What is all of this about?

I had planned my PhD research around Opok Farm and the formation of a village there to help heal children affected by the war, AIDS and poverty. Plans were in place set up a supportive community, to do organic farming with the children and to establish a learn by doing school to help the children and young adults who are faced with raising many of these children with their broken educations. There was talk of being able to export organic produce to the EU. My job was to build a method of evaluating development in a basically non-monetary economy.

Since our original plans were made, Life in Africa has broken ties with the group in Gulu. That may be resurrected near the beginning of the year but is unsure at the moment.

Peace plans were progressing though still there was quibbling over the ICC warrant for Joseph Kony. Kony had agreed to sign the peace accords if the ICC would drop the warrant and then he would turn himself over to the Ugandan court system. This was something that was agreeable to everyone apparently except the ICC.

With the "impending peace" there was billions of dollars that was flying around the Gulu district for relocation of families. Then the greedy came out of the woodwork and there was a lot of insecurity due to the threats against people who might be recipients of that money. This was what led me to cancel my trip to Gulu this past March-May.

Now the ICC has issued a warrant for the arrest Sudan's Bashir? He's now threatening Museveni that unless Museveni helps him he can count on more trouble in N. Uganda. And Kony is already stirring up new demands. In addition, 2 weeks ago there were at least 5 farms (including Opok Farms) that were hit by theft - all of the old farm implements/tractor parts and everything else metal was stolen. Norbert's uncle is the military commander in charge of security for the IDP camp returnees, and he's really having trouble.

The crops have been stolen and the forests have been cut down by "poachers" to make charcoal.

In addition, while I was in the UK I heard of the UK's plans to revoke organic certification for produce flown into the UK because of the impact on the carbon footprint. The EU had already revoked organic certification for Ugandan produce due to government spraying of DDT even though the spraying had not reached as far north as Gulu.

All of these problems and this continued instability has led to at least the temporary abandonment of the Opok Farms Project. The project just doesn't seem to make sense at this time.

I am still interested in developing tools to help communities that are basically non-monetary economies measure their development. I will either continue the work I did in March in Mae Usu and or work with other sufficiency economy communities here in Thailand.