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KamothingOn our last day we visited Kamothing, aquarrying site, and Lotongir, a gold miningsite, in Katikekile Parish. Heavy vehicles comefrom Jinja to Kamothing to pick up the marblestones. Lots of youth work here collectingstones and loading the trucks. The work here isso heavy. It is something people do when thereis no other way to earn a living.Behind the mountain,different tribes, Jie,Mathaniko, are quarryingtogether, united. Theyhave courage.We were surprised how people working hereand at Lotongir come from all over Karamoja.All different groups. They have united to do thiswork, whereas before they were fighting.Lomer Mark told us his story.“When I was growing up, I was a shepherd.I tried school up to some level,but money became a problem. I decided to joinothers in quarrying stones. When the lorriescome to pick the stones, I get money. I divertthe money I get into another business. Theadvantage of this quarrying work is that I getprofits when my customer comes to buy.We met agroup of youth frombehind the mountain. Theypush rocks down the mountain.Sometimes these rocks killpeople. All the other placeswe went, people didn’t die tomake a living.Peace allows me to run my business withoutdisturbance. I have strength in the body,which is what you need to work well. Thereare stones available to quarry and roads forthe vehicles to use. When my stones are notbought, if the market is down, I go for casualwork in town to get money. All this needs flexibilityand courage.”40
The people mining at Lotongirdig such deep mines and longtunnels so they can extract the gold.We thought how much strengthand courage those people need forthis work.When we first approached the miners,they were wild. They didn’t welcomeus. They said, ‘Go away! Ourgold will disappear. We are tiredof people coming near and givingus nothing!’ Eventuallythough, they accepted to talkwith us. There are around200 people mining gold.They work in groups indifferent areas. One manstarts by digging a hole.Then anyonewho uses that hole pays him a share. Minerstold us that the mines sometimes kill people.Sometimes the tunnels collapse. Recently thirtypeople have been killed.Others told us how they live from gold. “WhenI sell it, I can buy 20 litres of alcohol, take itto Turkana. Then I get two goats, Once I have10 I’ll make a kraal.” Another says, “Mining isbetter than having a gun. A point is 40,000 shillings.If you get 4 points in one week, you canbuy cows.” Lokol Paul told us about his workin the mine.“Igrew up in the hands of my parents, whereI had no any difficulty until I grew up.There was enough food and cattle those days,unlike these days when there is a lot of hunger.The few people who used to mine gold werelooked down on by elders who owned big herdsof cattle. The miners were not even allowed tofetch water from wells because the elders consideredthe wells a place where only their animalsshould drink. But as time went on, the lifeof the cow became rare and eventhose who used to have cattleresorted to gold mining.work. Cattle raiderslook for wherethe cow is. I am herebecause of gold. I lookfor gold to earn a living.It is better than earning aliving through bad ways.LotongirThe day I am lucky, I get somethingfor the family. But whenthere is no luck, I just have tostay with my hunger and waitfor the following day, or else I borrowfrom a friend and pay back when myluck comes. Sometimes they offer yousome money without expecting paymentin return, just because of your goodrelationship.I had no opportunity to go to school. IfI had, perhaps I would be working inan office now. But I only see my lifehere in the gold mine.”It is because of hunger thatpeople go to places like this.It is because of hunger thatOut ofI am risking my life in thisa bigheap ofsoil, theyfound thislittle thing!You have to bedetermined!“I’m busy! I used tobe a killer. Now I’vedecided to earn myliving by this. Weneed you people tohelp us.”41
Page 3 and 4: We are a team of 13 Karimojong rese
Page 5 and 6: 1In that way even this research has
Page 7 and 8: and sold it on. But this business o
Page 9 and 10: in my parish and he promised to spo
Page 11: When I was interviewing,I askedAgan
Page 14 and 15: 14THE FINDINGS
Page 16 and 17: 16“When we had cattle, we had a l
Page 19 and 20: The murram sites are communal, but
Page 21 and 22: The men in the picture below used t
Page 23 and 24: This old man is showing the youth w
Page 25 and 26: We also talked to Arukol Margaret a
Page 27 and 28: Here are three stories from Murulin
Page 29 and 30: Aleper Martha told us about how she
Page 31 and 32: We then travelled to Lokopo - anoth
Page 33 and 34: This man had these marks made on hi
Page 35 and 36: We found most people in Lokitelaa K
Page 37 and 38: The women are building this village
Page 39: The lame man was a challenge to the
Page 43 and 44: When a person only has a stick he c
Page 45 and 46: When we analysed all the storiesand
Page 47 and 48: IDS_Master LogoThis book was put to

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