Kampala — "Revolution requires ideology. To break the binding power of a ruling order demands both the idea of defiant and the act of armed struggle. Not only literally by definition, but also historically by repeated demonstration in the quest for power by peoples throughout the world, ideology accompanies revolution. Act and Idea Couple. The two become spirit and substance marrying by necessity to make their child of rebellion legitimate." Observed Dr. Thomas J Davis of Harvard University.

The worst thing that can happen to a society or country is rebellions that have elements of religion. Human history is filled with evidence that wherever and whenever there is conflict and religious elements are involved, it is a long haul. And it is worse if this conflict is between or among different belief systems. Regardless, all religions contain many elements of concealed hatred, resentment and antagonism towards other religions and secular institutions alike; political systems and governments. Consequently, conflicts and fighting between enemy camps, which may include governments in the name of faith, tradition and self-preservation, has not been unusual. Similarly, "terrorism," which is an ideology of the "survival of the weakest", is a cost effective tool of low-intensity conflict that projects psychological intimidation and physical force, which naturally is in violation of natural order and law.

Therefore, what was witnessed in the remote and immediate history we also witness today, (rebellion) call it terrorism, is a subject of the law of cause and effect. Whether it is the first century terrorism or the 21st century international rebellions add terrorism, they have the same phenomenology, the difference is only a matter of scale. Present day international and local rebellions backed by religious doctrines, e.g. represented by Osama Bin Laden and the al Qaeda network, the Hamas and Palestinian Islamic Jihad, Alice Lakwena, Joseph Kony and LRA in Northern Uganda, etc. has ancient root, that we must learn from. Unfortunately no politician of our day including President Bush or Museveni, or their commanders can hear of it. Instead they swear war, and crushing the perpetrators. For those who have hears, hear it.

The Middle East conflict between two faiths: the Israeli and the Palestinians has a time frame of over 3000 years. The conflict between Jewish faith (Israel) and the Imperial Roman Empire a secular authority was completed by the Christians armed only with faith in the Jew, Jesus. Call it passive and active rebellion contributed to collapse of the Roman Empire, which became the Holy Roman Empire. The bottom line cause of rebellions has been imperialist foreign occupations and oppression. When an individual or a society is intensely dissatisfied with the social and economical conditions which it is forced to accept, an individual or people will most likely enter into emotional unrest, to a hysterical proportion when it becomes unbearable. This state of affair was one of the symptoms that precipitated the 16th century religious reformation, the French revolution, the Russian revolution and all revolutions in history throughout the world. Because a prolonged frustration and confusion experienced is internalized, as a result people begin to act out the social problem. In the eve of the French Revolution Queen Marie Antoinette, "On Ending the Revolution" made the following observation; "Where is the citizen who has not been robbed of his employment, deprived of his standing, injured in his possession, tormented in the very secrecy of his conscience... They have experienced so many injustices that it is natural for them to give way to their resentments.

The Middle East Experience

For example, the Jewish experiences under Roman occupation. In the first century AD, when it became unbearable, there were attacks mounted by Jewish religious extremists, known as the Zealot Sicarii, against the Romans occupation of Judea. Thereafter, as well there were the martyrdom missions of Assassins, targeting the Crusaders in the Middle East. The former were active for 70 years till the destruction of the Temple in 70 AD. The latter lasted some 200 years from the 11th century to the 13th century. This phenomenon is far beyond a regime like Museveni's NRM present government can handle.

Victims of Rebellion

Like Josep Kony and company, the Sicarii used to assassinate not only the Romans, but also fellow countrymen who were suspected collaborators. Barabbas, who was released in the story of the prosecution of Jesus, was one of the (bandit) terrorist leaders (Luke 23:22-25). The innocent victims of rebellion and terrorism, which are synonymous, are means to an end as a belief system. Remember at dawn Simon Peter sliced off an ear of a citizen, one of the Temple Guards who had come to apprehend their Lapwony (teacher). That means the average adult male Jew was armed to defend the cause.

In contrast, purely political rebellions are often short-lived because they are motivated and nourished by earthly material end. This category of rebels or terrorists sell their mother for a price, but political rebellions nourished by theological roots like the "Return to God's Ten commandments" have very serious metaphysical implications. That is why physical threats like being crushed, hanged a thousand time or annihilated do not frighten religious zealots, instead they are energised and inspired or enthused. What we see as crime against innocent people for them, the innocent civilian victims are sacrificial lambs. It is a "sacrifice" for a noble cause. Consider the Palestinian suicide bombers, what has the fear of death has to do with it. It is a ticket to paradise. Didn't 16 year old Joan of Arc almost drive the English into the sea because of her religious conviction, to free France even if it meant being burnt at stake? Didn't Lakwena hear voices and chased the NRA with stones up to Magamaga? Didn't Kony pick up the pieces and continued to wreck havoc for the last 15 or so years with the same vision? And here comes Opoka the brand-new LRA commander (Lapwony).

In the final analysis, the problem in Northern Uganda is not that simple as some Ugandans and politicians think. President Museveni can stay in Gulu as long as he wants and so long as his government pursues the military strategy. And it does not matter whether The Monitor's newspaper reports on the war in the north are true or false. I may sound a pessimist and cynic. However, ironically, cynics or pessimists are optimists with experience. One thing should always be clear to our politicians and Ugandans at large, whenever there is any iota of oppression, the victim, however weak, will cringe inwardly and plot revenge and it does not matter how long it takes. Maybe only the few, like Jacob Oulanya MP for Omoro County can handle and forgive their tormentors. But thank God for the religious pacifism in him. On the contrary see what is happening to Col Kizza Besigye. Perhaps what is going on in his mind is what gives Museveni and company nightmares and compulsive measures like the iron fist and shutting down of The Monitor for a week. As a former rebel, President Museveni should know better, what went on in his mind, before he jumped into the bush and the logical consequences: death and destruction in Luwero and the Great Lakes Region. A rebel government begets rebellions. The measure you give is the measure you get. Any former rebel has no moral authority or right to tell another rebel to stop rebellion. If Kony violates cease-fire it is because he Museveni violated one in 1985 Nairobi "peace jokes". A man's character is his fate (Heraclitus).

The best thing the present government can do is step back, because with the declaration of Iron Fist on Kony, it has overstepped itself. Usually, a show of force is a sign of weakness and violent means is a poor man's lawyer. The fact that the president came to power by violent means that the religious pacifists should do their job and Northern Uganda will be better off.

Because apparently the Kony rebels and the Bishops can understand each other's language (religiously) as oppose to politically.

The author is an MA student of Religious Education at Makerere University