Uganda has been in the news lately. You may have missed it, but last month President Obama ordered 100 troops (almost entirely in an advisory capacity) to Uganda to help the government to suppress the ultra-violent Lord’s Resistance Army (the LRA). The LRA has been destabilizing and terrorizing Uganda for years, abducting and forcing into military service children. Refuse and they cut off your nose, your ears, your hands, or simply kill you. Uganda’s history is one of colonial oppression, brutal strongmen (Idi Amin), and perpetual civil war, and the LRA is symptomatic of this larger disease.

Onto this scene comes “breakdancing!” Yes, you heard me right. Watching the new documentary “Bouncing Cats,” set to premier on the Documentary Channel November 19 (with many repeat showings), I was reminded of Cedric the Entertainer’s line in the brilliant, Spike Lee-directed The Original Kings of Comedy: he says, and I paraphrase, “Back in the day, we didn’t solve our problems with violence: we would breakdance.” Cedric then goes on –in hilarious fashion- to demonstrate how a throwdown in a dance club might go.

This same idea, that dancing can bring peace and bridge divides, is at the center of “Bouncing Cats,” which details the efforts of Breakdance Project Uganda (BPU) to heal the wounds that run so deep in this central-African nation and to get kids focused on a worthwhile endeavor.

The documentary features narration by the rapper-poet ‘Common’ and follows the journey of ‘Crazy Legs’ and his ‘Rock Steady’ crew, arguably the originators of breakdancing in the United States in the 1970s, as they travel to Uganda to link up with BPU founder ‘Abramz’. Crazy Legs tours the slums of cities in both the North and the South of Uganda. Compared with his poor youth in the Bronx, he finds the depravity in Uganda “hellish.”

Interspersed with Crazy Legs’ travels are interviews with war victims, BPU figures, and expert commentary. The mise en scene of the film is itself hip-hoppy. Throughout the documentary, we jump back and forth between static and stock footage to grainy, cinema verite-style shots of Uganda’s slums and its more appealing countryside. Throughout, we see Crazy Legs and Abramz teaching kids about the hip-hop culture and the finer points of breakdancing moves, and we learn that the title of the film — “Bouncing Cats” — is the phrase, used in staccato-like fashion, to simulate a beat when no music is available. Say “bouncing cats” ten times quickly and you will understand.

The main question for me is: ultimately, where can something like BPU go? Programs that teach under-privileged kids, golf, for instance, in America help youth to comprehend that it takes discipline, devotion, and concentration — and keeping your nose clean — to succeed in sport. Learn those lessons with golf and even if you don’t make it to the PGA, you’ll succeed in whatever avocation or occupation you embrace. But in America, contrary to what those in the ‘Occupy’ movement claim, there is opportunity. Your efforts can pay off. You may not be part of the 1 percent –whatever that really means– but you can carve out a good life.

Is that true in Uganda? You can learn to dance, understand your adversary, and stay out of trouble, but to what end? Dancing didn’t end the United States Civil War (massive force did), and it took another 100+ years to end racial segregation and oppression in America. I was truly moved by the idealism this documentary captured and by all measures it’s a well-made film, but can BPU itself survive and affect substantial change? View “Bouncing Cats” and decide for yourself.

Under pressure from millions around the world, Ugandan officials are considering amending their proposed “anti-gay” bill that would, if passed, call for the death penalty or life imprisonment to those found to engage in homosexual behavior after being diagnosed with HIV.

Even with this people around the world, including me, still believe the bill to be outrageously prejudiced toward a societal group that very much does not deserve this discrimination. They certainly do not deserve to be treated like terrorists or murderers. They do nothing wrong.

Yesterday, on International Human Rights Day, groups around the world protested in front of Ugandan embassies calling for the government to put an end to the nonsensical bill. The government of Uganda, as well as several churches, are defending the bill as one intended to protect minors from being sexually harassed by older men.

Regardless of this claim, countries like Sweden have threatened to cut off aid to Uganda and some have even called for it to be thrown out of the Commonwealth.

But, now that officials are considering removing the death penalty and life imprisonment clauses in the bill, more factions of the Ugandan society may back it, as it may now be seen as less “controversial” or less medieval. However even if the amendments are made, the opposition will remain strong. This sort if justified, required-by-law discrimination against an innocent societal group is disgusting.

In 2006, when the BBC reported that a Ugandan newspaper went as far as printing the names of 45 suspected homosexuals in the country, I knew there was a problem. I just never thought it would ever come to this. Just horrible.

Imagine being detained by government authorities without charge, without access to a lawyer, your whereabouts hidden from all of society. Imagine now that so much is going on in the world that mainstream media don’t have the time to tell your story, or the story of your four companions, all of which are going through the exact same thing.

How can you get help? How can you be freed or given access to your lawyer or your family to tell them you’re OK?

This exact story is currently unfolding in Uganda. The Human Rights Watch is demanding the Ugandan government charge or release the five detainees.

The physical location of the four men and one woman is unknown, which, according to the HRW, make it a case of enforced disappearance, illegal under international law and in violation of the Ugandan Constitution. Some former detainees say the five missing may be being held at Joint anti-Terrorism Task Force (JATT) headquarters in Kololo, a rich suburb of capital city Kampala.The former detainees also said the five missing were tortured and may now be in poor health, the HRW reports.

According to a report released by the HRW, the task force has heavily abused its power on many occasions resulting in multiple killings, enforced disappearances and allegations of torturing terrorism suspects.

Recently, the chief of military intelligence in Uganda wrote a report to the HRW outlining the reason for the five arrests in an attempt to justify the imprisonment of the missing. According to the report, Abdulrahman Kijjambu and Ismail Kambaale, two of the five, were arrested in July 2008 on suspicions of planning terrorism acts.

The third detainee, Abdul Hamid Lugemwa, was arrested in March 2008 for being involved in an “urban hit squad.” The letter also claims the military task force has no knowledge of the whereabouts of the fourth prisoner, Mohamed Sekulima.

HRW reports however that four former detainees say they say Sekulima in JATT custody on several separate occasions. The circumstances of the arrest of fifth detainee, Fatuma Nantongo, are unclear. Witnesses told the HRW that she was arrested in December of 2008 and was seen in JATT custody in Kololo in January 2009.

The letter from military intelligence unfortunately provided no insight into the exact whereabouts of the five missing. All five detainees are being denied the right to habeas corpus, which is mandatory under both international and Ugandan law.

Still, no charges have officially been filed.

Stick with Blast for updates on the story.

At this moment, in some war torn country in Africa or the Middle-East, a child, brother, sister, mother or father is being forced to flee their home for safety. They run, as fast as they can, taking only what they can carry away from those who want to do them harm. They may never be able to return.

On June 20, we honor these people, their courage and quick-thinking in situations of extreme peril and terror. In 2000, the United Nations General Assembly decided the need for an international refugee day was imminent. To show solidarity with the plight of African refugees, they decided to have World Refugee Day coincide with African Refugee Day.

The day is extremely important, especially now. Along with several African nations, countries like Sri Lanka, Pakistan, Iraq and Afghanistan are seeing their citizens run for solace, finding it in countries in Europe and North America.

Sometimes, they can’t even get out of their country, forced to make refugee camps, large open spaces equipped with just tents for shelter, their homes. The conditions are dirty and unsanitary. Debilitating diseases and illnesses spread quickly.

Recent wars in Pakistan and Sri Lanka have displaced millions of people. In Sri Lanka, many are still living in poorly kept refugee camps. In Pakistan, many will never be able to return, their homes destroyed by Taliban forces.

It is hard to comprehend, perhaps for many in North America, what it truly would feel like to have to flee your home to protect yourself or your family.

Imagine a war is taking place right outside your door. Opposition forces enter your home to use it as shelter against their enemy, killing you if you try to protect it, giving you just a short window to flee.

But war isn’t the only problem for refugees. Extreme poverty and governmental neglect can make surviving in your home country nearly impossible.

How can the children of Uganda, where it was recently discovered countless kids are being used and are at risk of becoming child soldiers or child laborers, leave? Today is not only a day to honor those who made it out, but also those who need to leave.

Events to honor the distressed are being held around the world. A dance event in Nairobi. A mini-marathon in northern Sri Lanka. A concert in Washington D.C. A symposium in Tokyo.

Take a minute today to research and learn more about the world’s refugees and the conflicts they face. Donate. Attend an event. Help our world’s refugees.

It was October 2005, and professional photographer Karen Sparacio was in Uganda. She was there to photograph a relief organization. Ayaa Grace, an Alhcoli woman, invited her to visit the Acholi Quarter.  What the Sparacio saw changed her life and, soon, the lives of hundreds of Ugandans as well.

Sparacio took in the creative and colorful jewelry that these women were making out of what little they had.  She brought some of the jewelry back with her to the states to see if she could sell some of these beaded works of art to help raise money for the women.  The few she brought with her sold quickly, and she returned to Uganda in January 2006, to initiate the beginnings of Project Have Hope.

The Acholi Quarter was a rundown civilization, a slum, outside of Kampla.  The state people live in was unparalleled to the sincere and pure souls that the photographer saw there.  Sparacio spent two and a half weeks photographing the Alcholi women and capturing the illuminating spirits of the women in this slum.

Project Have Hope is based in Malden, Mass. Sparacio learned the unique craft of the Alcholi women and took back these skills with her to the United States.  Like the Acholi women, she and other volunteers make colorful beads out of recycled paper.  She then sells the jewelry at local craft fairs and online at www.projecthavehope.org.

Project Have Hope has helped hundreds of women since its inception in 2006. With the money earned from jewelry sales and donations, Project Have Hope has created programs that provide women with the skills to work and become educated; the organization also rekindles the hope that may have faded from these women along the way.  With the money raised, Project Have Hope started a literacy program for 22 women who had never before even stepped inside a classroom.  Karen Sparacio’s organization also began a vocational training program.  Currently, 18 women are enrolled, and when the training is complete, they will receive a loan that will enable them to immediately start their lives in the working world.

What began as a small loans program for 30 women to start small businesses, has grown to a “high risk jumbo loan,” for women with strong and viable business ideas.  The high risk loan will take these women two years to repay.

“[The main goal of Project Have Hope] was to help women create something that is sustainable once I’m gone,” Sparacio said. “Realistically, I know I can’t do this work forever. So my goal is to help provide the women with the education, skills and finances needed to help them support themselves without the need of outside, foreign assistance.”

Sparacio has spent thousands of hours working on Project Have Hope. When asked what she has gained through this journey, she simply says, “Friends.” Many of the women she meets in Uganda have been raped and assaulted, their children have been abducted and husbands have been beaten or killed.

“But they smile widely and often, laugh gregariously, and move forward with each passing day,” she said. “I am honored to consider many of them as friends. They are the people who remind me, even when I do not see them everyday of what is important in life.”

It must be true that life’s greatest gifts are not seen, but felt.

Sparacio remembers one boy who had been abducted at the young age of 8. He was forced to become a child soldier, but escaped nine months later. Sparacio took the boy to live with his Aunt in the Acholi Quarter. Through Project Have Hope, he has been sponsored in school for the past two years.  Whenever he sees Sparacio, he walks with her and holds her hand.

In January, the boy saw her sitting alone and asked if he could sing her a song. He began to sing the children’s song “Head and Shoulders…Knees and Toes,” while simultaneously touching each body part.

“He grinned happily and proudly as he sung. No matter how bad of a day I am having, I think of him and smile. What a sweet, kind child!” Sparacio said. “To at least some small degree, I was able to give him back his childhood and give him hope for the future.”

For more information on Project Have Hope, visit ProjectHaveHope.org.