Author: JRP

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Publications Reports

Invisible Victims: Mapping and Understanding Children Born in Captivity

Executive Summary

According to Akello (2013), at least 10,000 girls and young women that were abducted by the Lord’s Resistance Army during the Northern Ugandan War (1986-2006) returned home with a child born in captivity. The children were conceived under violent conditions of forced marriage, instilling a complex toll
of trauma in mothers who rejoined their communities in the aftermath of the war. Nearly 20 years later, the children and their mothers continue to struggle with stigma, extreme poverty, and untreated physical and psychological wounds. With low educational attainment, limited access to land, and little family support, they have few opportunities for advancement. As children born in captivity begin to have children of their own, they risk passing these challenges onto the next generation.

According to the Ugandan National Transitional Justice Policy, one of the major barriers to implementing reparations to support the children born in captivity is the absence of reliable data. These
concerns have also been raised by several civil society organizations and local government concerned about the plight of the children. Without information on the number, identities, and needs of these children, it’s difficult to create targeted interventions. While some
organizations have documented children born of war in Northern Uganda, no single database comprehensively maps all the children.

To help fill this gap, Justice and Reconciliation Project (JRP) has begun a process of systematically mapping children born in captivity. In this study, JRP has selected Kilak North of Amuru District as a case location to map and understand the situation of children born in captivity. JRP worked with local government and survivor mobilizers in these areas to gather names, family details, demographics, and challenges/needs of each child. The project objectives were to 1.) Contribute to the data gap 2.) Inform civil society and government interventions and 3.) Advocate for and inform ongoing conversations on reparations in Uganda.

Download the Report: Invisible Victims (PDF)

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Partners

Transformative Memory Project

This is a collaborative project implemented in partnership with the University of British Colombia, the Social Science and Humanities Research Council of Canada, and the Justice and Reconciliation project (JRP). The project is a platform that brings together scholars, artists, and community-based memory workers from the three countries including Indonesia, Canada, Colombia, and Uganda to collaborate and exchange knowledge.

The Justice and Reconciliation Project (JRP) together with the University of British Columbia (UBC) launched the first Transformative Memory Project in Gulu, Uganda between May 19th to 25th, 2019. The main goal of the project was to foster an international network of scholars, artists, and community-based memory workers in order to exchange knowledge and practice. This was followed by a plethora of activities such as exchange visits.

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Blog Partners

Social Cohesion Among Refugees And Host Communities

This is a 3-year project funded by the Finnish Government and being implemented in Partnership with the Finnish Refugees Council and the Justice and Reconciliation Project (JRP) as a consortium member. The overall goal of the project is to contribute to peaceful and safe co-existence within the refugee-hosting district in Northern Uganda.

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Blog Press Releases Publications

JRP Holds International Transformative Memory Exchange

 

PRESS RELEASE SUNDAY, MAY 19, 2019

GULU– Between May 19 to 25 the Justice and Reconciliation Project, in partnership with the University of British Colombia, and the Social Science and Humanities Research Council of Canada, will host the first International Transformative Memory exchange in Gulu.

The exchange will bring together scholars, artists, and community-based memory workers from Indonesia, Canada, Colombia, and Uganda to collaborate and exchange knowledge.

The theme of the international exchange is to deeply reflect on the transformative possibilities of memory. Through this exchange, we suggest that persons and collectives who endure, suffer and live through violence – and whose memory is often denied, erased or devalued by regimes of power – transform relations between each other, the living and the dead, through memory acts. Persons transform relations of oppression, dispossession and power, and raise questions about shared responsibility and ways of being together through memories.

Why an International Exchange?

Dr. Pilar Riaño-Alcalá, one of the principal investigators of the Transformative Memory Exchange, believes the exchange is a way to construct knowledge. She hopes the week-long exchange is going to enrich knowledge on what makes memory transformative.

‘I think that by learning and dialoguing with so many groups here in northern Uganda, all of us will enrich our ideas on what makes the work of memory transformative,” Riaño stated.

She holds the view that memory is transformative after a period of mass violence where people experienced profound loss.

The partners of the project further believe the exchange brings participants into dialogue with each other and in relation to Acholi ways of knowing, remembering, relating and being. The project will involve storytelling, art, music, walking tours, and orality.

Through the exchange, we hope to open a creative space for generating knowledge related to our themes and questions. During the seven days there will be an array of activities including field visits to sites and initiatives of memory, international roundtables, and public events.

About the Justice and Reconciliation Project. The Justice and Reconciliation Project (JRP) promotes locally sensitive and sustainable peace in Africa’s Great Lakes region by focusing on the active involvement of grassroots communities in local-level transitional justice. Formerly a partnership of the Gulu District NGO Forum and the Liu Institute for Global Issues, University of British Columbia, Canada, JRP has played a key role in transitional justice in Uganda since 2005, through seeking to understand and explain the interests, needs, concerns and views of the communities affected by war between the Lord‟s Resistance Army (LRA) and Government of Uganda (GOU). For more information please visit http://www.justiceandreconciliation.org

Download this press release here: Press Release

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Blog

Key Lessons from the Conference on Conflict Related SGBV Redress Mechanism

By Benard Okot, with additional writing from Nancy Apiyo

The Justice and Reconciliation Project with support from Trust Africa held a national conference on redress mechanism for survivors of conflict-related sexual and gender-based violence in Kampala, Uganda on March 22nd, 2019.

The conference was held under the theme: ‘’Ensuring that the appropriate strategies are used by the central government in meeting the needs of conflict-affected SGBV victims in northern Uganda’’. This followed a motion that was adopted the parliament of Uganda early this year in February in which the government accepted to support women and their children affected by the Lord’s Resistant Army (LRA) war, it was discussed that there is need to think of a practical strategy of actualizing the motion moved into the project; especially one that can answer the urgent needs of the women and their children.

Many stakeholders were present including cultural leaders, politicians, Civil Society Organizations (CSOs), victims or formerly abducted women, government officials, civil servants, a child born in captivity and members of the academia. The aim was to recapitulate on the specific needs of the victims of conflict-related sexual and gender based violence in northern Uganda, strengthen policy and programs in regard to the reconstruction in order to address the transitional challenges affecting victims of Conflict-related sexual and gender-based violence and develop appropriate strategies tailored towards meeting the transitional justice needs of war-affected women and children in northern Uganda.

Much as previous efforts made by the government and other actors to address justice and reconciliation needs for victims were acknowledged and reflected on as learning points. However, participants recommended that a lot more needs to be done. They also reflected on the gaps in government interventions in supporting women and came up with strategies that can contribute to meeting these needs. Participants noted that the issue of war-affected women and children should be taken as a matter of public and national interest.

The key message sent during the event was that there was need to make rational, evidence-based policies that address the specific needs of the women. Concerns and issues raised should be taken into consideration during policy and program development.

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Press Releases

JRP Holds National Conference on SGBV Redress Mechanism

PRESS RELEASE WEDNESDAY, MARCH 20, 2019
GULU – On Friday, March 22, 2019, Justice and Reconciliation Project with Funding from Trust Africa, under the auspices of the International Criminal Justice Fund will hold a national dialogue on SGBV redress mechanism in the capital Kampala.
The event shall take place at the Parliamentary lounge (conference hall under the theme;
“Ensuring that the appropriate strategies are used by the central government in meeting the needs of conflict-affected SGBV victims in northern Uganda’’

The objectives are as follows;

  • Inform the central government on the specific needs of the victims of conflict SGBV in Northern Uganda.
  • Strengthening policy and programs regarding re-construction, in order to address the transitional challenges affecting conflict SGBV victims.
  • Developing appropriate strategies tailored towards meeting the transitional justice needs of war-affected women and children in Northern Uganda.

The conference followed an earlier regional dialogue that was held in October 2018 between conflicts SGBV victims of local Government Officials from Greater Northern Uganda.

There were common positions that were agreed at in addressing the transitional gaps of war-affected women and their children.

In moving the debate to a national level and in concretizing the motion moved and adopted in parliament on 13th, the victim’s community from the four sub-regions; Acholi, Teso, Lango and West Nile who were affected by war together with leaders from greater northern Uganda will also be given opportunity to share their specific needs and strategies that the central government can adapt to ensure access to justice and reparation to the affected women and their children.
Building upon lessons learned from the regional dialogue, leaders from the local government will again be given a platform to share:-

  • Possible programs that can help in the reconstruction of the lives of victims of SGBV which central government can adopt
  • Challenges local government officials face in working with partners and the victims’ community which central government should support them with
  • Different strategies that can be adapted to meet the TJ needs of conflict-affected SGBV victims in Northern Uganda

The conference is expected to bring together a diversity of participants including local government leaders, the central government leaders, CSOs/ NGOs, members of parliament, the victim’s communities to discuss issues that are closed to their hearts.

To join the conversation at the National Conference, interested participants are asked to follow us on Facebook, facebook@justiceandreconciliation.com, twitter: @talk_ug

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Reports

Child tracing in post-conflict northern Uganda: A social project to unite children born of war with their paternal clans

Grandfather receives his children home as he directs them to step on an egg, the children are expected to break the egg in a symbol of cleaning and getting rid of the evil spirits that a person could be having.

This report is the result of collaboration between the Women’s Advocacy Network (WAN) and the School of Public Policy and Global Affairs (SPPGA) at the University of British Columbia (UBC), with the support of the Justice and Reconciliation Project (JRP).

The original research for the report was envisioned to focus on women’s experiences of seeking reparations for sexual violence, funded by the PWIAS, at the University of British Columbia. Through a process of consultations with WAN members, however, the process of child tracing emerged as a social project considered vital to the well-being of children born as the result of forced marriages in wartime.

At the time of writing, child tracing activities were on-going at various stages outlined in the report. Mothers and their children, some now young adults, initiated the process of child tracing on their own. With the assistance of WAN members and networks, community leaders and non-governmental organizations such as JRP and Women’s Initiative for Gender Justice (WIGJ), these informal efforts received wider social support, particular with funding to the initiative from WIGJ between 2016-17.

The report involved a review of secondary data collected by WAN and JRP, including reports, recordings and video-tapes, field notes, and interviews and focus group discussions with WAN members and child tracing team leaders and project officers at JRP and WAN. It is intended to highlight the process and possibilities of child tracing for stakeholders.

It was supported by the Peter Wall Institute for Advanced Studies (PWIAS) and the Social Sciences and Humanities Research Council of Canada Partnership Grant (SSHRC PG) Conjugal Slavery in War (CSiW): A partnership for the study of enslavement, marriage and masculinities.

Researched and written by: Tinashe Mutsonziwa, Ketty Anyeko & Erin Baines in Vancouver, Canada and Grace Acan & Evelyn Amony in Gulu, Uganda.

Download this report here (PDF)

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Statements & Briefs

Long-Term Effects of Sexual Violence on Women and Families: The Case of Northern Uganda

The following brief is a summary of a research project that was conducted by Dr. Mahlet Woldetsadik, in collaboration with the Justice Reconciliation Project and the Women’s Advocacy Network between 2015 and 2018.  The brief documents the persisting effects of conflict-related sexual violence on survivors and the indirect impact of wartime sexual violence on families of survivors in northern Uganda. In addition to the summary of results presented, the brief also offers tailored and comprehensive recommendations and next steps for different stakeholders.

Read the full brief here.

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Blog News Analysis

A PRIVATE SCREENING OF THE TRIAL OF DOMINIC ONGWEN FOR VICTIMS OF SEXUAL VIOLENCE

As part of monitoring the Dominic Ogwen trial (‘Ongwen Trial’) at the International Criminal Court (ICC), JRP gathered the opinions of community members directly affected by the LRA in Acholi and Lango sub regions to inform the trial process. Of the many issues discussed, the concerns raised by victims of sexual and gender-based violence (SGBV) appeared to be the most pertinent. With the expansion of cases against Dominic Ongwen involving SGBV crime, victims of sexual violence do not feel they are given an adequate platform to follow the trial and express their views. According to many SGBV victims, they are marginalized in their community as a result of the stigma attached to sexual violence and being a former abductee. Consequently, they are unable to sit with other community members to watch the trial and express their opinions freely. The victims of SGBV therefore seek a more conducive environment that enables them to participate in the trial at the local level.

Other issues raised by the community concern the victim’s reparation mechanism of the ICC. Whilst they expressed their knowledge of being beneficiaries of the ICC Trust Fund for Victims (‘Trust Fund’), only verified victims who testify and confirm the situation can benefit from the reparations scheme. As such, they believe it is not fair to compensate those who testify at trial. Victims also hold the view that compensating only victims directly affected by Ongwen or his brigade is likely to cause segregation and division among other LRA abductees. Furthermore, there is an overall loss of morale for victims to participate in the trial process as a result of the conditions imposed by the ICC Trust Fund. They posed questions such as “what justice will I get from the trial?”  Questions like these reflect the inadequacy of information disseminated to the victims, which has resulted in a lack of understanding by the victims of the mechanism itself.

Victims also believe the UPDF should be held accountable for their suffering. In their view, the ICC is working for the Government of Uganda by using government resources as evidence to prosecute Dominic Ongwen. According to the victims, if the Government was able to track Ongwen’s communications with the LRA leader when planning to attack a village, then why didn’t the UPDF respond to protect the civilians or inform civilians of the planned attack? Consequently, victims are dissatisfied and disappointed with Ugandan Government’s submission of evidence to the ICC. Victims also believe the ICC process is selective justice. They questioned why only Dominic Ongwen is being tried and why other commanders who were more culpable were given amnesty

Contrasting interests in the Ongwen trial has resulted in segregation between victims and local communities. While victims wish to see Ongwen punished and held accountable for his actions, local communities either want Ongwen to walk free or to be prosecuted through a local justice mechanism. The increasing tension between victims and local communities calls for reconciliation efforts.

Despite the ICC’s attempt to anonymise witnesses through voice distortion, victims can still be identified by those who have lived with them for a significant period of time. This has caused insecurity in potential witnesses, thereby discouraging participation in the trial process.

Identification and registration of witnesses have also proved to be problematic. Victims believe that legitimate victims are being excluded because local leaders and those in charge of witness identification and registration have abused the system by registering their friends and family to benefit from the trial.

JRP urges the ICC to strengthen its complementarity mechanism to promote co-existence irrespective of the court process. People should be prepared to co-exist regardless of whether Ongwen is found guilty.

In seeking to respond to some of the issues raised, JRP in partnership with ICC Women and in collaboration with the ICC’s Field Outreach Office in Uganda, we will be showing a private screening to victims of SGBV in the districts of Gulu, Amuru, Abok, Pader, and Nwoya. This initiative seeks to provide a more suitable environment for conflict-affected SGBV victims to follow the trial process and to freely express their views. JRP is confident that this initiative will empower victims of sexual violence to participate in the trial process, whilst encouraging them to advocate for justice and accountability for the injustices they suffered.

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Blog

End of search for Joseph Kony is a blow for victims

People attend memorial prayers for the Atiak massacre of 1995 on 19 April 2017. Oryem Nyeko.
People attend memorial prayers for the Atiak massacre of 1995 on 19 April 2017. Oryem Nyeko.

Even though 22 years have passed since the Lord’s Resistance Army rounded up, abducted and massacred hundreds at a trading centre in the Ugandan town of Atiak the community there still comes together every year to commemorate the events of April 1995.

Every year memorial prayers for the massacre take place at a primary school a short distance from where it took place. The prayers bring people from all walks of life, from children who are too young to remember the 20 year war, to elderly people who still bear the memory of loved ones that were lost and never found. A few outsiders also attend to show solidarity.

The purpose of memorial prayers in northern Uganda are often twofold. First, they allow the community to pay respects to the many victims of LRA’s war with the Ugandan government. Second, they bring the community together to draw wider attention to their experiences. In this way, they are used as a tool to make calls to the government and other actors for their justice and reconciliation needs to be addressed.

These kinds of events are significant for a region where hopes are high for redress for years of conflict. But progress here is slow. For instance, a national policy for transitional justice that was meant to provide the means to a reparations programme, truth-telling commissions and traditional justice, among other things, has delayed for years in the Ugandan cabinet with no word on when it will become a reality.

Even though we have seen headway in terms of justice with the ongoing proceedings against alleged LRA commanders Thomas Kwoyelo and Dominic Ongwen there are still gaps. Thomas Kwoyelo’s trial at the High Court of Uganda’s International Crimes Division is fraught with delays while Dominic Ongwen’s trial at the ICC, though progressing, is not entirely reflective of the scope of the atrocities that were committed and the range of perpetrators that existed during the LRA-Government of Uganda war.

So when the news came that Ugandan and United States forces were withdrawing troops from their hunt for the LRA and its leader Joseph Kony the hopes of communities like have Atiak suffered another blow. This move comes despite the fact that Kony is still subject to an indictment by the ICC for war crimes and crimes against humanity.

Already in Uganda notions of international criminal justice exist on shaky ground, with the slow moving transitional justice processes here and the criticisms that institutions like the ICC regularly face. With this withdrawal, however, the likelihood of accountability as well as redress in the form of reparations for victim communities is reduced even further.

The reason that was given for the withdrawal does not help. Ugandan forces are reported to have made the decision to end the pursuit of the LRA because the mission in doing so was “already achieved”. This is problematic because it reinforces the message to victims of the atrocities that are alleged against Kony, as well as their communities, that accountability for the crimes that were committed during the war are not a priority.

Northern Ugandan communities themselves hear and are acutely aware of the meaning of messages like these. Many have come to terms with the fact that they must look towards themselves for redress rather than depend on others. This year, for example, the Atiak memorial prayers were focused on moving towards economic empowerment for the community. During the ceremony a religious leader urged the community to “find ways to work together for a better future.”

But do victims of conflict and their communities in Uganda have to exist in space where they are on their own? To respond to this, the conversation around accountability, justice and reconciliation needs to be shifted to the perspective of the people to whom it matters the most. If, for example, as much money, time and resources that was invested in the hunt for the LRA was instead used to support communities such as Atiak in their pursuit of justice then the impact would have been felt. Accountability for the crimes that were committed cannot be another area of redress for which northern Ugandan communities cannot depend on.

Oryem Nyeko works with the Justice and Reconciliation Project in Gulu, Uganda. He can be found on twitter at @oryembley. This article was originally published on Coalition for the International Criminal Court and is published here with permission.