Savio Carvalho, Oxfam’s programme manager for Uganda, spoke with Sandy Hazel about his recent visit to Oxfam’s Ireland branch and its work in the central African country emerging from years of conflict
“I’m here firstly to understand Oxfam Ireland and to support them in their work,” explains Oxfam’s Savio Carvalho about his recent visit to Dublin. “I also want to raise awareness of how Uganda is moving.”
Carvalho is Oxfam’s programme manager for Uganda, a central African nation emerging from years of conflict and neglect.
“Uganda is a fertile country with substantial natural resources, regular rainfall and untapped reserves of oil and gas. It has an educated population,” he explains. “So why is it still a ‘heavily indebted country’ relying on foreign aid? While there are efforts to rehabilitate the country, the economy is still struggling as a result of the Idi Amin regime, current conflicts within the country and involvement in the Democratic Republic of Congo war.”
Carvalho elaborates: “On three sides we have conflict. In the northwest it’s with the Lord’s Resistance Army (LRA), a long-standing conflict of over 20 years. Also there is conflict in the northeast with the pastoral community. There are small arms in this region. And there is also strife on the western side, at the Congo border.”
Why is this happening? “Most of it is economic; you can find it’s roots in poverty,” he says. “It manifests itself in different ways. In the northeast of the country, the pastoralists have to carry arms because they feel that they have to defend their cows and livestock, as there is lots of cattle rustling going on. It is a semi-arid zone so there is very limited rainfall and there are frequent droughts in this area. It comes down to livelihood and resources.
“Oxfam is helping to make those small power shifts that will support poor communities to allow them to have something more, which then puts them higher up in the social and economic hierarchy. We work with the pastoral community to help them diversify in their agriculture and to not be too dependent on one livestock or crop.
“There are also stigmas. In the south of the country, people look at the ethnic Karamajong in the northeast and perceive them as people who are backward. There are myths around these people. We help to change this view by getting the message out that these people have very limited economic investment and they feel isolated. They need infrastructure for that area and then they will be a huge benefit to the whole economy, as they will contribute to the beef industry.
“Geographically they are isolated, too; it is an enclave so integration is a problem. This started when the British were in Uganda; they termed this pastoral area ‘the human zoo’. You required a special permit to go there. Oxfam is aiming to break these myths. It will be policy and economic investment which will make the changes.”
Part of the drive to change policy, and influence planning, is on Carvalho’s agenda in Ireland. “I’m also promoting awareness of the Economic Partnership Agree-ment (EPA), an economic trade agreement which the European Union is planning to sign with Uganda in December this year. We feel that it is not on equal terms and it doesn’t help poor farmers. If this agreement is signed, Ugandan farmers will not benefit as much as is implied.
“The Ugandan government is happy to sign but we feel that the decision makers are misinformed as to what are the benefits of this agreement. There are bigger interests involved and there is a real need to look at the terms of negotiations and what is in the agreement itself. We have sufficient support and a political lobby in Brussels who are questioning this piece of work. Oxfam Ireland is actively engaged with the Irish Govern-ment and we are getting support for the querying of this agreement in its present form. It doesn’t empower people.”
So how can Ireland help, other than through raising funds? Carvalho suggests that the Ugandan diaspora in Ireland has a role to play: “There is a peace process happening in the north of Uganda. It is the nearest that the country has ever been to peace. The Ugandans in Ireland need to be aware of what is happening in their country, and to help spread the message that the peace process should be supported to stay on track. Look at the huge benefits of Northern Ireland’s peace process. Everyone benefits.
“The political will is coming from the Ugandan government and the ULA themselves. There is also goodwill coming from the United Nations, who are assisting the process. Oxfam feels that if peace sustains then we will be able to get more practical help into the rural areas and the Internally Displaced People (IDP) camps. It will make our work more efficient. Nearly two million people are still in these camps. The main concerns of the people of northern Uganda are security, freedom of movement and development. These are the essential building blocks of sustainable peace. They will then be able to move back to their homes.”
As Irish people who pay taxes are contributing to foreign aid in one way or another, does Carvalho have anything to say to them? “Yes – while foreign aid is helping Uganda, overseas governments should ensure that there is greater transparency and accountability in how those resources are used. Donors have a responsibility to ask for that.”
Oxfam’s report on Northern Uganda was published on 21 September 2007. For further information visit oxfam.org.uk
