Holy Spirit Movement

Following the collapse of Tito Okello's Uganda National Liberation Army (UNLA), several soldiers left to create a separatist guerilla movement headed by Odong Latek, the Uganda People's Democratic Army. This army fought for Acholi supremacy over regions historically belonging to the ethnic group. In 1986, Holy Spirit Movement founder Alice Lakwena (at the age of 27) and her supporters were given weapons by former UNLA officers. The Holy Spirit Battalion and the UPDA held a steady alliance until the Battle of Corner Kilak yielded a more contentious relationship. While Kony and his Holy Spirit Army was not affiliated with Lakwena and her Holy Spirit Battalion, the former was joined by Lakwena's father, Severino Lukwoya. After Lakwena's arrest and detention in Kenya, several former rebels again took up arms and formed what was known as 'Lakwena Part Two'. 'Lakwena Part Two' was less of a unified rebel movement, and more broadly encompassed different rebel groups that operated under a spiritual medium. These mediums never engaged in physical combat, but were instead more influential in strategizing and creating the belief system of their armies. ==Beliefs==

Alice Lakwena felt she was connected to the spiritual world, and could become possessed by spirits. Lakwena was repeatedly cited as telling Alice to cleanse tribes of their sins, and to eradicate "bad people", both within her ranks and outside of them. This goal slowly began to become more universal as time progressed, with Alice modifying her goals for Acholi purity to aim more for total African and global purity. Things such as sexual intercourse, alcohol consumption, tobacco usage, and certain foods were prohibited. and if they drank water that had been blessed, then they would be immune to gunfire, as any bullets that they came into contact with would immediately turn into water. The media (western and local) played a role in reporting about Alice's Holy Spirit Movement. This caused her to create a branch of the movement called the Department of Information and Publicity. This bureaucratic organization worked to create a softer image of the brutal practices of the HSM. Alice and Lakwena also gave an interview in October 1987 to try to clear the air about their motives and goals in fighting. ==References==