The long and ignored LRA war has left every family in Northern Uganda wounded and weeping.
A lot of blood of the innocent has been shed in northern Uganda through the ruthless ambushes, lootings, abductions, rape and vandalism by the LRA, led by their leader Mr. Joseph Kony from Odek in Gulu District.
It is the Spill of Blood because, the human blood is a rich symbol among the Acholi people. For not only does it represent life but it is life itself.
Brutal death among the Acoli is therefore referred to as the Spill of Blood.
The land is covered with the smell of human blood. I can do nothing but to burst into an elegy.
I lament and weep as I see the players in the war closing their eyes to the plight of the innocent.
The Spill of Blood is pointing out the truth as it is. It is a product of a lived experience.
Who will stop for us the flow of blood? Will the sun ever rise and shine on us again?
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By viatrix
Nov 14, 2011
A Review by Robert Nyeko Obol ”I grew up into adulthood reading the writings of Okot p’Bitek, a famous African writer and a son of Acoliland. I find this book to be of that calibre. The “Spill of Blood & Lamenatations of Lamalo” is eye-opening, a page turner, easy to read, comprehensible, new, critical and insightful. Okot p’Bitek in his poetical writings reflected on the the cultural changes and the evolution of the Acoli people and Ugandan society after Independence. This book is a critical reflection on current Ugandan society and in particular, the impact of war on the people of Acoli and the wounds that need to be healed. Above all, it looks to the future. For it invites Ugandans not to settle for less, since it is within their reach to restore their country to greatness and prosperity. And for the Acoli society that has undergone so much violence and been trampled upon by the agents of violence, there is the promise and the hope of better days to come and a bright future.”
I grew up into adulthood reading the writings of Okot p'Bitek, a famous african writer and a son of Acoliland. I find this book to be of that calibre. The "Spill of Blood" is eye opening, a page turner, easy to read, comprehensible, new, critical and insightful. Okot p'Bitek in his poetical writings reflected on the the cultural changes and the evolution of the acoli and Ugandan society after Independence. But, the "Spill of Blood" is a critical reflection on the current Ugandan society and in particular, the impact of War on the people of Acoli and the wounds that need to be healed. Above all, it looks to the future. For it invites Ugandans not to settle for less, since it is within their reach to restore their country to greatness and prosperity. And for the Acoli society that has undergone so much violence and trampled by the agents of violence, there is the promise and the hope of better days to come and a bright future .
Imagine that you are part of a group of people, the Acoli of North Uganda, a group that has seen their people massacred, looted, abducted and raped by a bizarrely christian-sounding organisation called the Lord's Resistance Army or LRA. How would you respond to this monstrous violence as a Christian? Paul Peter Rom is a Roman Catholic priest from the Acoli people and his response in this book is simply magnificent. Writing this review as a white European, the first part of Paul Peter's book could have been written by any Western-educated intellectual or academic: The Spill of Blood is a chilling and factual account of the nightmarish history of the Acoli people and their sufferings at the hands of the LRA. The second part of the book, the Lamentations of Lamalo, however, is a powerful and inspirational epic poem blending the eloquence and righteousness of an Old Testament Prophet with the idioms and language of Africa. I believe that this work will come to represent the very best of... More > the African-Christian response to violence. As Father Paul Peter realises too well: "If we do not write, no one will know that we know... and that it happened." "The LRA is accused of widespread human rights violations, including murder, abduction, mutilation, sexual enslavement of women and children and forcing children to participate in hostilities..." extract from Wikipaedia entry on the LRA.< Less
