VICTOR OCHEN

In 2005, on the peak of war in Northern Uganda. I risked on field mission to work with youth in the IDP camps in Kitgum. I reached the hospital with my friend who’s a photographer Heather. I saw the multitudes of war wounded in the helplessly in the compound waiting for help. – at Kampala, Uganda

Launching the 'A Pen for a Gun' campaign at the UN Headquarters in New York. This vital initiative by the UN Office of the Special Adviser on Africa carries a clear message: under no circumstances should a child ever choose a gun instead of a pen

Addressing the One Young World summit in Munich - Germany. A peacefull world will mean entrusting our young people with right tools.

Tonight 9th December, marks exactly 22 years my brother Geoffrey, Cousin James and several other family members were abducted by the rebels of the Lord Resistance Army, from our home in Abia..and they are still missing. They are among the Ten of Thousands of Children who were abducted due to the war between Government of Uganda and the LRA. As people with mutual experience of injustice, I met with Ms.Eva Olga Clarke. Now 80 years, Ms. Eva is notable for being the youngest Holocaust survivor. Ms. Eva’s mother Anka voluntarily followed her husband Bernd Nathan to #AuschwitzBirkenau. She was pregnant with Eva, not so visibly, which allowed her to survive the selection for forced labor rather than gas chambers. We met, and had the most humane-dialogue. In her show of solidarity, Ms.Eva said my message to your Father and so many people from Northern Uganda is “The World Let Us Down. We survived broken and now we unfortunately have to cling to the past that doesn’t let choose”. My Father is now 84 yrs, he misses his son. I hear him say it’s OKAY - but I know that’s not true, he is trying so hard to be strong and holding it together; but he is not okay. There are thousand of people, who were abducted during LRA war and are still missing. Unfortunately, there is no Truth for the families and no accountability for the crimes. Families of missing persons do see with despair that other countries are engaged in doing everything to secure release of their abducted or kidnapped Citizens, and worry if they will even know the status of their people. These people hardly sleeps at night, lived with years of pain, shocked by the neglect and always wondering maybe it’s course or maybe its spiritual. But we all know their suffering was a political mistake. As we commemorate the international human rights day, let’s remember there are people going through pain that cannot be put to words. @AYINET

Dear beloved friends, Please recieve my special thank you, for the warmest birthday wishes, prayers and blessings. You all deserve my eternal gratitudes. I hope with new age I’ll even benefit more from your wisdom, kindness and support. Together with my twin brother Jack Opio, to this far, we carry with us silent strength, scars from endurances and lived stories. Even at this age, we may not have it all, but we’re among the luckyones to be celebrating our 44th birthday. It’s heart-breaking to witness the increasing amount of violence in the world today; where too many people are suffering. The trauma of continued conflicts in DRC, Sudan; the pain of Israeli people resulting from the killings, abduction and hostages taken; and the sufferings, despair from destructions, displacements and deaths of innocent Palestenian people - is exhausting, I just feel small. We reasonate with their pain, because this is the life we lived for 20+ yrs in northern Uganda, where society surived with incurrable mental, physical and social wounds. War is bad!!! We’ve grown, we will continue doing everything we can to help people we can. We’ll protect our children, families, friends and all those beautiful souls we are yet to meet. We continue to fight for peace, justice and fairness in the world. We will win. Not immediately, but definitely. God bless you all.

As one among the new generation of Africans committed to preventing history from repeating itself, we need to agree that military powers alone cannot make our Continent safe. Stability comes not from military powers, but most importantly from reliability of our forces @AYINET

Uganda and USA discuss bilateral ties centred on strengthening the bilateral economic relationship. However, despite how sound and reasonable it is, Uganda’s representation on this table is not premised on gender inclusion. Photo credit @newvisionwire #VisionUpdates

Happiest 90th birthday to His Holiness The @DalaiLama. You’re simply the truest image of human struggle and success. Papa @TheDesmondTutu must be smiling down on you from Heaven.

International Forum for Africa (FICA) in Paris: New horizons for Africa-France partnerships, towards sustainable and mutually beneficial cooperation. Seeking to address strategic challenges for stability and sovereignty in Africa. Collectively, build the climate of trust based on open dialogue and strong security bond among African nations

The roar of River Nile, in Uganda💪🏾 ⁦@TourismBoardUg⁩

I congratulate H.E. Mahmoud Ali Youssouf - Djibouti, on being elected as the incoming Chairperson of the African Union Commission. African people are thirsty for leadership that will inspire sustainable peace in the Continent. May your leadership bring progress, unity, mitigate effects of climate change and guarantee the meaningful engagement of African Youth in shaping the future of our Continent The Africa We Want is the Africa We Own Blessings and wisdom brother🙏🏾 @ymahmoudali @AYINET

I always have to try very hard to keep strong. Truly difficult, but we continue to stand with and for victims and survivors. Team @AYINET - Team Humanity!

To all of you wonderful humans, we received your warmest and loving birthday wishes. Thank you for your messages of love and blessings. We spent our 43rd birthday together with my twin brother Jack, reflected deeply with smiles, striking chill feelings and goosebumps; wondering how we even made it this far. Wars had such a negative impact on our family and community. Of course we frequently paused and sometimes felt so empty, unable to explain what happened, as our society is still surrounded by untreated historical injustices. Even with our new age we don’t pretend that we know it all, although we take different postures. We keep on learning, not afraid of standing up for what is ours, and what is right. Where we have to compete, we will. Where we have to forgive, we must. And, most importantly where we have to defend, we have no other alternatives. We love Uganda and Africa is too dear to us. It’s saddening to see the endless suffering of innocent people due to wars. Unfortunately, to some people, our gender, race and faith are reasons for cruelty towards fellow humans. May God help all of us live to see the world where parents won’t have to worry their children would be taken away. Where governments work not to enrich themselves, but uplift the weak and the poor in our society. To this far, we have endured, lost, won and most importantly learned from it and against odds we showed compassion Thank you people, looking forward to working together as we dare for better world Peace