Redefining Justice and Peace in the Event of Reintegrating Former Ex-combatant Youth in Northern Uganda

Redefining Justice and Peace in the Event of Reintegrating Former Ex-combatant Youth in Northern Uganda

By Maxie Muwonge

Today, many of those who have survived the twenty years’ conflict in northern Uganda, between the Lord’s Resistance Army and the central government of Uganda, suffer from psychological and physical wounds, which ought to be attended to, for them to feel completely reintegrated into their communities. Often times, communities emerging from violent conflicts like in northern Uganda, focus on the pursuit for accountability and justice, in search for sustainable peace.

The progenitors of modern justice and accountability mechanisms, have suggested for an involvement of the International Criminal Court (ICC), to cause justice and accountability for the top five indicted Lord’s Resistance Army Commanders (LRA), led by Joseph Kony.

A dissimilar approach has been favored by the mainstream political, cultural and religious leaders from the region, who have developed a self confident conviction that their strategy-of a peaceful end to the conflict, to be followed by traditional cleansing ceremony-mato-oput is central in causing justice and accountability, which is victim centered and driven. Their unique phenomenon is generated from the perception of the ultimate goal of justice, emphasizing building capacity right from the victimized individuals within the displaced peoples’ camps, to handle conflicts nonviolently and creatively, as such walking the talk of establishing new relationships and structures to foster sustainable peace within the region and the nation at large.

It is imperative to note that, the above represents a re-conceptualization of accountability, justice and peace from the ideological and theoretical principles, which international justice and accountability mechanisms pause to offer to the situation, to a paradigm shift, which is understood by the victims seeking justice.

Without imagining peace, justice and reconciliation, which lean towards parity, equity, equality, and co-existence in northern Uganda, there will be no such. Even in the face of almost irreversible degradations of livelihoods support system, there is need of appreciating an integrated approach for a peace recovery and development plan, to respond to some of the challenges, which manifest fears and risks that threaten the survival of various sections of victimized societies in the region. This is the empirical form and framework of justice, which is vivid to the victims.

I postulate that in response, the civil society in Uganda, as part of supporting the government initiatives for rehabilitating the region, has launched programs and projects to address some of the war predicaments.

In the face of this reality, Jamii Ya Kupatanisha in 2004 piloted a reintegration project for former ex-youth LRA combatants (Reporters) in Unyama IDP, in Gulu district. The lessons drawn from this experience in working towards peace, reconciliation and coexistence between the reporters and their victimized communities, made JYAK in 2006 to launch a community based reintegration project of 800 child and youth reporters in the region. The beneficiaries for the project stretch to Kock Goma in Amuru district, Odek in Gulu district, Atanga and Lukole in Pader district, Mucwini and Palabek Ogili in Kitgum district.

The project focuses on imparting non violence peace techniques through community dialogues and peace education, vocational skills training to impart livelihood skills to the reporters in the areas of carpentry, bricklaying and concrete practice, tailoring, catering and agriculture. With such skills, it is anticipated that the reporters will be able to self sustain themselves in the event of resettlement. Psychosocial support through sports and games, forum theatre and music dance and drama, has served to create more social interaction between the reporters and their communities, which has assisted to rebuild confidence in the reintegration process.

JYAK as well focuses on training community peace peer mediators, creating capacity among the youth to engage conflict issues targeting them, through establishment of peace clubs and university forum for peace. Coupled with this, advocacy and lobbying for peace policy frameworks to inform the reconciliation process in Uganda, has been key to JYAK.

We thank EU-Civil Society Capacity Building Programme and Bread for the World for supporting these initiatives. The staff at the secretariat is also appreciated for their dynamism in the implementation of these programs.

All that is needed for the triumph of peaceful co-existence as a pre-requisite for reconstruction of the war ravaged northern Uganda is that good men and women do something to support and rebuild the region.

At JYAK it is our belief that all humanity in this country and beyond ought to be one undivided and indivisible happy family, and such, we call upon all peace lovers in the world to join us in pushing our mission of promoting sustainable peace through a culture of non violence and reconciliation in Uganda and beyond