On the 7th March 2017, Refugee Law Project, School of Law, Makerere University in collaboration with the Greater North Parliamentary Forum (GNPF) held an orientation seminar for Members of Parliament representing the greater North region of Uganda (Acholi, Bugisu, Bukedi, Bunyoro, Karamoja, Lango, Sebei, Teso and, West Nile sub regions).
This briefing note highlights key issues that emerged from the meeting.
As part of the ICC Trial Monitoring, the Refugee Law Project conducted a series of victims’ consultations as well as dialogues with key stakeholders on the Ongwen’s Confirmation of Charges Hearing held from January 21st -27th to assess the implications of the hearing and the way forward.
This detailed report highlights the victims’ expectations, and key issues on justice raised by local stakeholders within northern Uganda, which are critical in understanding some of the justice dilemmas in the Ongwen’s case before the ICC.
The report, an outcome of a new study conducted in five districts of Uganda ie Luwero, Gulu, Amuria, Kasese and Yumbe, between January 2014 –April 2015 found that forgiveness if practiced in combination with other measures of justice like judicial accountability, truth telling, governance and reparations, carries great potential for building peace.
The Peace, Recovery and Development Plan (PRDP)’s second phase is running its final lap and is set to wind down in June 2015. Conversation is now raging at different levels on whether or not to have a further phase of PRDP and if yes, what it would look like, and what its funding mechanism would be. The key questions that persist are; has northern Uganda got its fair share? Has PRDP as a post-conflict recovery strategy worked? What issues still need attention? How and where do we go from here?
This report highlights a range of perspectives and questions raised by people in Uganda on the prospects for justice in relationship to the recent surrender and transfer of Dominic Ongwen - former LRA abductee turned rebel commander - to The Hague to await trial at the International Criminal Court (ICC). For opinion leaders and the population within northern Uganda, Ongwen’s case raises dilemmas for the states and justice institutions involved, as well as for the conflict-affected communities
This report summarize dialogue sessions held in Soroti, Uganda on the need for a civil society platform in Uganda with regards to transitional justice and national reconciliation. Each report contains an overview of the discussions, key points by presenters, and ways forward toward a broad civil society coalition.
