By Jenara Gardner

Ugandans and local college students gathered at the Boston Common last Saturday, to participate in Boston’s second annual Gulu Walk.

The Gulu Walk is a worldwide event that took place in more than 80 cities in 15 countries to raise money and awareness about the events occurring in Northern Uganda.

The Lord’s Resistance Army (LRA) of Northern Uganda rose in 1986 to resist President Yoweri Museveni’s oppression, but then turned on civilians and abducted more than 30,000 Northern children, brainwashing them to join the army. The LRA’s treatment of its own civilians, the government’s treatment of Northerners and the fighting between the North and South have left Uganda in peril.

“There are two big issues, the children who are kidnapped by the rebel group and forced to fight,” said Brandon Scinthfield, a Gulu Walk organizers and Boston University student. “They are inducted into violence by being forced to kill family and friends, and there are also the IDP (Internal Displacement) camps.”

About 80 people wearing orange Gulu Walk T-shirts, marched from the Boston Common down Boylston Street to Newbury Street and back. The walkers held signs and the Ugandan flag and chanted “What do we want? Peace in Uganda! When do we want it? Now!”

“It is great to see so many people come out and support this cause, especially since it is happening so far away,” Scintchfield said. “It gives me a lot of hope for our world.”

The walk ended with two speakers, Lydia Mutagbya and Ruth Bahik.

Mutagbya, who was born and raised in Uganda, came to the United States seven years ago and only then heard of the plight of the people in Northern Uganda.

Bahik is a graduate student at Harvard University and had traveled many times to Uganda to provide health care.

“Thank you all so much for coming,” Mutagbya said. “It is good to know that Uganda is not alone in this struggle.”