Aringa people

Last updated

The Aringa are a Central Sudanic ethnic group primarily residing in the rural areas of Yumbe District, located in the northwestern corner of Uganda. They are also found in other regions of the West Nile sub-region. [1] The Aringa people are considered the indigenous inhabitants of their lands, which were later settled by a group known as the "Nubians." [2] Their language, also called Aringa, belongs to the Central Sudanic language family. According to the 2014 Census of Uganda the Aringa numbered 494,626 people. [3] [4]

Contents

History

In the 1970s, the Aringa, along with the neighboring Kakwa people, faced accusations from various groups in Uganda for their involvement in carrying out the actions of Idi Amin, who was a Kakwa himself. Mustafa Adrisi, an Aringa, served as Amin's vice president. After the Uganda-Tanzania War and the downfall of Amin's regime in 1979, the Aringa people became targets of persecution by the joint forces of the Uganda National Liberation Army (UNLA) and the Tanzania People's Defence Force. Consequently, many Aringa individuals scattered, seeking refuge in the Democratic Republic of the Congo, Sudan, [5] and various parts of Uganda. As a result, Aringa county was nearly depopulated until some individuals began returning to their villages eight to ten years later. [6] [7]

In 1980, when the UNLA replaced the Tanzanian occupying forces, the UNLA engaged in brutal reprisals against the local civilian population, who were perceived as supporters of former Amin forces. During this time, former Amin forces, including the Uganda National Rescue Front primarily composed of Aringa individuals, launched incursions from southern Sudan, driving some UNLA units out of the West Nile region. The Former Uganda National Army, composed primarily of Kakwa individuals, also participated in these incursions. In response, the UNLA carried out further reprisals, resulting in widespread destruction of property and massacres in Arua and Moyo Districts. This violence forced an estimated 500,000 West Nile civilians, including Aringa people, to flee to Sudan. Many remained in refugee camps in Sudan until the late 1980s when the National Resistance Army assumed power in Uganda. In 1987, Sudan People's Liberation Army rebels attacked and burned the camps, compelling the refugees to return to Uganda. [7]

Religion

In terms of religion, the majority of Aringa people adhere to Islam, while a small number follow Christianity. [2] Traditionally, the Aringa were hunters and cultivators, and they engaged in small-scale livestock rearing for subsistence purposes. However, in recent times, many Aringa individuals have pursued business ventures, residing in urban areas while their families remain in the villages to care for children and maintain large households. [6]

See also

Related Research Articles

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Kakwa people</span> Ethnic group native to Africa

The Kakwa people are a Nilotic ethnic group and part of the Karo people found in north-western Uganda, south-western South Sudan, and north-eastern Democratic Republic of the Congo, particularly to the west of the White Nile river.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Second Republic of Uganda</span> Military dictatorship of Idi Amin (1971–1979)

The Second Republic of Uganda existed from 1971 to 1979, when Uganda was ruled by Idi Amin's military dictatorship.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">History of Uganda (1979–1986)</span>

The History of Uganda from 1979 to 1986 comprises the history of Uganda since the end of the dictatorship of Idi Amin. This period has seen the second rule of Milton Obote and the presidency of Yoweri Museveni since 1986, in which Ugandan politics have been dominated by the National Resistance Movement.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Arua District</span> District in Northern Uganda, Uganda

Arua District is a district in the Northern Region of Uganda. Like many other Ugandan districts, it shares its name with its administrative center of Arua. The name Arua is said to be derived from the Lugbara name for prison (Arujo) and prisoner (Aru), since the white settlers had a detention center at Arua Hill.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Yumbe District</span> District in Northern Uganda, Uganda

Yumbe District is a district in Northern Region, Uganda. Like most other Ugandan districts, it is named after its 'chief town', Yumbe, where the district headquarters are located.

The Front for National Salvation (FRONASA) was a Ugandan rebel group led by Yoweri Museveni. The group factually emerged in 1971, although it was formally founded in 1973. FRONASA, along with other militant groups such as Kikosi Maalum, formed the Uganda National Liberation Front (UNLF) and its military wing the Uganda National Liberation Army (UNLA) in 1979 to fight alongside Tanzanian forces against Idi Amin.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Koboko District</span> District in Northern Region of Uganda, Uganda

Koboko District is a district in the Northern Region of Uganda. The town of Koboko is the site of the district headquarters.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Lugbara people</span>

The Lugbara are a Central Sudanic ethnic group who live primarily in the West Nile region of Uganda, in the adjoining area of the Democratic Republic of the Congo (DRC) with a few living in South Sudan. They speak the Lugbara language, a Central Sudanic language similar to the language spoken by the Madi, with whom they also share many cultural similarities.

The Uganda National Rescue Front (UNRF), refers to two former armed rebel groups in Uganda's West Nile sub-region that first opposed, then became incorporated into the Ugandan armed forces.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Ugandan Bush War</span> Guerrilla war in Uganda 1980–1986

The Ugandan Bush War was a civil war fought in Uganda by the official Ugandan government and its armed wing, the Uganda National Liberation Army (UNLA), against a number of rebel groups, most importantly the National Resistance Army (NRA), from 1980 to 1986.

Bombo is a town in Luweero District in the Central Region of Uganda.

The military history of Uganda begins with actions before the conquest of the country by the British Empire. After the British conquered the country, there were various actions, including in 1887, and independence was granted in 1962. After independence, Uganda was plagued with a series of conflicts, most rooted in the problems caused by colonialism. Like many African nations, Uganda endured a series of civil wars and coup d'états. Since the 2000s in particular, the Uganda People's Defence Force has been active in peacekeeping operations for the African Union and the United Nations.

Ombaci, also Ombachi, is a neighborhood in Arua City in the Northern Region of Uganda.

The Moru–Madi languages of the Central Sudanic language family are a cluster of closely related languages spoken in South Sudan, the Democratic Republic of Congo, and Uganda. Moru is spoken by 100,000 people, and Ma'di is spoken by twice that number. The most populous languages are Aringa of Uganda, with close to a million speakers, and Lugbara, with 1.6 million.

The Battle of Jinja was a battle of the Uganda–Tanzania War that took place on 22 April 1979 near and in the city of Jinja, Uganda between Tanzanian and allied Uganda National Liberation Front forces, and Ugandan troops loyal to Idi Amin. The Tanzanians and the UNLF men met slight resistance and captured Owen Falls Dam and the town of Jinja.

Abdulatif Tiyua is a retired Ugandan military officer and former rebel leader. He served as a Uganda Army (UA) commander during the dictatorship of Idi Amin. When Amin was overthrown in 1979 during the Uganda–Tanzania War, Tiyua was imprisoned by the new Ugandan government. He was freed in 1985, when Tito Okello overthrew Ugandan President Milton Obote. When Okello was defeated by Yoweri Museveni's National Resistance Army, Tiyua joined an insurgency in northern Uganda, and eventually rose to deputy commander of the West Nile Bank Front rebel group. Following years of warfare, Tiyua was captured by rebels allied to the Ugandan government in southern Sudan in 1997, and was again incarcerated. After being released in 2000, he became chairman of a veterans association and has lobbied for his former rebel comrades to end their insurgency.

During the Uganda–Tanzania War, the Battle of Bondo was fought on 27 May 1979 near the town of Bondo, Uganda, between Tanzanian forces and Ugandan troops loyal to Idi Amin. A band of Uganda Army soldiers opened fire on the Tanzanian Minziro Brigade as it advanced towards Arua, before fleeing in the face of a Tanzanian charge. Several Tanzanians were killed and wounded by their own artillery. It was the last battle of the war. Arua fell without resistance shortly thereafter.

The Uganda Army, also known as Uganda Armed Forces, served as the national armed forces of Uganda during the dictatorship of Idi Amin (1971–1979). It mostly collapsed during the Uganda–Tanzania War, but remnants continued to operate in exile from 1979. These pro-Amin rebel forces continued to be called the "Uganda Army" and maintained a semblance of cohesion until 1980, when they fully fractured into rival factions.

The Eastern Uganda campaign of 1979 was a military operation by Tanzanian forces and allied Ugandan rebels, most importantly the Uganda National Liberation Army, against Uganda Army (UA) troops loyal to Idi Amin during the Uganda–Tanzania War. The operation was launched by the Tanzania People's Defence Force (TPDF) on 15 April 1979 to secure eastern Uganda and oust UA remnants which were still active in the area. The TPDF mainly targeted the important towns of Jinja, Mbale, Tororo, Soroti, and Moroto. It encountered only sporadic resistance, as most UA soldiers focused on fleeing with loot instead of resisting, and successfully secured most of eastern Uganda. In the northeast, the collapse of the Uganda Army resulted in local Karamojong groups seizing much weaponry which would result in long-lasting security issues.

In October 1980, Uganda's West Nile Region was the site of a major military campaign, as Uganda Army (UA) remnants invaded from Zaire as well as Sudan and seized several major settlements, followed by a counteroffensive by the Uganda National Liberation Army (UNLA) supported by militias and Tanzanian forces. The campaign resulted in large-scale destruction and massacres of civilians, mostly perpetrated by the UNLA and allied militants, with 1,000 to 30,000 civilians killed and 250,000 displaced. The clashes mark the beginning of the Ugandan Bush War.

References

  1. ↑ "The Details of the Aringa People and their Culture in Uganda". Go Visit Kenya. Retrieved 2024-01-09.
  2. 1 2 "Arua Rural Community Development". Archived from the original on 2007-10-08. Retrieved 2007-04-03.
  3. ↑ Uganda Bureau of Statistics. "National Population and Housing Census 2014 - Main Report" (PDF).
  4. ↑ Project, Joshua. "Aringa in Uganda". joshuaproject.net. Retrieved 2024-01-09.
  5. ↑ "Aringa | Uganda". uganda.sil.org. Retrieved 2024-01-09.
  6. 1 2 Myrtle Grove Presbyterian Church: Adopt the Aringa People Archived September 29, 2007, at the Wayback Machine
  7. 1 2 ReliefWeb: The Anguish of Northern Uganda - Section 2
This page is based on this Wikipedia article
Text is available under the CC BY-SA 4.0 license; additional terms may apply.
Images, videos and audio are available under their respective licenses.