http://www.ugandacan.org/ Uganda-CAN is an international campaign working to help end the war in northern Uganda. en-us Nucleus CMS v3.24 © Weblog http://backend.userland.com/rss http://www.ugandacan.org//nucleus/nucleus2.gif http://www.ugandacan.org/ http://www.ugandacan.org/item/2809 uniting this week in a message of support for ongoing efforts to salvage northern Uganda's peace process, Resolve Uganda is asking individuals to add their names to this impressive list. The goal is to get 10,000 signatures before tomorrow when the chief mediator and local leaders are scheduled to meet with LRA leader Joseph Kony. Click here to sign and share this petition with your friends, so that northern Ugandan leaders know they have the support of people around the world who still believe that peace is possible.Tags: Uganda, Sudan, Africa, Human Rights (What's this?)]]> Uganda-CAN http://www.ugandacan.org/item/2809 Fri, 9 May 2008 03:54:57 -0700 http://www.ugandacan.org/item/2808 ENOUGH Project has released its latest report, titled "A New Strategy for Peace in Northern Uganda and the LRA." They write, "LRA leader Joseph Kony’s failure to sign a peace deal in April drove a nail into the coffin of the Juba peace process—a process that is grinding to an unsuccessful end. The talks have certainly contributed to northern Uganda’s current state of relative peace and created a mechanism to address tensions between the people in the North and the southern-dominated government in Kampala. But without real leverage and without a direct channel of negotiations to Kony himself, the LRA leader has exploited this last year of negotiations..."It's unlikely that local leaders continuing to work tirelessly and trekking out to meet Kony this weekend would share their suggestion that the peace process is dead, but indeed groups of LRA rebels have allegedly abducted between 300-500 people in the region over the last three months.

ENOUGH writes, "International leverage must be forged through the development of a credible regional military strategy to apprehend Kony and the other two LRA commanders indicted by the ICC." The key word there is "credible," because past military offensives have put civilians in the crossfire and incited violent backlash. Not to mention failing to apprehend Kony and his other leaders. Simultaneously though, ENOUGH writes that IDP return and reconstruction of the war-torn region should be supported, while the Government restore its relationship with northerners by addressing root causes of the conflict. Read the full report here.Tags: Uganda, Sudan, Africa, Human Rights (What's this?)]]> International Community http://www.ugandacan.org/item/2808 Fri, 9 May 2008 03:45:54 -0700 http://www.ugandacan.org/item/2807 Voice of America, the Government's lead negotiator Ruhakana Rugunda said, "There have been consultations over the implementation of accountability and reconciliation. And this has necessitated the workshop between the traditional leaders from the conflict-affected areas plus the leadership of the judiciary to see how the legal system in Uganda and the traditional conflict resolution system will be used in order to implement the agreement that has been signed on accountability and reconciliation." He called on Kony to take advantage of the remaining window of opportunity and sign the final agreement.Tags: Uganda, Sudan, Africa, Human Rights (What's this?)]]> Peace Process http://www.ugandacan.org/item/2807 Fri, 9 May 2008 01:26:45 -0700 http://www.ugandacan.org/item/2806 The Survey of War-Affected Youth (SWAY) has released a major research paper, The State of Female Youth in Northern Uganda. Building on interviews with hundreds of female youth in northern Uganda, the report contributes greatly to understanding how war has affected female youth in northern Uganda, using these findings to provide concrete recommendations on how the Ugandan government and humanitarian organizations can generate better services for them.The SWAY report provides insight into the diverse and uneven ways in which war has impacted female youth in northern Uganda. Income and employment levels are extremely low among young women - most work infrequently and earn less than $1 per day. One in five female youth in the north report abduction by the LRA. A quarter of these females were given to LRA commanders as forced wives and experienced the highest rates of sexual violence. Only one in three female youth in northern Uganda are functionally literate, and women who return from abduction with children fathered by LRA commanders are even less likely to access education. Among the most important findings of the SWAY research is that formerly-abducted female youth are "strong and resilient, not traumatized pariahs" - an important lesson for a media culture that at times portrays former child soldiers as dangerous and hopelessly traumatized.

The report recommends that assistance to female war-affected youth should focus on strengthening livelihoods, especially those related to agriculture, and increasing access to secondary education (grades 8 and above) and vocational training. Building local capacity to address domestic and sexual violence is also imperative. The SWAY findings also suggest that assistance programs which target specific categories of youth (formerly-abducted, orphans, etc.) may not be effective and may in fact stigmatize such groups. The report recommends that the Ugandan government and humanitarian groups recognize that all female youth have been affected by the conflict and design programs that target specific needs such as literacy and livelihood development, as well as psychosocial support for the minority of female youth who suffer disabling symptoms of emotional distress.

Read the full April 2008 SWAY report here. Tags: Uganda, Sudan, Africa, Human Rights (What's this?)]]> Women's Issues http://www.ugandacan.org/item/2806 Thu, 8 May 2008 19:38:00 -0700 http://www.ugandacan.org/item/2805 report on Sudan reveals that LRA attacks on civilians in the southern half of the country have been on the rise in recent months. It also states that LRA rebels responsible for the attacks are likely splinter groups operating outside Kony's direct authority. The existence of LRA splinter groups in south Sudan, as well as difficulty concretely verifying responsibility for alleged LRA attacks in eastern DR Congo and southeast Central African Republic (CAR), raises serious questions about what effect a broken chain-of-command within the LRA could have on the Juba peace process and prospects for demobilizing the LRA.

Citing reports of LRA attacks on civilians in the region, some observers have argued that the peace process has failed and that renewed efforts are needed to confront the LRA militarily and arrest top leaders indicted by the International Criminal Court. Indeed, attacks on civilians by the LRA remain a grave concern and immediate efforts should be taken to protect civilians regardless of what commanders are responsible. However, until more is understood about the control Kony exercises over outlying commanders, it will be difficult to assess what these LRA attacks indicate about his willingness to sign and abide by a final peace agreement. Similarly difficult to predict will be the effect military options could have on the ability (and will) of the LRA and its splinter groups to continue attacks on civilians. More understanding of the LRA chain-of-command is also needed to design appropriate strategies to demobilize different LRA factions led by commanders who may be more (or less) willing than Kony to lay down their weapons in the event that final peace agreement is (or is not) signed. Tags: Uganda, Sudan, Africa, Human Rights (What's this?)]]> Peace Process http://www.ugandacan.org/item/2805 Thu, 8 May 2008 09:42:10 -0700 http://www.ugandacan.org/item/2804 here.
Tags: Uganda, Sudan, Africa, Human Rights (What's this?)]]> IDP/Refugee Issues http://www.ugandacan.org/item/2804 Thu, 8 May 2008 06:31:00 -0700 http://www.ugandacan.org/item/2803 ReliefWeb has published the press release about the global NGO statement released today. It reads: As Ugandan civil society leaders meet to clarify transitional justice mechanisms in advance of their scheduled May 10th meeting with Lord’s Resistance Army leader Joseph Kony, NGOs from around the world have united in a message of support for local efforts to salvage the peace process to end northern Uganda’s 22-year war. They are calling for patient and persistent engagement to ensure that humanitarian progress achieved during the Juba negotiations is sustained.

"Over one million displaced northern Ugandans continue to face the difficult task of trying to create a life in the absence of peace and in fear of a return to violence," says the statement released today by more than thirty humanitarian, faith-based and civil society organizations from Brussels, Geneva, Gulu, Kampala, London, New York, Oslo, Pader, Toronto and Washington DC."Recent developments have made it clear that all efforts must now be aimed at salvaging the Final Peace Agreement."

"These courageous local leaders who continue trekking back into the jungle to salvage this peace agreement deserve our support," says Michael Poffenberger, Executive Director of Resolve Uganda, a DC-based advocacy organization. "They have established direct dialogue with rebel leaders after months of silence, keeping hope alive that the agreement can still be signed."

"A failure to secure the peace and resort to a 'military solution' would trigger renewed fears of insecurity and threaten the considerable progress made on the ground in northern Uganda," according to the global NGO statement.

"The Juba agreements provide a framework to address historical grievances, promote reconciliation across Ugandan society and establish accountability for crimes committed during the war," says Michael Otim, Director of Gulu NGO Forum. "This peace process is not just about dealing with the LRA, but also how to restore the Government’s relationship with the people of northern Uganda."

"Moving forward from here, the priorities for the people of northern Uganda include the provision of basic services and investment in livelihoods to enable those affected by the conflict to return to their villages and live without fear and insecurity," says Savio Carvalho, Oxfam GB Country Director. Oxfam is a steering committee member of Civil Society Organizations for Peace in Northern Uganda, a 78-member coalition in Uganda that signed the statement.

"The international community has a key role to play in ensuring that mechanisms for recovery are implemented immediately," says Lotte Graubelle, the Norwegian Refugee Council’s Country Director in Uganda. "People on the ground are not focused on the phases of international response. They need assistance now that will help them get on with their lives."

"International fatigue and cynicism are to be expected after such a setback, but the solution is not to cut and run," says Peter Quaranto, Resolve Uganda’s Senior Researcher. "International persistence to uphold the peace process, ensure civilian protection across the region and limit the LRA’s exit options is more crucial now than ever."Tags: Uganda, Sudan, Africa, Human Rights (What's this?)]]> Uganda-CAN http://www.ugandacan.org/item/2803 Wed, 7 May 2008 06:20:53 -0700 http://www.ugandacan.org/item/2802 Reuters reports that LRA leader Joseph Kony is scheduled to meet mediators on Saturday on the Sudan-Congo border and may even sign a final peace deal. However, Kony still wants more details on how Uganda's government plans to use traditional reconciliation rituals to help him avoid prosecution for war crimes by the International Criminal Court. "On May 10 Kony is ready to meet leaders from northern Uganda, the mediator and probably sign the final peace agreement," LRA lead negotiator James Obita said. Meanwhile, today a group of nearly 40 non-governmental organizations released a united statement urging all parties in the conflict not to give up on the peace process. "A failure to secure the peace and resort to a 'military solution' would trigger renewed fears of insecurity and threaten the considerable progress made on the ground in northern Uganda," it said.Tags: Uganda, Sudan, Africa, Human Rights (What's this?)]]> Peace Process http://www.ugandacan.org/item/2802 Wed, 7 May 2008 01:54:40 -0700 http://www.ugandacan.org/item/2799 The Monitor reports that a group of LRA commanders have allegedly become impatient over the Juba peace talks and have put pressure on their leader Joseph Kony to sign the peace deal or risk being abandoned in the bush. "For the first time ever, the LRA commanders have put pressure on Kony. According to intelligence reports I received yesterday," Gulu RDC Walter Ochora said on Friday. "We don't want to speculate what happens tomorrow. However, this is a sign that the LRA is a defeated army. Let us wait as events unfold in LRA camp," he said.Tags: Uganda, Sudan, Africa, Human Rights (What's this?)]]> Peace Process http://www.ugandacan.org/item/2799 Tue, 6 May 2008 06:04:00 -0700 http://www.ugandacan.org/item/2801 IWPR.

However, many observers in the region doubt the immediate capacity of regional militaries and UN peacekeeping operations to mount an effective campaign against Kony. While cross-border cooperation is needed to protect civilians from attacks (allegedly) carried out by LRA, an operation aimed directly at arresting Kony could put civilians in the region in the crossfire and endanger the hundreds of women and children in the LRA camp. An attack also would likely lead Kony's already dispersed forces to scatter across at least three countries in the region, and could lead to retaliatory attacks on civilians.

Ocampo's comment that negotiations have failed and led to nothing but impunity come at a particularly sensitive time as mediators continue dialogue with Kony and his commanders reportedly pressure him to sign a final peace deal. However, regardless of the success of current initiatives, nearly two years of peace talks between the Ugandan government and LRA have reaped enormous benefits for war-affected communities in northern Uganda. The negotiations have led to a halt of LRA attacks in northern Uganda, leading to dramatic increase in security and humanitarian indicators and allowing hundreds of thousands of people to begin returning to their homes. The Juba agreements on comprehensive solutions to the conflict and accountability and reconciliation have provided frameworks to address regional divisions in Uganda, address crimes committed during two decades of conflict and restore the broken relationship between northerners and the current government. Failing to acknowledge these accomplishments is an insult to the mediators and war-affected communities still hoping for (and working towards) a peaceful resolution to the conflict. Tags: Uganda, Sudan, Africa, Human Rights (What's this?)]]> International Community http://www.ugandacan.org/item/2801 Tue, 6 May 2008 06:03:03 -0700