#103
Minorities During the COVID-19 Crisis: The Case of Uganda
There are heartening stories from many regions of interreligious cooperation, mutual cooperation between governments and religious communities, and inclusive mobilization by local communities to meet urgent needs linked to the COVID-19 crisis. There are, however, less positive instances where specific groups are excluded from national efforts to respond to the emergency. These are troubling from a social justice perspective and can have immediate and lasting negative effects.
Uganda offers an example both of the nature of exclusion and its impact. Long-standing approaches to political and social inclusion with deep roots in history marginalize many ethnic, cultural, and religious minorities. Their values and cultural diversity have often been ignored, and some groups and languages have been extinguished over the years. Resulting tensions form part of conflicts that have plagued Uganda over the years, where minorities have borne the brunt of the violence.
Against this backdrop various minority communities have been excluded from the national COVID-19 response, including groups that have demonstrated capacities to respond to crises and whose members face significant health and poverty risks. President Yoweri Museveni held an intercessory prayer service on March 21, the day after Uganda went into lockdown. Leaders from Uganda’s major religions were invited, but not traditional communities. The Inter-Religious Council (IRC) of Uganda, which unites seven organizations linked to the country’s major religions, does not include the various traditional groups. The groups that have been involved have received support in framing health messages about prevention and care. They have been directly involved in food distribution to those in need. Further, some resources that are distinctive to the minorities involved, including positive traditional practices and expertise, have been ignored, representing missed opportunities in the national response.
(Based on: June 22, 2020, African Arguments article and Minority Rights Group International report.)
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