The past 2 days in Uganda have been tense and cold because of the riots in several parts of Central Uganda like kampala, Kayunga and Masaka because the security officials blocked preparations for the King of Buganda’s visit and attendance of the Youths day celebrations in Kayunga.

A police station and a petrol station was burnt to ashes,10 people dead and more than 60 people injured during the riots and many business property looted. As I sat home closely following the news and developments of the riots I asked myself why have 10 people died and other 60 nursing wounds in hospital?, why did the rioters burn down a police station and petrol station?, and why did the police men beat up civilians to death?

In trying to answer the questions I noticed that it’s very easy for our minds to turn to violence as a way of bringing peace. The minds of the rioters and policemen are filled with defilements of anger and revenge hence the inability to control their minds. Defilements overshadow our pure mind and negatively affect our views, thoughts, speech, actions and understanding of situations. Everything arises from our minds and because of our inability to control the mind we act in anger, beat up others, burn down buildings and stalls and kill each other. We use insulting words to communicate how terribly we feel about situations.

Daily acts of goodness and inner peace time of 10, 15, 20 or 40 minutes can help purify our minds of the anger, hatred and revenge. With Inner peace time we have right view, thoughts, speech and actions that can bring peace and happiness to ourselves, families, communities, countries and the world. To those who have lost beloved ones, property and businesses and those nursing wounds in hospitals I send and share loving-kindness with them. I could not help but become very emotional because human beings take away the lives of other human beings, with whom they share the same natural gifts of blood and air for breathing.

Let’s all remember hatred never ceases by hatred, but by love. Also our actions are a reflection of who we are inside.

Let’s keep the promise; Peace in Peace Out

Julius