Tag Archives: Oryem Nyeko

The AU’s Panel of the Wise reflects on on silencing the guns in Africa

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Two weeks ago, I attended and presented at the third retreat of the African Union’s Panel of the Wise in Addis Ababa. The Panel of the Wise is a body established by the AU’s Peace and Security Council protocol. It is constituted by five “highly respected African personalities who have made outstanding contribution to the cause of peace, security and development on the continent” and their job is to support the Peace and Security Council, the AU’s body responsible for “the maintenance of continental peace and security”, by carrying out mediation, brokering peace agreements and playing an advisory role to the Council.

This year, the Panel held its third annual retreat, which is a meeting that brings peacebuilding, conflict-prevention, mediation and transformation actors from across Africa to discuss and develop “traditional, homegrown approaches” to ensure lasting peace in Africa with each other and the Panel. This year, the meeting was guided by the theme “Silencing the Guns by 2020”.

Even though the theme of the meeting was forward looking, a lot of attention was paid to ongoing conflicts since, for many, these hit close to home. Burundian presenter, Dr. Marie-Louise Baricako, spoke about what is happening in her country and said that where peace is concerned, the signing of peace agreements is simply not enough. “There must be a process of reconstruction after an agreement is signed,” she said.

At the start of the meeting, a moment of silence was proposed for the victims and families of the recent attacks in Paris. In response, it was suggested as well in addition to Paris, we would stand in solidarity with the peoples of Burundi, Nigeria and other places for whom active conflict is raging.

Bishop Dinis Salomao Sengulane of Mozambique wears a cross made from the remains of weapons used during war.
Bishop Dinis Salomao Sengulane of Mozambique wears a cross made from the remains of weapons used during war.

I was asked to speak during a session dedicated to “the role of local actors in conflict prevention, mediation, dialogue and peacebuilding”. I saw my task as simple – to draw attention to the opportunities for the mediation of conflict in the African context that involves and uses lessons learned from witnessing the resilience and strength of the communities and individuals in northern Uganda whose daily lives are affected by war. So, I stressed how important it is to involve affected-communities and individuals in mediation, dialogue and peacebuilding because they often already have the capacity, skills and desire to mediate, dialogue, and prevent conflict. The role of other actors – civil society, government and so on – is to provide the platforms to do this, which is the essence of a bottom-up approach.

Fortunately, this sentiment was shared by most of the presentations made at the retreat – so even though the meeting was simultaneously conducted in four different languages, I didn’t feel like I was speaking a foreign tongue. Many of the presentations spoke about the value and importance of involving people of different sectors – youth, women, and civil society and so on – and how it has been consistently shown how important these are for ensuring lasting and effective resolution of conflict. During her opening remarks at the beginning of the meeting, Panel of the Wise member Dr Speciosa Wandira reflected this when she remarked that this was a “time to redeposit power for the people”.

A highlight during the retreat was a presentation by Bishop Dinis Salomao Sengulane of Mozambique who listed ten key ways by through peace can be maintained. One which struck me was the importance of not leaving peacemaking in the hands of the few. “Violent people,” he said, “are not in the majority.” It is also important, he said, to disarm the minds and hands of people in “creative ways”. This could be done through using symbols of violence – such as bullets or guns – and turning their meaning around so that they represent hope and a positive images. In Mozambique, materials used from surrendered weapons from the civil war have been turned into art pieces, including the “Tree of Life”, a sculpture displayed in the British Museum. Bishop Sengulane himself wears a cross sculpted from the remains of weapons used to perpetrate violence, leaving me with the inspiration to know that peace can really be achieved.

 

JRP looks at 10 years of justice and reconciliation

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Voices, Issue, 10 November 2015
Voices, Issue, 10 November 2015

A decade after the publication of “Roco Wat I Acoli”, JRP’s flagship report on traditional approaches to reintegration and justice, we’ve published a special issue of our magazine Voices to look back on the past ten years and look forward to the future.

The November issue of Voices, which happens to be the tenth issue of the magazine, is tied into JRP’s celebration of the ten years of work it has done with war-affected communities in northern Uganda.

This issue features articles by Vincent Oyet, a member of the Lukodi Massacre Memorial Association, as well as by members of the Mukura Memorial Development Initiative, which JRP has worked closely with over the years. Other highlights include articles by Sylvia Opinia on the contributions of the Women’s Advocacy Network to transitional justice discourse, Philipp Shulz on the importance of victim-centric research, as well as a special interview with co-founder Erin Baines.

To read and download a pdf version this issue click here. Selected articles are also featured on Voices’ website: voices.justiceandreconciliation.com

Creating spaces for memory #TransitionalJusticeFellowship

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The sign from Freedom Park, South Africa.
The sign from Freedom Park, South Africa.

In the past two weeks I have been participating in the Institute for Justice and Reconciliation (IJR)’s Transitional Justice in Africa Fellowship. The programme brings practitioners, scholars and researchers from across Africa to South Africa for three weeks to engage, share and learn from the different transitional justice journeys taking place on the continent. This years’ programme features seven people from Uganda, Burundi, DRC, South Sudan and Zimbabwe.

The first week was memorable because we focused on memory!

The fellowship began with four days in Gauteng with visits to memorial sites such as the Voortrekker monument (built in the late 1930s to remember the first Afrikaaners that traveled inwards from the southern coast of Africa during what is known as ‘The Great Trek’). The Voortrekker monument is a large mausoleum-like stone structure that broods over the city of Pretoria and, interestingly, another memorialisation site known as Freedom Park. More about that later.

On the inside walls of the monument is a 360 degree marble mural sculpture depicting the experiences of the Voorktrekkers as they made their travels. In the center of one wall is the depiction of Voortrekker leader Piet Retief being betrayed and murdered by Zulu leader, Dingane, after signing a peace agreement. The events are theatrically portrayed and speak to the monument’s martyrdom and sacrifice narrative. 90 degrees right to this Dingane’s death at the hands of ‘the Swazis’ is also displayed in cool white marble.

Juxtaposed with the Voortrekker monument and only a short drive away is Freedom Park. Freedom Park was commissioned by the South African government in 2000 and is characterised by two main areas – the first we visited, the Garden of Remembrance, is a sprawling 2.5 hectare composition of indoor and outdoor spaces that we were told are meant to foster contemplative thought and meditation. The second area is a museum dedicated to the history of Africa, called //hapo (‘dream’ in the Khoi language), from 3.6 million years ago. The total space of Freedom Park is 52 hectares!

“This must be a contested space where we can dialogue about where we are going.” –Freedom Park tour guide Bhadresh Kadra
“This must be a contested space where we can dialogue about where we are going.” –Freedom Park tour guide Bhadresh Kadra

In the Garden of Remembrance, indigenous African spiritualities are carefully incorporated to craft elaborate spaces where symbolism meets memorialisation. While inclusivity is a big deal at the Garden of Remembrance – the names of the areas are in different South African languages – the space is not without controversy. The ‘Wall of Names’ (an almost 700 metre wall of inscribed names of people that played a role in South Africa’s various conflicts) has apparently been met with criticism. The complex rules surrounding whose name goes on the wall means that Nelson Mandela’s name has not been approved just yet.

My favorite part of the fellowship so far has been a visit to the Hector Pieterson Memorial in Soweto. An actual museum is surrounded by a beautiful and simple public open area dedicated to remembering the 13 year old and other students killed during the student uprising against apartheid in the late 1970s. A  quote by the mother of the young man that carried Hector Pieterson after he had been shot is inscribed into a stone bench.

“Mbuyisa is or was my son. But he is not a hero. In my culture, picking up Hector is not an act of heroism. It was his job as a brother. If he left him on the ground and somebody saw him jumping over Hector. He would never be able to live here.” – Ma’Makhubu, Mbuyisa’s Mother
“Mbuyisa is or was my son. But he is not a hero. In my culture, picking up Hector is not an act of heroism. It was his job as a brother. If he left him on the ground and somebody saw him jumping over Hector. He would never be able to live here.” – Ma’Makhubu, Mbuyisa’s Mother

What is most powerful about the Hector Pieterson Memorial is that is placed in such a way and in an area that is very accessible to ordinary people. When visiting you are able to see schoolchildren, whose lives have been undoubtedly impacted by the sacrifices the students who are remembered here, walk by in their school uniforms as they make their way home. As I witnessed this it struck me that there is a void of public spaces for reflection and commemoration of Uganda’s conflict history. Spaces that are dedicated to memorialisation are usually made on the initiative of survivors and relatives of mass atrocities. Actual public spaces, such as the Independence Monument in Kampala, are simply closed off to the public. Similarly, in Burcoro political leaders prevent communities from memorialising their experiences while in Barlonyo and Atiak, data about those that were killed during their respective massacres is distorted by public officials.

The result is that discussions about Uganda’s conflict history are often remote and inaccessible to people that did not directly experience it. One wonders how future generations will access information about what happened in the past and thereby prevent it from happening again. A lesson I have learned during this process is that a public area, in say, central Kampala or Gulu, that acknowledges the experiences of Ugandans and provides for open discussion and contemplation, whether contested or not, would be a step forward in Uganda’s transitional journey.

Follow me on twitter for more updates @oryembley!

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What justice means for the communities tied to Dominic Ongwen’s case

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The memorial site for the Lukodi massacre of 2004. JRP.
The memorial site for the Lukodi massacre of 2004. JRP.

In early March this year, the JRP team visited the villages of Lukodi and Coorom to find out what community members there think about former LRA commander Dominic Ongwen and his case at the International Criminal Court. Because people in Lukodi have been wrangling with the after-effects of an LRA massacre that killed between 40 and 60, people there call out openly for solutions to the challenges they face. In addition to being victims of the attack, many there lost property, family and numerous opportunities to improve their lives. For Lukodi, justice means compensation and government accountability.

People in Coorom in Amuru district were more wary about speaking with strangers. Coorom is the village from which Dominic Ongwen hails and because its most famous son is someone that was indicted by the ICC for seven counts of war crimes and crimes against humanity, people there are afraid that their association with Ongwen may lead to revenge attacks by other communities or government forces. Justice for Coorom means protection, a fair hearing for Ongwen and support for the many children that have been orphaned by the war.

Before visiting these communities we were aware of the conflicting views that people in northern Uganda, and in particular in Acholi, have towards Ongwen. Acholi religious leaders argue that Ongwen’s status as someone that was abducted as a child and ostensibly forced to commit the crimes he is accused of make him a victim of the war rather than a perpetrator. The other view that is held is that holding Ongwen accountable is an important step in addressing impunity for international crimes. These two sets of views were also reflected in the communities we spoke with. Survivors of the Lukodi massacre want Ongwen to be tried and convicted so that they can receive compensation for their losses, regardless of how young he was when he was abducted. People in Coorom, on the other hand, were adamant that Ongwen should not be the person tried at the ICC. Instead, government forces and the commanders that abducted him should be held accountable for what happened during the LRA conflict.

Despite these differences, the two communities shared a similarity in one key area: the importance of traditional justice and reconciliation. People in both communities don’t see a possible trial of Ongwen as an end to addressing the war. Rather, Acholi traditional ceremonies that emphasise reconciliation, such as mato oput and gomo tong, were spoken of as lasting solutions and as just as important as formal court processes. Both communities also spoke of the need to reconcile with other communities, with Lukodi proposing a dialogue between community leaders there and with elders from Coorom, to sort out any differences that may arise from the ICC case. Similarly, in Coorom people call for reconciliation between their community and other places that suffered during the war. Ultimately, for both these communities justice means more than the ICC.

Read JRP’s situational brief ‘Community Perceptions on Dominic Ongwen’ here.

Victoria Nyanjura, a powerful woman

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Victoria Nyanjura featured in the May 2015 edition of Marie Claire Spain.

Victoria has been at JRP since August 2013, when she began volunteering with JRP’s Gender Justice department. Her mobilisation skills, hard work and dedication eventually led to her becoming a full time staff with JRP. As a formerly-abducted person herself she says that she is specially placed to do the work JRP does.

“There is a way that I’m strong and can understand the women,” she says, “They really feel comfortable interacting with me.”

Currently, Victoria is key in implementing JRP’s livelihood project funded by Uganda Fund through planning, ensuring activities are effected and providing support for the women’s groups. As a member of the Women’s Advocacy Network, Victoria is also involved in creating awareness for the network and engaging potential partners. She has attended numerous national and international conferences where she has presented on the needs and challenges of war-affected women and their children. In the past, she has also been responsible for coordinating Gender Justice activities, facilitating community mediation and outreach and report-writing.

“What do I enjoy about working at JRP? Working with the women. The interface. All along I had wanted to work with women and children, and now I’ve achieved what I wanted.”

Victoria graduated with a Bachelors degree in Development Studies at Kyambogo University in Kampala, where she learned about conflict-resolution and ethics, community initiatives and gender studies, all of which, she says, has contributed enormously to her work at JRP.

“I want to be a great woman,,” she admits, “I would love for the experiences I went through to open doors for somebody who cannot speak for themselves. I want to use my experience to improve the lives of many people by talking to them and giving them courage. They’ll say, ‘Victoria was this and now she is able to be this. What about me?’ They can learn from that.”

TJ Monitor: Next Ongwen hearing at the ICC may be held in January

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TJ Monitor

 

Lukodi village, the site of a 2004 massacre by the LRA for which Dominic Ongwen is accused of leading.
Lukodi village, the site of a 2004 massacre by the LRA for which Dominic Ongwen is accused of leading.

Last month, we blogged about former Lord’s Resistance Army (LRA) Commander Dominic Ongwen’s first appearance at the International Criminal Court (ICC) for war crimes and crimes against humanity. As part of our TJ Monitor, we will be giving updates on the case and other related proceedings.

Non-redacted warrant of arrest reveals Ongwen was charged with leading Lukodi massacre

On 28 January, the ICC reclassified its warrant of arrest for Dominic Ongwen its public. Previously, the warrant indicated that Ongwen was charged with seven counts of war crimes and crimes against humanity under the Rome Statute for leading a massacre in 2004 on an unnamed internally displaced persons (IDP) camp in northern Uganda. Following Ongwen’s surrender and transfer to The Hague, the redactions on the warrant were removed, revealing that the attack Ongwen is alleged to have led was on an IDP camp in Lukodi, a village 17 kilometres from Gulu town, on 19 May 2004.

In 2011, the Justice and Reconciliation Project documented the experiences of survivors of what has come to be known as the Lukodi massacre. According to witnesses to the massacre, including formerly abducted persons with insight into the workings of the rebel group, the LRA attacked the camp as an act of revenge on Lukodi’s residents because they believed they were collaborating with the government in its fight against the rebels. Respondents also said that the massacre was led by an LRA commander called “Tulu”.

Following the massacre, hasty burials were carried out in shallow graves for the approximately 60 people that died. Exhumations of the bodies were also reported to have been conducted by government officials, apparently as a response to ongoing investigations related to Uganda’s referral of the LRA situation to the ICC in 2003.

Ongwen’s case separated from other LRA top commanders

On 6 February, Single Judge Ekatarena Trendafilova, who is presiding over the Pre-Trial Chamber, severed Ongwen’s case from the charges levelled against the other top LRA commanders indicted by the ICC, Joseph Kony, Vincent Otti and Okot Odhiambo, who are still “at large”. This means that Ongwen’s case will go ahead independently of the other commanders’.

This decision was rendered on the basis that pursuing the charges against all four would “bring about serious prejudice to Mr. Ongwen as it has the potential of prolonging the pre-trial proceedings against him”. In addition, the Judge ordered that the case be assigned a new case number, and all documents and decisions rendered in relation to it be assigned to its new case record.

Prosecution applies for the postponement of confirmation of charges

Last Thursday, the Office of the Prosecutor applied to the Pre-Trial Chamber for Dominic Ongwen’s confirmation of charges hearing to be rescheduled to 31 January 2016 for several reasons, including the need to provide time for the prosecution to renew contact with its witnesses and assess their “security situation”. The provisional date for the confirmation of charges hearing was originally set for 24 August 2015 during Ongwen’s initial appearance hearing in January.

The confirmation of charges hearing

This hearing will be held by the Pre-Trial Chamber to confirm the charges on which the Prosecutor intends to seek trial. At the hearing, the Prosecutor presents evidence to support each charge leveled against the accused in order to establish “substantial grounds to believe” that he or she committed the crimes charged. The accused may in response object to the charges, challenge the evidence presented by the Prosecutor and present evidence. The Pre-Trial Chamber will then confirm the charges in relation to which it has determined that there is sufficient evidence and commit the accused to the Trial Chamber for trial.
Currently, Dominic Ongwen’s confirmation of charges hearing is set for 24 August 2015.

In terms of Article 67 (2) of the Rome Statute, the Prosecutor is obliged to disclose evidence to the defence which may she believes will show Dominic Ongwen’s, as the accused, innocence, mitigate his guilt or affect the credibility of the prosecution evidence during the trial. In order to do this, the prosecution argued that there was a need to review up to 94,000 pages of its existing evidence given the years of dormancy the case has had. Additionally, the prosecution says it will have to renew contact with its 32 existing witnesses regarding their statements and assess their security, which it suggested would take till at least 7 April 2015. Following this, 140 additional witnesses would also possibly be interviewed, depending on whether their statements are assessed to be disclosable in terms of Article 67.

Other reasons cited for additional time to by the prosecution, was because they would need to apply for redactions of prosecution evidence, witness assessments and other items related to the case by at least 8 May. They would also need to conduct re-investigations and, possibly, additional investigations into the case, as well as transcribe, translate and analyse up text and audio interviews, some of which could take from four to five months. The prosecution also suggested considering adding new charges against Ongwen was also a factor which would require extra time beyond August.

Following this application, the Single Judge will render a decision after considering the request and ascertaining the views of the defense.

 

Dominic Ongwen Case Timeline

26 January 2015 Dominic Ongwen’s initial appearance hearing at held at the ICC
29 January ICC warrant of arrest for Dominic Ongwen re-classified as public.
12 February The Office of the Prosecutor submits an application for the postponement of Dominic Ongwen’s confirmation of charges hearing from 24 August 2015 to 31 January 2015.
7 April The date by which the prosecution suggests the security assessment of its witnesses would be complete
8 May The date by which the prosecution expects to complete its applications for redactions for items in its possession relating to its 32 witnesses.
24 August Provisional date set for the confirmation of charges hearing
31 January 2016 Proposed date for the confirmation of charges hearing

Bearing Witness post-participation event held in Atiak

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Limo Can Tek (of Pupwonya parish) performs a song and drama piece entitled "Kony Dwogo Lutino Gang" ("Kony return our children home"). This scene depicts an abducted person being forced to carry luggage after a rebel attack.
Limo Can Tek (of Pupwonya parish) performs a song and drama piece entitled “Kony Dwogo Lutino Gang” (“Kony return our children home”). This scene depicts an abducted person being forced to carry luggage after a rebel attack.

 

On 16 October 2014, Atiak sub-county headquarters hosted the post-participation event for the ‘Bearing Witness – Dealing with the past to create a better future’ project with the support of USAID SAFE. Through song, dance, poetry and theatre the six victims and survivors groups the Justice and Reconciliation Project worked with in 2014 showcased the post-conflict transition challenges and recommendations for the reconstruction of conflict affected communities that arose during the ten months the memory and truth-telling project was implemented.

See pictures from the event on our Facebook page here.

https://www.facebook.com/media/set/?set=a.889011661111714.1073741833.120108758002012&type=1

Song, dance and theatre to highlight the transition challenges in Atiak

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Members of Limo Can Tek victims' group in Pupwonya parish, Atiak rehearse for the Bearing Witness post-participation event on 16 October 2014. The event will be held at Atiak sub-county headquarters and will feature song, dance and theatre to highlight post-conflict transition challenges and solutions identified during the project.
Members of Limo-can Tek victims’ group in Pupwonya parish, Atiak rehearse for the Bearing Witness post-participation event on 16 October 2014. The event will be held at Atiak sub-county headquarters and will feature song, dance and theatre to highlight post-conflict transition challenges and solutions identified during the project.

Join the community of Atiak on 16 October 2014 at Atiak sub-county head-quarters when it hosts an event to showcase post-conflict transition challenges and discuss recommendations for the reconstruction of conflict affected communities brought forward during the Justice and Reconciliation Project’s memory and truth-telling project, Bearing Witness.

Since the beginning of 2014, supported by USAID-SAFE, JRP has worked with the community in Atiak, Amuru District to pilot an informal storytelling and truth-telling process called Bearing Witness – Dealing with the past to create a better future. During the project, community members have shared their experiences and perceptions during and after conflict through informal story-telling circles and truth-telling dialogues. Bearing Witness marks the first time a community-based truth-telling process, which directly involves different sectors of the community, has been implemented in the region.

To conclude this process, this event will bring together six of the victims’ groups that participated in Bearing Witness, community members as well as key invited stakeholders to interact and share conflict experiences through the use of creative arts. The event will help advocate for victim’s demands for justice, allow for a mutual understanding of common challenges and provide the means to chart a way forward. It will also feature performances of songs, dance, poetry and theatre performances prepared by the participants in the project that depict their conflict memories.

See the programme below:

11:00 am

Participant’s arrival

11:00 – 12:00pm

Spiritual worship – Rt. Rev. Bishop Macleord Baker Ochola II

Welcome remarks – Area LCI

Presentation (song) by Atiak Massacre Survivors Association (AMSA)

Welcome remarks – Chairman LCIII

Opening remarks – Program coordinator JRP

Remarks by Board Chairman – JRP

Opening remarks by USAID SAFE team

12:00 – 1:00 pm

Presentation by Limo-can Tek (song) entitled ‘Kony dwog Lutino gang”

Presentation by Waroco Paco (Ajere dance)

Remarks by sub-county Chief – Atiak sub county

1:00 – 2:00 pm

Presentation by Lagada Yil (song) entitled “Ting ter”

Remarks by Area Councillor V

Presentation by Lacan Penino (song)

Presentation of an account of “Bearing witness” project – Community Mobilisation Team Leader, JRP

Presentation of emerged justice and reconciliation needs and recommendations – Chairman Truth Telling and Reconciliation Committee, Rt. Rev. Bishop Macleord Baker Ochola II

2: 00 – 3:00pm

Presentation by Rubanga tek (drama) entitled “Alany pa mony”

Presentation by Atiak Massacre Survivors Association (AMSA) (Poem) entitled “Lweny labalpiny”

Open discussion – how to deal with legacy of conflict in northern Uganda, how to achieve reconciliation and national unity

“What is our role in post conflict reconstruction” – Moses Odokonyero, Northern Uganda Media Club (NUMEC)

Presentation by Waroco paco (song)

3: 00 – 4:00 pm

Presentation by Limo-can tek (Drama) entitled “Pyem miny neko paco”

Presentation by Lacan pe nino (Funeral dance)

Remarks by USAID Mission

Remarks by Area MPs

4:00 – 4:30pm

Closing remarks by Guest of honour

Presentation of Otole dance by Lagada yil

MC- Obalo James –Radio Mega

For more information contact Isaac Okwir Odiya: Team Leader Community Mobilisation on Tel: +256 (0) 471433008 /+256 (0) 782509839 or E-mail: iokwir@justiceandreconciliation.com.

 

JRP documents the conflict experiences of Joseph Kony’s birthplace – Odek

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Watch out for JRP’s upcoming report on the experiences of the community of Odek, the birthplace of LRA leader Joseph Kony. ‘The Forgotten Victims’ chronicles the collective memories of violence, massacres, torture, abduction and displacement as told by community members, many of whom feel that their story has been mis-told by outsiders and obscured by the shadow of Kony.

By telling their story in this report, the community is eager to change its image which has been consistently marred as being the home of perpetrators of conflict. They also hope to actively involve themselves in transitional justice processes which they feel they have been previously side-lined from.

The Forgotten Victims, JRP’s 21st Field Note will be out November 2014.

Read more JRP documentation here.

Bearing Witness – dealing with the past to create a better future

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A dialogue is conducted in Atiak sub-county as part of the Bearing Witness project.
A dialogue is conducted in Atiak sub-county as part of the Bearing Witness project.

This year is a significant one for victims and survivors of the LRA/NRA conflict in northern Uganda. It marks the first time a community-based truth-telling process, which directly involves different sectors of the community, has been implemented in the region. Through Bearing Witness: Dealing With The Past To Create A Better Future, the Justice and Reconciliation Project, with support from USAID SAFE, works with communities in Atiak sub-county in Amuru District to foster social cohesion and reconciliation through a project that involves storytelling and truth-telling dialogues.

Atiak was chosen to be the subject of this ground-breaking truth-telling pilot because of the remnants of an infamous LRA massacre in 1995 and the two-decade long conflict in the region that the sub-county faces (Read JRP’s Field Note on the Atiak Massacre here). While active conflict has ceased, the wounds of the massacre and the experiences are far from healed. Since the end of the war, the community has been characterised by ongoing trauma, the stigmatisation of formerly abducted children, identity challenges for children born in captivity, and the issues arising from the reintegration of former combatants. Like most other conflict-affected communities, Atiak also seeks reparations as well as answers about the fate of those that went missing during the war. The question is how national transitional justice processes can be translated into community-centred approaches that are both relevant to the victims and survivors of the conflict and which address the challenges that they face.

Through Bearing Witness, we aim to promote the preservation of conflict memories, healing and reconciliation by creating forums through which communities can share and document their experiences through story-telling and facilitating informal truth-telling processes and dialogues. Because of these sessions, key issues which require interventions to ensure reconciliation and peace in both the community and region have been identified. Victims of conflict and alleged perpetrators have also been able to speak out about their experiences side-by-side.

At the end of this year, a ten member locally elected Truth-Telling and Reconciliation Committee will provide recommendations to local peace structures, local leaders and the community to respond the issues that emerged during the truth-telling dialogues. A joint community theatre carnival event will also be held in Atiak on the 16th of October 2014. This will involve drama, music, dance, poem performances by the participants in the storytelling circles to kick-start the process of addressing injustices and rebuilding relationships between victims and perpetrators, as well as inspire the audience with visions for the future.

Stay tuned to the JRP blog for more updates from Bearing Witness.