| Wikipedia (2010) defines conflict as actual or | | | | five years and people living with HIV/AIDS- are |
| perceived opposition of needs, values and interests | | | | particularly vulnerable, all people living in Uganda are at |
| while describes a society or a relationship that is | | | | risk of being infected with malaria parasites and |
| operating harmoniously and without violent conflict. | | | | suffering from resulting illness. |
| Conflict is a lifetime symptom, as old as mankind -and | | | | A study by Makerere University Kampala confirmed |
| it is easier to find than peace. It is a reality and | | | | that new cases of the disease were occurring among |
| manifests itself in numerous forms -which include: | | | | the married people between the ages 30 to 40 |
| diagnosed conflict; psychological conflict -when the | | | | (medicalnewstoday.com, 2009). Kihumuro (2009) said, |
| ego overruns the intellect and reality sense, when | | | | "HIV infection rates were rising again yet most of |
| conflict is learned, or from differences in perception); | | | | the funding was going into treatment rather than |
| shared conflict -in which a party in pain involves | | | | prevention." |
| another or others; individual-situational conflict; | | | | A culture and business of warring continues to pursue |
| socio-economic conflict -in relation to resources | | | | Uganda -helplessly. And any intervention is effective |
| distribution and means to get them; socio-political | | | | only if comes from outside the country. That is |
| conflict (positioning in the leadership hierarchy and its | | | | evident in Karamoja concern is said to be serious |
| quality), socio-cultural conflict, or transformative | | | | -and reports of acts of terror similar to what |
| conflict; and human-natural conflict -when one goes | | | | happened in northern Uganda in the late 1980s and |
| against the laws of nature, (or human-spiritual | | | | early 1990s have cropped up (Olara S, 2010). |
| conflict). | | | | Those concern Uganda alone, but there are several |
| It is notable, also, that conflict can be culturalized | | | | countries around the world either still in conflict or |
| characterized by revenge and counter-revenge | | | | nursing serious psychological effects -with no meaning |
| because of continued infliction on pain by another or | | | | to life. In neighboring Kenya, some 1,500 people were |
| as part of business and a craze for power and | | | | killed and another 300,000 displaced in a matter of |
| dominion over others that result into creation of | | | | weeks after the presidential polls in which President |
| social classes (less important people verses the most | | | | Mwai Kibaki was accused of having stolen the vote |
| important characterized by negative discrimination) | | | | (Africannewslive, 2010). The Durfur genocide in Sudan |
| and social hierarchies. | | | | happened in broad day light for the world to see. |
| Conflict also takes the context of different levels and | | | | Over the course of more than three years of deadly |
| understanding of civilization and their burning desire to | | | | conflict, mortality significantly exceeded 450,000 |
| spread and dominate one another. These, if not | | | | (Reeves, 2008), while WHO estimates showed |
| managed, potentially erase peace, deter human and | | | | 70,000. And in Rwanda, the 1994 genocide claimed |
| ecological advancement and potentially threaten life | | | | one million. UN (2010) reported an estimated 240 |
| of both humans and animals -right from the state of | | | | women, girls and babies raped after rebels attacked |
| individual ill-health -who shares pain and suffering with | | | | the DRC town of Luvungi, but only 150 cases were |
| a group of others to cause group ill-health, to cause | | | | confirmed. |
| breakdown of social fabric, breakdown of biological | | | | There are several cases of nature being at war with |
| systems and eco-systems functioning -in totality, | | | | humanity around the World. Uganda has its own of |
| then demise or end to life. | | | | March 2010 -when landslide killed 51 people and 300 |
| Conflict is, thus, part and parcel of evolution and | | | | went missing in Bududa, Mbale (Daily Monitor, 2010). |
| revolution -which happen with evidenced human | | | | But over the next four (4) days, the death toll rose |
| reactions like surprises, shocks and sparks, and | | | | to 85 people. Interestingly, armed with a rifle and in |
| sometimes with pain and confusion. Various fields of | | | | full military uniform, president Museveni appeared at |
| professional practice led by psychologists (or | | | | the scene -as though fighting avenging nature instead |
| psychiatrists), naturalists, and Buddhists spent | | | | of environmental approaches to it. Amidst such |
| considerable amount of time and energy to eradicate | | | | occurrences, the United Nations and African Union |
| human and ecological afflictions -through circular critical | | | | have demonstrated pitiful weakness in their |
| thinking to establish harmony linear cause-effect | | | | interventions by treating violence and natural |
| relationships. Most importantly, they are excellent in | | | | disasters of symptoms rather than understanding the |
| terms of respect of diversity and management of | | | | multi-faceted origins, the forms and appropriate |
| extremes or mental imbalances, minimizing economic | | | | actions -respectively. |
| disparities through donations to the poor and | | | | The running of the two bodies has been hijacked by |
| volunteerism. | | | | the same leaders (in Africa, USA and UK) accused of |
| In addressing peace and conflict issues, therefore, | | | | oppression (both human and environmental) by their |
| experts must be mindful of the different | | | | citizens and other nations -respectively. Even |
| manifestations and establish links with the current | | | | membership to them is restricted to serve the |
| conflict situation. And while examining individual | | | | interests of oppressors. Because they are |
| sources of conflict, the community-individual | | | | oppressors' clubs, no other leader is willing to |
| relationships must never be left out. This emphasizes | | | | cooperate fully to the best functioning of the regional |
| the placement of mental health issues at the centre | | | | and global agencies for peace and human rights. In |
| of research, analyses and policy of every nation | | | | Kenya, the government simply defended itself for |
| -ensuring equal representation, equal measure of | | | | not arresting president Omar Bashir (guardian.co.uk, |
| respect, and equal measure of rights, equal | | | | 2010). |
| participation in determining future actions applied to | | | | The result of the 1991 UN-endorsed Gulf War was |
| both progressive and conservative forces while | | | | massive loss of lives only to serve the interests of a |
| working optimistically -giving nature its time to see | | | | handful -Bush II and Blair. Moreover in March 2003, |
| off prevailing conflicts towards a better, habitable and | | | | without authorization from the UN enshrined in article |
| dignifying world for everyone to live in. That will go | | | | 42 of the charter, they went ahead to mentally and |
| along way to establishing the right equilibrium in the | | | | physically maim Iraq population (Halliday, 2005). Yet |
| human functioning (peace or normalcy) and | | | | against all that, humanity needs a peaceful and |
| eco-system balance for its consolidation. | | | | predictable environment conducive for prosperity, and |
| Wars, disease, biting poverty, starvation, unfair | | | | attainment of life dreams (peace, harmony and |
| distribution of resources, undemocratic leadership | | | | happiness) -when approaches to their achievement |
| systems, unemployment, misery and nature itself at | | | | are holistic. |
| war with humanity have created a dark devilish | | | | If countries can achieve that, they will begin to |
| picture in the minds of millions around the world. | | | | discover the need to collective action to solving global |
| Uganda has had its share in the last 35 years yet | | | | problems, a well-functioning people (particularly in |
| conditions are still fresh for similar outbreaks of | | | | Uganda and global community in general) --free of |
| violence. And diseases mainly malaria in children and | | | | wars, illness, misery and suffering -and peacefully |
| HIV in married people too are still big challenges. | | | | co-existing despite diversity in culture and ideology. |
| According to the Malaria Control Program (2008), | | | | Annan (2005) observed, "Lessons for the US, the UN |
| malaria was responsible for more illness and death | | | | and other member states. I think in the end |
| than any other single disease in Uganda. While those | | | | everybody's concluded it's best to work together |
| with low immunity- pregnant women, children under | | | | with our allies and through the UN. |