowing Uganda’s longtime president, Yoweri Museveni, instructed his followers to kidnap children as young as 8, brainwash them and force them to burn down homes and rape and kill their neighbours. The violence displaced more than 2.5 million people in northern Uganda and left 100,000 people dead.
The process of reconciliation, some of which uses religious leaders to conduct traditional tribal forgiveness ceremonies, is ongoing.More than 1,500 girls and women have graduated from the various courses, which range from three months to two years.
