Tag Archives: Partners

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.

New IJR report on ICC and community-level reconciliation

07 Sep 2011BlogICC, Partners, Report, traditional justiceLindsay McClain Opiyo

Today our partners at the Institute for Justice and Reconciliation (IJR) in South Africa released a report on a regional consultation on the International Criminal Court (ICC) and community-level reconciliation that JRP participated in earlier this year.

The report, titled “The ICC and Community-Level Reconciliation: In-Country Perspectives,” outlines discussions from the regional consultation held in Johannesburg, South Africa, from 21 to 22 February 2011. Twenty-three participants from IJR’s partner organisations (including JRP) from seven African countries namely Burundi, the Democratic Republic of the Congo (DRC), Kenya, Rwanda, Sudan, Uganda and Zimbabwe participated in the consultation. Participants were drawn from the International Criminal Court, governments, international non-governmental organisations, civil society organisations, multilateral agencies and academia. The objective of the consultation was to engage practitioners in the field of transitional justice in assessing how the interventions of the International Criminal Court (ICC) are impacting upon community-level reconciliation in what the Rome Statute refers to as situation countries.

To read the report,click here. JRP’s Lino Owor Ogora’s presentation is highlighted on page 15 (Section 8.1).

According to Ogora, “It is necessary to systematically document the essence and procedures of traditional justice mechanisms which can serve as a component of the wider transitional justice architecture adopted by countries.”

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.

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.

One-Day Civil Society Dialogue with JLOS on TJ in Uganda, Meeting Summary

30 May 2011Statements & Briefsaccountability, Briefs, ICD, JLOS, Partners, reparations, TJ PolicyJRP

On Friday, May 20, 2011, the International Center for Transitional Justice (ICTJ), the Justice and Reconciliation Project (JRP), and the Uganda Victims Foundation (UVF), organized a one-day dialogue between representatives of the Justice, Law and Order Sector (JLOS) and civil society from northern Uganda. The event was held in Lira Town and was attended by 42 representatives, including His Worship Tadeo Asiimwe—Registrar of the War Crimes Division—and Ms. Rachel Odoi-Musoke—of the JLOS Secretariat.

The dialogue provided an opportunity for the two JLOS representatives to share updates and developments on TJ in Uganda, and more specifically the work of the JLOS Transitional Justice Working Group and the War Crimes Division (WCD), soon to be renamed the International Crimes Division (ICD). It also provided space for the various civil society representatives to ask questions and share comments on the processes involved and how these could impact their communities.

This event coincided with national community consultations by JLOS to gain perspectives on truth-seeking, traditional justice and reparations, and followed a consultative meeting organized by ICTJ and JRP on April 21^st in Gulu with civil society on an outreach strategy for the WCD.

To download the full meeting summary, click here.

JLOS/CSO Dialogue in Lira, 20 May 2011

21 May 2011Photosaccountability, ICD, JLOS, Media, Partners, TJ PolicyJRP

[AFG_gallery id=’28’]

Outreach Consultative Meeting with Civil Society for the First War Crimes Cases before the War Crimes Division, Meeting Summary

30 Apr 2011Statements & Briefsaccountability, Briefs, ICD, JLOS, Partners, reparations, TJ PolicyJRP

On April 21, JRP and ICTJ held a one-day consultative meeting organized by the International Center for Transitional Justice (ICTJ) and the Justice and Reconciliation Project (JRP) on outreach for the first war crimes cases before Uganda’s War Crimes Division (WCD).

The objectives of the meeting were to:

Assess civil society’s expectations and realistic understanding for potential outcomes of the work of the WCD;
Increase civil society’s engagement in all stages of legal proceedings before the WCD;
Provide input for the draft outreach strategy and briefing information on TJ by JLOS.

To access the full summary, click here.

CSO WCD Outreach Consultation, 21 April 2011

22 Apr 2011Photosaccountability, ICD, JLOS, Media, Partners, TJ PolicyJRP

[AFG_gallery id=’27’]

The objectives of the meeting were to:

Assess civil society’s expectations and realistic understanding for potential outcomes of the work of the WCD;
Increase civil society’s engagement in all stages of legal proceedings before the WCD;
Provide input for the draft outreach strategy and briefing information on TJ by JLOS.