Gulu commemorates International Peace Day on 21 September 2015.
On the 21st September 2015, Gulu district joined the rest of the world to commemorate the 33rd International Peace Day at Pece stadium, as a sign that violence and conflict can be eradicated. The theme for the celebration was “partnership in peace and, dignity for all.” The event was attended by various stakeholders including officials from the Acholi Religious Leaders’ Peace Initiative (ARLPI), UN Human Rights, Gulu district officials, CAP Uganda and the Justice and Reconciliation Project (JRP).
The celebration started with an opening prayer by Bishop Mark Baker Ochola who prayed for the people of Apaa for the land conflict in their area, and appealed to those in power to exercise their power in a way that promotes peace. This was followed by a march from the district administration offices to Pece stadium accompanied by St Mauritz Primary School’s marching band. Prayers were also held at Gulu’s main roundabout and in front of Mega FM radio station.
Muslim cleric Sheikh Musa Khalil read the Quran and emphasized that people should remember that God created mankind from generation to generation including those who shed blood and that it is important to forgive. Other readings were done by Pastor Orach Julius and Rev Loum Godfrey who read from the Bible. Rt Bishop Onono-Onweng noted that on this day the world needs peace because it there are many injustices including hunger, cruelty and other forms of suffering.
Hon Newton Ojok who represented Gulu district chairperson Ojara Mapenduzi, said that the choice of Pece Stadium as venue for the celebration was deliberate as the stadium was built to commemorate the participation of Acholi in World War II and it is also the place where the first peace negotiations with the LRA took place. Peace, he said, means freedom and living in harmony and without peace, there is no development.
Jimmy Patrick Okema the regional police commander said that the region has witnessed several wars which should never happen again and that it takes both the police and the public to maintain peace. Whereas it is the duty of the police to maintain peace, he said, civilians also have a duty to report any suspicious activity to the police.
Kilama Calvine is a volunteer working with the Justice and Reconciliation Project. He is a holder of a Bachelor of Laws Degree of Gulu University and he lives in Laroo, Gulu District.
On 24 September 2015, a redacted version of a “Notice of intended charges against Dominic Ongwen” by the Office of the Prosecutor (OTP) at the International Criminal Court (ICC) was made public. This notice outlines the charges the OTP intends to bring against alleged Lord’s Resistance Army (LRA) commander Dominic Ongwen and includes several additions to the seven charges of war crimes and crimes against humanity previously brought against him.
Following this development, the Justice and Reconciliation Project (JRP) issues the following statement:
JRP especially welcomes the announcement by the OTP of intended charges related to sexual and gender-based crimes. Accountability for sexual and gender-based violence (SGBV) has often been difficult to secure in criminal proceedings in cases at both the ICC and the International Crimes Division of the High Court of Uganda (ICD). With the support of JRP, the members of the Women’s Advocacy Network (WAN), have advocated since 2011 for justice, acknowledgment and accountability for gender-based violations inflicted upon them during the conflict. These intended charges provide recognition of the work of the WAN as well as an opportunity for renewed discussion on accountability for SGBV during conflict.
JRP also welcomes the clarification of the nature of the charges to be levelled against Dominic Ongwen, particularly in relation to his alleged role in contributing to the implementation of the Lukodi massacre of 2004. Prior to this notice, the nature of the allegation of Dominic Ongwen’s involvement in the Lukodi massacre was subject only to speculation among the affected community in northern Uganda. Clear information about proceedings at the ICC is vital in creating a sense of ownership and involvement towards this case and the Court for northern Ugandans.
JRP sees the extension of the intended charges against Dominic Ongwen to atrocities committed in Pajule, Odek and Abok as an opportunity for more communities to be involved in discussions on accountability. Victims in many places across northern Uganda, such as Odek, have often expressed feelings of dismay at not being involved in transitional justice processes. Incorporating these communities in processes such as these is key in providing acknowledgment of these communities’ conflict-experiences.
Finally, JRP welcomes the focus that these intended charges bring to questions of accountability for atrocities, and in particular towards SGBV crimes, committed by both LRA and government forces during the conflict in northern Uganda. This is an opportunity to draw attention to avenues for and the continued need for redress for victims and survivors of conflict in northern Uganda.
On 28 August 2015, families of the missing, religious and traditional leaders, and civil society marched through Lira to commemorate the International Day of the Disappeared as part of JRP’s The RIght to Know campaign.
On August 28 2015, JRP organized a dialogue with representatives of family of the missing from four sub-regions of West Nile, Teso, Acholi and Lango as part of a campaign to create awareness for missing person in Lira called ‘The Right to Know’. This started with a procession from Lira District Chambers through the streets in Lira and later to Apostolic Centre with the people like religious leaders, traditional leaders, families of the missing and other civil society organizations like African Youth Initiative Network, Justice and Peace Commission, Northern Uganda Media Club, Concerned Parents Association and several media persons to spread the messages of the family of the missing.
A short prayer was made by Pastor Martin Odongo after a representative of the four sub-regions lit a candle. The burning candles were a symbol of light in the life of those who had gone missing.
During remarks given by JRP Head of office JRP Boniface Ojok, there was emphasis on the importance of recognizing the 30th of August as a day in remembrance of those who have disappeared in Uganda. Mr Ojok spoke about the need for the government to incorporate the issue of the missing persons in its policy in order to meet the social, legal and to a greater extent economic challenges facing the missing and their families. This is because, he said, the issue of the missing can be a long term impediment to peace. JRP’s 2014 policy brief, ‘The Right to Know – Policy Recommendations for Addressing The Rights of The Missing and Their Families in Northern Uganda’ reflected this by providing recommendations for acknowledgment of the missing persons, a comprehensive policy in regards to missing persons, and support for ongoing research outside of the scope of the brief.
When representatives of the families of the missing of across northern Uganda spoke at the event, many said that they are living with trauma, stigma, land conflict and lack of family support. Because there has been little acknowledgment of the issue of the missing as being important the families live in pain and isolation with feelings of anxiety for information on the whereabouts of their children.
During the Acting Resident District Commissioner for Lira and District Security Officer, Frank Madulo’s speech, he acknowledged the work of JRP in advocating for the missing and their families by making its calls victim oriented. He further made mentioned that he will ensure that the government acknowledges 30th August being the day for the disappeared persons. to support the families of the missing and to incorporate the issue of the missing persons in Uganda’s forthcoming Transitional Justice (TJ) policy.
Joyce Abalo is a Project Assistant with JRP’s Community Mobilisation department.
‘Memory as a tool for redress, healing and reconciliation’. Voices, August 2015 issue.
2015 marks ten years since the Justice and Reconciliation Project (JRP) began working towards victim-centred transitional justice in northern Uganda. As we celebrate this landmark, I am excited to invite you to contribute to a special issue of JRP’s magazine Voices.
Articles featured in this forthcoming issue will:
Examine the relevance of transitional justice in 2015
Highlight the accomplishment of groups and communities in the past decade, and
Discuss best practices in justice and reconciliation in the context of JRP’s work with conflict-affected communities across northern Uganda over the past ten years.
A wide range of stakeholders in JRP’s work –from community group members to academics to civil society and government practitioners – are asked to share their views on past efforts in and the future of achieving justice and reconciliation in northern Uganda.
If you would like to contribute to this issue or request further information, please contact Oryem Nyeko at onyeko@justiceandreconciliation.com. Please note the deadline of 25 September 2015 for the submission of story ideas.
UPDATE, 28 September 2015: Please note the deadline of 2 October 2015 as a the deadline for article drafts.
Since 2012, Voices has featured over 130 articles on victim-centred views on a range of timely transitional justice issues including amnesty, reparations, truth-telling, SGBV and accountability. Limited copies of the magazine are available for free in print and online. To view past issues visit http://voices.justiceandreconciliation.com.
Submission guidelines for Voices magazine
28 September 2015
Voices is a publication of the Justice and Reconciliation Project (JRP) which provide platforms for victim-centred views on transitional justice. Past issues have dealt with thematic areas such as amnesty, reparations, truth-telling, accountability and sexual- and gender-based violence. Wewelcome the submission of articles from conflict-affected community members, academics, civil society and government representatives on each issues’ given theme.
Writers should keep the following in mind the following as they prepare to contribute to the magazine.
JRP’s working definition of ‘transitional justice’
According to JRP’s working definition, transitional justice (TJ) is a response to widespread human rights abuses for situations of conflict transitioning to situations of peace. It aims to prevent such atrocities from happening again includes processes such as criminal prosecution, reparations, truth-telling and traditional justice.
Article requirements for Voices
Articles may be in the form of opinion, feature, interviews or news pieces, depending on the subject matter and the interests of the writer in identifying the most effective way of presenting their writing.
Articles are between 800-1200 words.
Voices uses UK spelling
Citations are important, but as Voices is not an academic publication please do not use footnotes to cite references.
Voices’ sections
Community Voices presents stories from the perspective of conflict-affected communities and individuals. These may be written by or about community or individual experiences, views, aspirations or challenges. Articles in this category are often classified as ‘Feature’ articles, but may utilise any style of writing.
Opinion articles express the writers’ opinions and critiques on a given issue. Writers are encouraged to be solution oriented and to provide recommendations where possible.
The Research Corner highlights on-going transitional justice research and provides a forum for sharing knowledge, feedback, lessons and upcoming research projects. Articles in this section may be in the form of summarised field notes and reflections, book reviews or proposed ideas for further or ongoing research.
News articles present information about recent developments in transitional justice. Writers should take into consideration the timeliness of the publication of the issue to which the writer intends to submit to.
Submission process
The editorial team at Voices uses a three-stage process for accepting, reviewing and editing submissions:
Submission of story ideas to the editorial team based on the given theme an issue is based on. This may be in the form of a brief (150-200 word) title and abstract, or simply in the form of a proposed title.
Submission of a first draft after a story idea is approved by the editorial team.
Liaising with editors and submission of final draft.
Writers are encouraged to submit high quality photographs and a brief biography (60 words) along with their articles. Please ensure that photographs are separately attached in emails (i.e. not placed in a document, but rather attached as a separate file). Biographies may contain links to email addresses or websites of the writers.
Submissions must be made by email to the editorial team at voices@justiceandreconciliation.com.
Copyright and representations
By submitting content to Voices you represent and warrant that you hold exclusive rights to reproduce,
distribute, adapt, transmit, and publicly display that content and the authority to grant publication rights to JRP and Voices.
Other considerations
In submitting to Voices, please note the following:
Voices is unable to compensate writers for their submissions.
Prior to submission, articles cannot have been published elsewhere.
Voices is not obligated to publish a submission
Voices reserves the right to edit articles in order for them to comply with these guidelines
Articles published by Voices cannot be published by the author anywhere else within three months without the express consent of JRP/Voices.
The monument to memorialise the experiences of the community of Burcoro during atrocities committed in April 1991.
It’s almost ready! The construction of the monument for the Burcoro massacre of 1991 is underway and will be completed by the end of this month.
The memorial is the first of its kind for the community and is being built in the shape of the tree that where a man was chained and shot by an NRA firing squad after being falsely accused of being a rebel, according to witnesses.
In 2013, JRP documented the experiences of the community of Burcoro during the massacre in ‘The Beasts at Burcoro’. Read this field note here.
Dominic Ongwen while charges of war crimes and crimes against humanity are being read during the Initial Appearance hearing on 26 January 2015 (Picture: Philipp Schulz)
In the past few months JRP has been conducting extensive consultations with women connected to Dominic Ongwen’s case at the International Criminal Court. Respondents included former combatants, massacre survivors and women who had a close affinity to him during captivity. The findings of this research will inform a new situational brief, which will be a follow-up to May 2015’s ‘Community Perceptions on Dominic Ongwen‘, and will be published late September.
Families of the Missing perform a song during a dialogue in Lamogi sub-county, Amuru on 26 August 2015.
As northern Uganda transitions amidst post-war recovery and reconciliation efforts, the issue of enforced disappearances and missing victims of mass atrocities during the war stands as a key obstacle in the process of healing, social repair, and advancement of transitional justice in the region. Working in collaboration with families of the missing, JRP has been instrumental in implementing The Right to Know campaign which spearheads efforts at documenting and promoting awareness of the plight of the missing persons and the anguish of their families.
Furthering its commitment to advocate for the marginalized needs of missing persons and their families and seek redress for their issues ahead of the International Day of the Disappeared on August 30, 2015, JRP has partnered with several key civil society organizations to undertake a series of focused activities in the last week of August, 2015. Seeking to embed advocacy at different levels of the society in northern Uganda, these activities open unprecedented spaces for dialogue and collaboration with diverse stakeholders including traditional and religious leaders, civil society organizations, community members, victims groups and local leaders across different sub-regions.
As part of these efforts, a community dialogue was facilitated in Lamogi sub-country, Amuru district, on August 26, 2015, by JRP in partnership with Refugee Law Project (RLP) and Justice and Peace Commission (JPC). The community dialogue brought together 150 community members, constituted primarily by families of missing persons, from across eight parishes in the region. It also witnessed the participation of prominent officials including LC-I, LC-III and members of Peace Committees in Parabongo. A group of professional counsellors offering psychological support services during the community dialogue were also mobilized by RLP. The objective of the dialogue was twofold:
To elicit participation of families of missing persons to assess their current needs for redress and lay strategies to effectively advocate for accountability for the missing persons and raise awareness about their issues;
To sensitize local leaders and sub-county-officials to the challenges faced by families of missing persons so that they are equipped to ably represent and respond to their needs and collaborate in advocacy for redress.
Creating a safe space for expression of repressed emotions and sharing of key issues by families of missing persons, the community dialogue addressed several pertinent questions. These included the families sharing the circumstances under which their loved ones went missing at the peak of the armed conflict and the subsequent effects on them which brought to the fore myriad unaddressed psychological, legal, administrative, social and economic challenges experienced by the families. Discussions around community-led search efforts highlighted their attempts to visit reception centers and use radio talk shows to urge the return of the missing persons. The role of other stakeholders foregrounded documentation efforts by sub-county officials at profiling the missing persons and updating the lists, although they were inadequate and required proactive follow-ups.
Echoing their demands for justice, the families voiced the need for livelihood and economic support for themselves, along with pressing for concerted efforts at documentation of the missing. They also expressed eagerness to form “Community Task Force” groups to raise awareness of their issues and advocate for redress. The need to make visible and prioritize the issues of families of missing persons in the national agenda, which has so far marginalized their concerns, also emerged as a key point as they charted the way forward.
Lamogi sub-county official speaks during a community dialogue with the families of missing persons in Amuru on 26 August 2015.
Underscoring the need to synergize local and national efforts on this issue, the next event is a Sub-Regional Dialogue which will bring together families of the missing, civil society organizations, and religious and traditional leaders from Teso, Lango, Acholi and West Nile on 28 August for a procession demonstrating solidarity with families of missing persons and a multi-stakeholder dialogue in Lira.
Shilpi Shabdita is an intern with the Justice and Reconciliation Project’s Community Mobilisation team. She is pursuing a Masters’ degree in International Peace Studies with a specialization in Grassroots-level Conflict Analysis and Transformation at the Kroc Institute for International Peace Studies, University of Notre Dame, USA.
If you are in the Kitgum area please tune into Mighty Fire 91.5 FM between 6 and 7 pm today (26 August 2015) where JRP’s Grace Acan will be speaking about The Right to Know campaign on missing persons.
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
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
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.
http://www.ntjwg.org/blog.php?view=default – 2015 IJR Transitional Justice Fellow, Dzikamai Bere blogs here in detail about the day-to-day goings-on during the fellowship. Read it!
The Justice and Reconciliation Project now has three job opportunities for a Head of Office, a Documentation Officer and an M&E Assistant. Visit http://justiceandreconciliation.com/about/jobs-internships/ for more information about the positions and how to apply!
Remember: The deadline for all three positions is August 30, 2015!
