30 years on: remembering Janani Luwum

On February 16th, 1977 – days before I was born – one of my great heroes was killed by one the 20th century’s most notorious despots.

Archbishop Janani Luwum led the Anglican church in Uganda in the mid 1970s at the height of Idi Amin’s brutal reign. During Amin’s seven year rule from 1971, Amin killed thousands and forced millions more (mostly ethnic Indians) to flee Uganda.

Luwum was one of the few not to be quieted by Amin’s intimidation. He found the courage to preach a message love while Amin practised his politics of hate. In spite of the grave risks, Luwum openly exhorted people to follow Christ in defying tyranny, standing up against evil and speaking the truth.

Eventually, he was accused of treason and was arrested and put on military trial.

Before the trial could take place, Luwum disappeared. It was later verified that Luwum was forced into a confession of guilt, was beaten, abused and eventually shot – his bullet riven body was thrown from a speeding car.

While Amin pretended the death was accidental, the people never believed him. For Amin, it was a massive mis-calculation. When 25,000 people came to Luwum’s funeral, Amin must have known that his time was running out. His once immutable power only last lasted for another year – although he was never convicted for his crime.

Free from Idi Amin's grip on power, Uganda is now seen as one of the success stories of Africa. Much of its bi-lateral debt has been paid off which has enabled 2.2 million people to gain access to water in Uganda and millions more children have the opportunity for an education.

If you go to Westminster Abbey, you will see eight statues of individuals – all of whom have been martyred because of the threat their faith posed to those in power. Luwum’s statue is one.

To me, Luwum’s statue is a reminder that his sacrifice 30 year’s ago is still changing lives today.

My mission statement

If you ever find yourself in the eastern jungles of Burma, you will see hundreds of humanitarian teams seeking to bring help, hope and love to internally displaced ethnic groups. You will also notice that many of the teams risking their lives to venture illegally inside Burma are wearing a green T-shirt. Af first glance, it may look just like a standard army apparel. It is not. It is a Free Burma Ranger shirt. The people wearing those shirts are living the meaning of this poem:

Love each other
Unite for freedom, justice and peace
Forgive and don’t hate each other
Pray with faith, act with courage
Never surrender

As mission statements go, this one isn't bad.

searching for something I used to call God

I went to church today. I sneaked into the back so as not to be noticed. It was cold. I knew no-one. I hadn't been for months but I wanted to be there.

Nothing spectacular happened. No visions of Christ, no revelation. Yet I did find something.

I found that I am closer to the person I want to be when I am bowed in reverence and prayer. I cannot shake this desire to commune with God.

Although I have become more sophisticated (so i think), still the green shoots of spiritual longing appear from between the concrete cracks of my soul.

I have to nurture those shoots to be fully alive. If I don’t, one day they will disappear. For me, spiritual growth is the willingness to reflect on my life and have the courage to change. We cannot change ourselves or the world without this.

Fundamentalist religion is the opposite of spirituality. Dogma replaces the vulnerability of opening yourself to the light and love of God.

Yet we all get stuck. Decision by decision. Compromise after compromise, suddenly we find that we are no longer as sharp. We legitimise the very things we vowed we would never accept. We have become what we said we would fight against.

Bono was asked in his interview Mitchka Assayas for Bono on Bono what he would say if he could meet the person he was at 21. Bono’s response surprised me. He said that he would tell that young man that he was so right. Right to hold such high ideals, right to abandon himself to God and his faith – right to constantly fight the encroachment of the world.

IF we are to transform this world and the injustice that pervades it, surely we all need to be on this journey. It is not something that happens by accident. We have to pursue it.

But it is worth it. It turns living into a full colour, digitally enhanced experience.