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| March 13, 2011 |
Grace does not appear to be more than 11 or 12, but "I don't know my age", she whispers. She was rescued recently after spending two years with the LRA. "They came in the morning", she told me, "they took me, along with lots of people in my village. On the way they separated the men and killed them. They said if we tried to escape they would kill us. We were walking non-stop. We didn't spend more than 2 days in one place. We walked and only ate white leaves . We just kept walking.
"I was severely beaten. My backside is very scarred. I was tired and my feet were cut and swollen -I didn't know where I was going and there was no end to it. At first I had no shoes but when eventually they saw how I was suffering and my feet were cut they gave me huge boots-but that was almost more difficult. The only thing I thought was, I want to be dead."
Eventually, when Ugandan forces attacked the LRA encampment where Grace was being held, the child was caught in crossfire and bullets shattered her leg . "Many people told me I would never walk again", Christina said. But MSF treated her and young Grace can walk although the deep wounds will be visible for the rest of her life. The trauma too will likely be with Rose for a very long time.
"When I thought of myself then, I thought I was dead because of what was happening to me.'
The frequency of LRA attacks have intensified in the last several weeks. Some speculate that this means their leader, Joseph Kony is nearby. He travels with 30 or more fighters, the rest of his forces roam in units of 2-7 men. Villagers are living in stark terror and they keep their children close.
It is a moral outrage that this can continue.