Evelyn Amony - I Am Evelyn Amony: Reclaiming My Life from the Lords Resistance Army

The University of Wisconsin Press

1930 Monroe Street, 3rd Floor

Madison, Wisconsin 53711-2059

uwpress.wisc.edu

3 Henrietta Street, Covent Garden

London WC2E 8LU, United Kingdom

eurospanbookstore.com

Copyright 2015

The Board of Regents of the University of Wisconsin System

All rights reserved. Except in the case of brief quotations embedded in critical articles and reviews, no part of this publication may be reproduced, stored in a retrieval system, transmitted in any format or by any meansdigital, electronic, mechanical, photocopying, recording, or otherwise or conveyed via the Internet or a website without written permission of the University of Wisconsin Press. Rights inquiries should be directed to rights@uwpress.wisc.edu.

Printed in the United States of America

Library of Congress Cataloging-in-Publication Data

Amony, Evelyn, author.

I am Evelyn Amony: reclaiming my life from the Lords Resistance Army /

Evelyn Amony; edited with an introduction by Erin Baines.

pages cm (Women in Africa and the diaspora)

Includes bibliographical references.

ISBN 978-0-299-30494-2 (pbk.: alk. paper)

ISBN 978-0-299-30498-0 (e-book)

1. Amony, Evelyn. 2. Kony, Joseph.

3. Lords Resistance Army.

4. Human rights workersUgandaBiography.

5. UgandaHistory1979 .

I. Baines, Erin K., 1969 editor. II. Title.

III. Series: Women in Africa and the diaspora.

DT433.287.A46A3 2015

967.61044092dc23

[B]

2015008824

First of all, I would like to thank Erin Baines for taking the time to help me write this book. I also know Erin has spent so much money to ensure that this book comes out, and I know its not easy for such a book to be written. I know some stories really broke her heart, and maybe she should have not read them, but she did for writing it. I also want to appreciate Ketty Anyeko, because when we just began writing these stories they were just not easy, because she would hear these stories and would begin to cry and leave us to walk around in the compound. I used to think maybe she left to show off.... I want to appreciate the strength Erin and Ketty had in their hearts that led to this day for these stories to come out. I know some of these stories are difficult to forget, and I know that Ketty lives now as if she were someone who was just abducted. I also want to appreciate Nancy Apiyo, because she also helped transcribe all I said; she was also the one who would translate all I said into the recorder into English. I also want to appreciate Grace Acan, because even though she also had experienced abduction, she also studied when she returned and was always helpful to me. I also want to appreciate Janet Aber; even though she helped for a short time before she left for school, she really had a heart to help me. These are all the people to help me to write this book. I would also like to thank Boniface Ojok, because he allowed me to work in JRP ( Justice and Reconciliation Project), and if I had not been there perhaps this book might have never have been written. I also want to appreciate JRP for the kindheartedness it had and the confidentiality I shared. They knew of the stories about me that might have led some to chase me from the organization, but they did not fear and allowed me to stay there. I think I can end here, but I appreciate all those who helped me. I know I do not have anything to offer them, but it is God who will pay them.

E VELYN A MONY

T his book is the result of nearly a decade of work, with the assistance of many friends and colleagues along the way. I wish to extend my heartfelt thanks to Evelyn for the remarkable opportunity of working together over these many years and for her laughter, hope, and light in the face of telling difficult stories. In admiration of the remarkable courage and hard work of Ketty Anyeko, Nancy Apiyo, Grace Acan, and Janet Aber that was involved in the process of listening, translating, and documentingas well as the love and friendship extended to one another throughout. Gratitude to Boniface Ojok, Michael Otim, Lino Owor Ogora, Kasiva Mulli, Sylvia Opina, and Lindsay McClain Opiyo for their support in reading drafts and providing feedback, advice, and moral support. In Canada, the book could not have been completed without endless encouragement, conversations, and exchanges with patient and insightful colleagues, including Pilar Riao-Alcal, Chrissie Arnold, Juliane Okot Bitek, Jodie Martinson, Candis Callison, Kim Baines, Beth Stewart, Omer Aijazi, Taylor Owen, and Lara Rosenoff Gauvin. A special thank you is needed for Pilar and Chrissie, who guided and advised me throughout the process. They were unwavering sources of support and always knew when to push me further and when it was time to take a break and go for a walk. Chrissie played an invaluable roll in bringing the book togetherfrom the timeline, maps, and photos to the reviews of rewrites and suggestions on sections, she was always able to stand back and envision the entire book, and she poured her love into it. Thanks to Tanja Bergen, Kiah Van der Loos, Hannah Van Voorthuysen, Letha Victor, Carla Suarez, Julian Hopwood, and Kim Hunter for their support at different points in the making of this book. I am grateful for the continual encouragement of editors at the University of Wisconsin Press, Gwen Walker, Aili Mari Tripp, and Stanlie James, and to Adam Mehring, Carla Marolt, the anonymous reviewers, and to Ron Atkinson and Dyan Mazurana for their insightful suggestions and encouragement. Thanks to the board of the Justice and Reconciliation Project ( JRP), the JRP Gender Justice Unit, the Liu Institute for Global Issues, the Social Sciences and Humanities Research Council of Canada, and the University of British Columbia Hampton Fund for making the writing of this book possible. To my partner, Mikis, my children and my family in British Columbia and in Nova Scotia, thank you for supporting us through the long stretches in Uganda and Canada that this project took to complete.

E RIN B AINES

My name is Evelyn Amony. I was born on November 25, 1982, in my fathers village of Pawiro Ato, Pupwonya Parish, in Atiak subcounty, Gulu District, Uganda. My parents names are Marcelino and Margaret. Throughout most of my childhood, I witnessed the misery of war, and I think that is why my parents named me Amony. In Luo, my language, Amony means a period of war. I spent most of my childhood in my mothers village in Kalalo A, Palukere Parish, before I was taken to live with my father in his village, Pawiro Ato, when I was ten.

The happiest memory I have is when I received the second-highest grade in my class in Primary Four, at Pupwonya Primary School in Atiak subcounty. When my dad heard the news, he slaughtered a goat and gave me the liver. In Acholi, the liver is usually reserved for the elders; it is so delicious. We ate and drank sodas together like a party; my grandmother came and my cousins, too. The next term, I was abducted by the rebels, so I did not get to attend Primary Five.

When I was growing up, I wanted to become a nurse or a doctor. My best subject was science. Even my teachers knew I was good at it. Mathematics used to give me a headache. My highest score in math was only 70 percent, and this used to worry me so much. I loved to study, but the conflict spoiled it all. You never know, I might be blaming my spoiled education on the conflict, but I probably would not have continued with my education anyway; it was a struggle for my parents to pay school fees.