The Hidden War: the Forgotten People

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The Hidden War: the Forgotten People WAR IN ACHOLILAND AND ITS RAMIFICATIONS FOR PEACE AND SECURITY IN UGANDA UGANDA October 30, 2003 THE HIDDEN WAR: THE FORGOTTEN PEOPLE WAR IN ACHOLILAND AND ITS RAMIFICATIONS FOR PEACE AND SECURITY IN UGANDA Human Rights & Peace Centre (HURIPEC) Liu Institute for Global Issues Faculty of Law, Makerere University, 6476 NW Marine Drive Kampala, Uganda Vancouver, BC V6T 1Z2 www.huripec.ac.ug Canada Tel: (256) -41-532-954 www.ligi.ubc.ca Tel: (1)-604-822-9957 Partners Afrika Study Centre, Mbale Norwegian Refugee Council Human Rights Focus, Gulu HURINET, Kampala District NGO Forum, Gulu ABETO, Kampala Acord, Gulu CPAR, Gulu CPA, Gulu 1 WAR IN ACHOLILAND AND ITS RAMIFICATIONS FOR PEACE AND SECURITY IN UGANDA 2 WAR IN ACHOLILAND AND ITS RAMIFICATIONS FOR PEACE AND SECURITY IN UGANDA 3 WAR IN ACHOLILAND AND ITS RAMIFICATIONS FOR PEACE AND SECURITY IN UGANDA TABLE OF CONTENTS I. FOREWORD 1 II. EXECUTIVE SUMMARY 5 2.1 Introduction 5 2.2 Background 5 2.3 Causes and complicating factors to the conflict .......................................................................6 2.4 The Role of Sudan and th e United States ................................................................................8 2.5 Reconciliation ......................................................................................................................8 2.6 Recommendations 9 2.6.1 Involvement of the International Community...................................................................9 2.6.2 The Holding of the National Conference ....................................................................... 10 2.6.3 Embarking on Resettlement and Socio-economic rehabilitation.......................................... 10 2.6.4 Embarking on Community Reconciliation processes.......................................................... 11 2.6.5 Further research.............................................................................................................. 11 III. BACKGROUND TO THIS RESEARCH. 12 IV. EMBARKING ON RESEARCH 15 4.1 The first and second phases of the research 15 4.2 Methodology 16 4.2.1 Literature review 17 4.2.2. Comm unity interviews 17 4.2.3 In-depth interviews and dialogue 17 4.2.4 Focus group discussions 17 4.2.5 Interviews with stakeholders 17 4.2.6 Meetings and seminars 17 V. WHAT DO ALREADY WE KNOW? 19 5. 1 The Historical Roots .......................................................................................................... 19 5.2 The Post Colonial Experience.............................................................................................. 21 5.3 The Real Significance of the ‘Luwero Triangle’ war ............................................................. 24 5.4 Continuation of Enemy Images ............................................................................................ 30 VI. THE REBELLION IN ACHOLI 33 6.1 Transformations in the Conflict 33 6.2 The War of the Generals...................................................................................................... 33 6.3 Lakwena and the Peasant Rebellion...................................................................................... 36 6.4 The Joseph Kony War ......................................................................................................... 41 6.5 Uganda Peoples’ Defence Forces ......................................................................................... 47 VIII. CAUSES, GOVERNANCE, AND THE DYNAMICS OF THE CONFLICT 50 7.1 Causes of the Conflict 50 7.2 Governance 55 VIII. FACTORS COMPLICATING AND COMPOUDING THE CONFLICT 59 8.1 The economic factors. ......................................................................................................... 59 4 WAR IN ACHOLILAND AND ITS RAMIFICATIONS FOR PEACE AND SECURITY IN UGANDA 8.2 Social and Cultural Factors. ................................................................................................. 65 8.3 Political Factors.................................................................................................................. 68 8.4 Religion, Myth, Witchcraft and Metaphysics. ....................................................................... 69 8.5 Witchcraft of the State ......................................................................................................... 74 8.6 Witchcraft and the Church ................................................................................................... 75 8.7 External Factors.................................................................................................................. 78 8.7.1 The Sudan Factor ........................................................................................................ 78 8.7.2 The U. S. Support and the September 11 81 8.7.3 “Operation Iron Fist”.................................................................................................. 86 8.7.4 Arms Trafficking .................................................................................................... 90 8.7.5 The Land Issue 93 8.7. 6 Abductions of children 94 8.7. 7 Internally Displaced Persons’ Camps 96 8.7.8 Law Enforcement Agencies.......................................................................................... 99 8.7.9 The Judicial System................................................................................................... 103 8.7.10 Internal Actors......................................................................................................... 107 8.7.11 The Position of the Uganda Government ................................................................... 110 IX. CURRENT INTERVENTION EFFORTS .......................................................................... 113 9.1 Traditional Leaders and Elders ...................................................................................... 113 9.2 Acholi Religious Leaders Peace initiative ...................................................................... 115 9.3 District Peace Teams.................................................................................................... 116 9.4 Civil Society Initiatives ................................................................................................ 116 9.5 Presidential Peace Team-PPT........................................................................................ 119 9.6 The Umbrella “Oduru Kuc” .......................................................................................... 121 9.7 Assessment of the peace process by the public. .............................................................. 121 9.8 Resettlement of Former Rebels and Abducted Children 125 9.9 International Humanitarian Agencies ............................................................................. 127 9.10 United Nations ........................................................................................................... 129 X. REHABILITATION AND LONG-TERM RESETTLEMENTSTS....................................... 131 10.1 The UPDF Resettlement Policy................................................................................... 131 10.2 The Government Rehabilitation Policy-NUSAF ........................................................... 136 XI. RECONCILIATION. 139 XII. THE WAY AHEAD 141 12.1 International Involvement ........................................................................................... 142 12.2 The National Conference ............................................................................................ 146 12.3 Economic and Social Rehabilitation............................................................................. 149 12.4 Community Reconciliation .......................................................................................... 150 XIII. RECOMMENDATIONS FOR FURTHER RESEARCH.................................................. 153 XIV. CONCLUSION 155 APPENDICES 156 5 WAR IN ACHOLILAND AND ITS RAMIFICATIONS FOR PEACE AND SECURITY IN UGANDA I. FOREWORD As we proceeded to embark on this two-month research in Gulu district, we were struck by the news that the Lords Resistance Movement/Army (LRM/A) had resumed with new determination its attacks on the civilian population and abduction of children in the troubled region of Acholi. The renewed attack this time went beyond the state and community institutions to include religious institutions, especially the Catholic church, raising new fears that the rebel group was now broadening its strategy. The attacks on Opit and Pabbo camps were especially troubling. In Opit, the rebels attacked the Catholic church killing five people and torching some 50 huts1. They had first attacked Opit trading centre and then moved on to the church buildings. This was the fifth time this year that they had attacked a Catholic Mission in Acholi. Pabbo camp, which is located only 40 kms from Gulu Municipality with a population of 50,000 people, was attacked six times in the month of June 2003 alone resulting in the death of 20 and abduction of 15 people2. This exposed the failure of “Operation Iron Fist,” which was intended to eliminate the LRA bases in Sudan and destroy their determination to fight the war. In a chilling message that came with blood, it was reported that Joseph Kony had sent instructions to his commanders inside northern Uganda to “kill all priests in northern Uganda.”3 The Uganda Peoples’ Defence Forces (UPDF) spokesman, Major Shaban Bantariza, confirmed that the army had received similar reports from someone who had recently escaped
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