All posts by JRP

Missing Stories: Truth-seeking Processes in Northern Uganda, Policy Brief No. 3

13 Sep 2011Statements & BriefsAcholi, Brief, Lango Teso, Lino Ogora, policy brief, Roza Freriks, TJ Policy, truth, truth-seeking, West NileJRP

By Roza Freriks and Lino Owor Ogora

JRP-IJR Policy Brief No. 3

This policy brief explores the continued relevance of truth‐seeking as an instrument of transitional justice and peace building in Northern Uganda. Over two years after the dissolution of the Juba Peace Talks in November 2008, several questions remain unanswered regarding how truth‐seeking might promote accountability and reconciliation in Northern Uganda.

From November 2010 to February 2011, the Justice and Reconciliation Project (JRP), in collaboration with the Institute for Justice and Reconciliation (IJR), organized a series of consultations with victims of conflict in Northern Uganda, entitled ‘Enhancing Grassroots Involvement in Transitional Justice Debates.’ The consultations, held in the Acholi/Lango, Teso, and West Nile sub‐regions, focused on truth‐telling, traditional justice, reparations and gender justice within the context of Uganda’s transitional justice processes.

This policy brief captures victims’ views on truth‐seeking in Northern Uganda. During the consultations it became evident that victims across Northern Uganda want to understand what exactly took place during the conflict and why. They insist that only after learning the truth will they be able to forgive and reconcile with the perpetrators. This policy brief is intended to inform relevant stakeholders of the need for a truth‐telling process in Uganda, the challenges such a process presents, and propose a way forward for the Ugandan truth‐telling process.

To download the full brief, click here.

Pay Us so We Can Forget: Reparations for Victims and Affected Communities in Northern Uganda, Policy Brief No. 2

13 Sep 2011Statements & BriefsAcholi, Allan Ngari, Brief, IJR, JLOS, Lango, Lindsay McClain, Partners, policy brief, reparations, Teso, TJ Policy, West NileJRP

By Lindsay McClain and Allan Ngari

JRP-IJR Policy Brief No. 2

After more than two decades of conflict, victims, the Government and civil society in Uganda are grappling with how to implement effective transitional justice (TJ) mechanisms in the country. Informed by widespread consultations with victims across the greater northern region of Uganda, this policy brief focuses specifically on the right to reparations and aims to highlight the most pressing reparations needs identified by victims. The briefing concludes with specific recommendations to concerned parties, namely the imperative need for a national framework to guide reparations processes in Uganda.

From November 2010 to February 2011, the Justice and Reconciliation Project (JRP), in collaboration with the Institute for Justice and Reconciliation (IJR), organized a series of consultations with victims of the conflict in Northern Uganda, entitled ‘Enhancing Grassroots Involvement in Transitional Justice Debates.’ The consultations, held in the Acholi/Lango, Teso and West Nile sub‐regions, focused on truth‐telling, traditional justice, reparations and gender justice within the context of Uganda’s transitional justice processes.

The purpose of this briefing is to share the consultations’ findings on reparations and inform stakeholders on specific policy and programming needs which will best assist victims and their families. By highlighting the issues identified by victims and making specific recommendations to concerned parties, unique insight is provided into the right to reparations and the specific reparations mechanisms needed to support efforts for sustainable peace and reconciliation in Northern Uganda.

The title of this policy brief is derived from an emotional response of a participant at the West Nile regional consultation (held 24-25 November 2010) when discussing the topic of reparations. Although compensation forms one part of the reparations process, this phraseology reflects the state of mind of many victims and affected communities in Northern Uganda. They view compensation as a key component of justice.

To download the full brief, click here.

Traditional Justice and War Crimes in Northern Uganda, Policy Brief No. 1

13 Sep 2011Statements & BriefsAcholi, Brief, IJR, JLOS, Lango, Lino Ogora, Partners, policy brief, Teso, Tim Murithi, TJ Policy, traditional justice, West NileJRP

By Lino Owor Ogora and Tim Murithi

JRP-IJR Policy Brief No. 1

This policy brief assesses the continuing relevance of traditional justice in Northern Uganda. Over two years after the dissolution of the Juba peace negotiations in November 2008, several questions continue to remain unanswered regarding how traditional justice mechanisms can be utilized to promote accountability and reconciliation. More specifically, questions persist as to whether traditional justice can be utilized to address war crimes and crimes against humanity. There is still uncertainty in the field as to how traditional approaches can complement the wider national and international processes of transitional justice.

Between November 2010 and February 2011, the Justice and Reconciliation Project (JRP), in collaboration with the Institute for Justice and Reconciliation (IJR), organized a series of consultations with victims of conflict in Northern Uganda, entitled ‘Enhancing Grassroots Involvement in Transitional Justice Debates.’ The consultations, held in the Acholi/Lango, Teso and West Nile sub‐regions, focused on truth‐telling, traditional justice, reparations and gender justice within the context of Uganda’ s transitional justice processes. Based on views from grassroots communities, this policy brief notes that traditional mechanisms are still considered by many in Northern Uganda as mechanisms that can promote reconciliation and healing within war‐affected communities. It concludes with a series of recommendations to the Government of Uganda, cultural institutions and the International Criminal Court.

To download the full brief, click here.

Introducing the JRP Community Voices Newsletter

13 Sep 2011Blogabduction, Acholi, Community Mobilization, Community Voices, gender, Lukodi, Newsletter, parents of the missing, West NileJRP

Norah's Son Nevil Washibra — Have you seen this boy? Nevil has been missing since September 2002.

This month, JRP is pleased to introduce a new quarterly newsletter, Community Voices. The newsletter aims to provide a series of brief and simple narratives from victims of conflict in northern Uganda and is compiled by our Community Mobilization department.

This first edition focuses on West Nile and profiles two women who were affected by ambushes on the highway en route to Arua. On September 19, 2002, the LRA attacked a Nile Coach bus travelling northwest from Karuma. Norah’s son, Nevil Washibra, was abducted by the LRA and has not been heard from since. Jane survived death during the same incident and now lives with a scar of bullet fragments, an amputated arm and loss of sight in her left eye. Norah and Jane’s stories are told in their own words. In addition to profiling Jane and Norah, this edition highlights community theatre in the Lukodi community in Gulu district.

We invite victims and survivors to send in their individual or group stories for publication in future editions of the newsletter. For more information, please email info@justiceandreconciliation with “Community Voices” in the subject line.

To view the first edition of Community Voices, please click here.

JRP Email Temporarily Unavailable

23 Aug 2011BlogJRP

This is to inform you that the JRP email accounts (i.e. info@justiceandreconciliation.com) are temporarily unavailable for maintenance. We expect them to be up and running again in the next 48 hours — by 11am EAT on Thursday, August 25, 2011. In the meantime, you can reach us by phone at +256 (0) 471 433 008 from 8am-5:30pm.

We apologize for any inconvenience this may cause.

Sincerely,
JRP Team

ICC Drama for International Justice Day, Gulu, Uganda

10 Aug 2011Videoaccountability, Community Mobilization, drama, ICC, Partners, video, youthJRP

[yframe url=’http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Vzv4OwKxTyY’]

On July 17, JRP participated in Uganda’s celebrations for International Justice Day in Gulu, in collaboration with Advocats Sans Frontieres, the International Criminal Court, and the Uganda Coalition for the International Criminal Court. JRP’s Lino Owor Ogora made remarks on behalf of JRP. This video contains footage of an ICC outreach drama performed by area secondary school students.

Reparations ‘Te-Yat,’ Mega FM, 23 July 2011

27 Jul 2011In the NewsCommunity Mobilization, in the news, Media, newsroom, radio, reparationsJRP

Reparations ‘Te-Yat,’ Mega FM, 23 July 2011

Transcript is not available at this time.

GSSAP Lectures, July 2011

21 Jul 2011Photosaccountability, Partners, reconciliationJRP

[AFG_gallery id=’32’]

From July 13-July 20, JRP staff guest lectured to students from the University of Tennessee as part of the Gulu Study and Service Abroad Program, or GSSAP. The students were completing a short course on peacebuilding and conflict resolution in northern Uganda. JRP team leaders spoke about gender justice, community mobilization, traditional justice, transitional justice and reintegration.

“Give LRA victims justice, says ex-bishop,” Daily Monitor, 20 July 2011

20 Jul 2011In the NewsAcholi, in the news, Media, newsroom, Partners, reparations, Sam LawinoJRP

Give LRA victims justice, says ex-bishop,” Daily Monitor, 20 July 2011

http://www.monitor.co.ug/News/National/-/688334/1204356/-/bl4ltxz/-/index.html

By Sam Lawino

Gulu

The government and Judiciary should deliver true justice to survivors of war in northern Uganda, civic and religious leaders have said. Addressing a rally during the International Day of Justice celebration in Gulu Town on Sunday, the retired Bishop of Kitgum Anglican Diocese, Macleod Baker Ochola, said the day should remind the government and its partners that they have failed to dispense justice to the victims of the 23-year-old Lords Resistance Army (LRA) rebellion.

Government blamed
He said: “Uganda has failed to support victims and survivors of the LRA and government mayhems in Acholi yet it also deliberately refused to accept responsibilities for the crimes they may have committed.”

Bishop Ochola said: “Everyone in Uganda and the rebels must be brought to book for atrocities they may have committed against unarmed civilians during the war. It is one way through which we can attain peace and justice,” Bishop Ochola said. He criticised the government for not coming up with a clear policy on compensation of the families of those killed, and the survivors.

A programme officer with Justice and Reconciliation Project in Northern Uganda, Mr Lino Owor Ogora, said: “Justice and accountability or the quest to end impunity should not be limited to criminal prosecution.” He said there should be other solutions like reconciliation.

A programme officer for Advocate Sans Frontiere, an association of lawyers supporting the fight against impunity, Mr Vincent Babaranda, said victims of the LRA atrocities should be granted access to the ongoing trial of former rebel commander Thomas Kwoyelo in the International Crime Division of the High Court to enable them know what is being done to address injustices perpetrated against them. Kwoyelo is facing 53 counts of murder, destruction of properties and abductions, accusations he denied.