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Key Text Protracted Conflict, Elusive Peace: Initiatives to End the Violence in Northern Uganda

Author: Accord
Date: 2002
Size: 99 pages (10 MB)

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Summary

Since 1986, the violent conflict in Acholiland region of Northern Uganda has caused countless deaths and violations of human rights, and the destruction of economic and social infrastructure. What peace initiatives have been undertaken so far? In this publication by Conciliation Resources' Accord Programme, different authors explore the history of the conflict, provide insight into the main parties involved, document key peace initiatives and analyse some of the cross-cutting issues.

Political conflict, historically organised along ethnic, regional, and religious lines, has repeatedly undermined Uganda's chances of 'nation building' and stability. To bring peace and development to Acholiland it is necessary to understand why the war has been so persistent and why efforts to end it through both peaceful and military means have not yet been successful.

The failure of different peace and negotiation efforts, such as the Nairobi process and The Carter Centre initiative, demonstrate the greater challenge of developing a process which incorporates the concerns of all those affected by the conflict. After years of brutality, the Ugandan community has become weak and divided, and some of the most persistent voices for peace have been heard from civil society. Important findings include:

Religious leaders have called for continuation of peace talks. They were involved in building public consensus for peace through sensitisation, training and dialogue and advocating for specific policies, especially the amnesty law.
Acholi women have played roles both in the war and in the search for peace. They organised protests and made appeals to the fighting forces to come back home. However, they remain marginalised from official peace initiatives.
The diaspora’s efforts for peace run counter to the general observation that diaspora communities tend to side with combatant anti-government groups and adopt extreme positions. Efforts such as Kacoke Madit provide a good example.
An extra dimension of the conflict is its intersection with other conflicts in the region. Although the causes of the wars in northern Uganda and southern Sudan are distinct and unrelated, they have become interlinked over time.
Notorious abductions of children by the Lord’s Resistance Army (LRA have a political dimension. Humanitarian agencies have prioritised concern for LRA abductees over concern for the well-being of all the children and other civilians.

Dilemmas and challenges for peacemaking in Uganda remain, such as the lack of engagement between the government and the LRA. The breakdown of earlier negotiations has also damaged the trust and confidence in any newer initiatives. The recommendations for improvement of the situation in Acholiland include:

Protracted war in Acholiland is likely to be transformed only once the fighting has stopped and the structural violence suffered by so many in the north is addressed.
Transformation of the climate of mistrust will require other issues, such as the legacies of the past, to be addressed. It is also necessary to explore perceptions and acknowledge the consequences of breakdowns in earlier peace initiatives.
Other interventions, besides those for child soldiers, are required for cycles of violence to be broken. Northern Uganda’s youth not abducted by the LRA should be given attention by Uganda and the international community.
Conflict has challenged perceived notions of justice and has posed serious moral dilemmas with which the people ofUganda and the international community must continue to grapple. The role of amnesties will continue to be relevant.

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Source: Lucima, O. (Ed), 2002, ‘Protracted Conflict, Elusive Peace: Initiatives to end the violence in northern Uganda’, Accord: An International Review of Peace Initiatives, Issue 11, Conciliation Resources, London
Author: Conciliation Resources, http://www.c-r.org