A second delegation of 10 religious and cultural leaders from Acholi sub region will once again visit the seat of the International Criminal Court ICC in the Hague this year. They are expected to interact with former Lords Resistance Army LRA warlord Dominic Ongwen, a native of Amuru district who standing trial at the Court for 70 counts of war crimes and crimes against humanity.
The Danish Embassy in Uganda and the International Criminal Court ICC have launched a one-year access to justice project meant to engage victims of the Lords Resistance Army LRA.
He emerged out the car, removed his boots and stepped on a raw egg, a ritual to rid him of all evils encountered in the bush before he was led into his mothers mud and wattle hut.
Through their legal representatives, victims are accorded participation right to consult the record of the files, right to be notified of documents filed, general right to attend and participate in case hearings, make written submissions or observations and question witnesses. Trial Chambers might grant additional rights.
Justine Boke, a resident of Nwoya district and Secretary NRM Elders league, says he is glad that Museveni has pledged to compensate the war victims, adding that they have been waiting for the compensation for too long.
The UN Peace Ambassador for Africa, Victor Ochen fears that holding case confirmation hearing against Dominic Ongwen in Northern Uganda may be politicized, since Uganda will be conducting general elections then.
However, the residents vowed not to leave the land saying they had purchased it from the deceased and have lived on the land for more than two decades.
The 4th Division Army Commander, Brig Muhanga Kayanja has cautioned ex-Uganda People\'s Defence Forces Officers who have been retired against being deceived into joining rebel movements in the country and other regions.
According to Okumu, during the operation, General Ssejusa cut off northern Uganda from the rest of the country and committed brutal crimes like burying people alive.
However, close to 20 years later, many of the survivors argue that they have not recovered from the body burns, bullet wounds and scars they sustained in the attack due to inadequate medical attention.
A new report has indicated that the Lord’s Resistance Army fighters in the Central African Republic and the Democratic Republic of Congo have been communicating with local communities about defecting.
He says that last month 28 female abductees who include four from Uganda escaped from captivity and are now undergoing psycho-social support in Central African Republic before being reintegrated back to the community.
Cultural and religious leaders in Acholi want government to setup a truth and reconciliation commission to foster peaceful coexistence between victims and perpetrators of the Lord’s Resistance Army insurgency.
UPDF deputy spokesperson Major Robert Ngabirano, affirms that the decision was communicated to the force and that arrangements are in place to re-deploy the 2000 armed men back to their original areas.
The former abductees who are mostly single mothers, used to live on handouts from NGOs, which have since ceased to operate in northern Uganda following the end of the war.
“Come back home,†a radio program famed for helping more than 20,000 people to return from the bush during the Lord’s Resistance Army (LRA) insurgency in northern Uganda has been revived.
The elusive leader of the Lord’s Resistance Army rebel group, Joseph Kony has been reported in southern Darfur, Sudan, according to the Uganda People’s Defence Forces –UPDF – intelligence reports.
