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Uganda - 2007

£2,000 Approved June 2007 – Promotion of cross border dialogue NE Uganda

IPF Local Partners: Christian International Peace Service (CHIPS) and Teso Initiative for Peace (TIP)
IPF Project: Cross border dialogue in the Karamoja and Teso region
Location: Katakwi, Amuria and Moroto districts of NE Uganda

1. Uganda - Country Background

The Republic of Uganda is a land locked country located in the Great Lakes region of East Africa.

The colonial boundaries created by Britain to delimit Uganda grouped together a wide range of ethnic groups with different political systems and cultures. These differences prevented the establishment of a working political community after independence was achieved in 1962. The dictatorial regime of Idi Amin (1971-79) was both responsible for the deaths of 300,000 Ugandans and the consequential damage to the economy from the expulsion of the Indian minority. The guerrilla war and human rights abuses under Milton Obote (1980-85) claimed another 100,000 lives. Since 1986 the rule of Yoweri Museveni has brought relative stability and economic growth to Uganda. During the 1990s, the government promulgated non-party presidential and legislative elections.

Since 1986 Uganda has suffered from a long running civil war between the government and the rebel Lords Resistance Army (LRA). The LRA’s claim to infamy is the widespread abduction and use of child soldiers. The attacks and enforced movements of civilians combined with receiving refugees from its war racked neighbours have in Uganda resulted in over 1.5 million refugees in a population of 30 million. Most of refugees are Internally Displaced People (IDP) resulting from the ongoing conflict but there are also an estimated 200,000 Sudanese, 30,000 Congolese and 20,000 Rwandan refugees in Uganda. The UN has described the situation as ‘one of the world’s worst humanitarian catastrophes’.

Uganda has significant natural resources and agriculture forms the base of the economy with over 80% of the workforce employed in this sector, it is however vulnerable to floods and landslides.

2. Local partner – Christian International Peace Service (CHIPS) (http://www.chipspeace.org/projects)

Since 1991 CHIPS has been working for reconciliation between the Iteso and Karimojong tribes in NE Uganda. Currently, the team is made up of 13 Ugandans from both tribes who live together in the border area and work in water resources, agricultural, veterinary and community development. They encourage resettlement in the border area, cross border co-operation, trade and friendship.

Activities have included, well-digging, improving food security through loaning seed, training community animal health workers, rehabilitation of roads and bridges and providing credit.

Local partner - Teso Initiative for Peace (TIP) (http://tesoinitiativeforpeace.com/projects/)

TIP originates from an effort to mediate in the Teso insurgency between the Government of Uganda and Uganda People’s Army (UPA) (a fore runner of the LDA) in the late 1980’s. The founders of TIP were instrumental in the wooing of the UPA in Teso to abandon rebellion and embrace peace with government and their local communities. After the amelioration of the conflict, it became clear that there was a need for continued Peace Work. The successes registered in the surrender and resettlement of the UPA prompted the elders to found Teso Initiative for Peace. Since then, TIP is strongly focused on the conflict between the Karimojong and the Iteso populations. In 2002, TIP organized the first workshops on peace building for leaders from both sides that addressed the challenges of peace building and return to a peaceful coexistence.

3. The Project – background to the conflict

The conflict between the Iteso and Karimojong dates back many decades and is, unlike other regions of Uganda, not political but cultural in nature. Today, Karamoja consists of the five districts of Kotido, Kaabong, Moroto, Abim and Nakapiripirit; Teso region comprises of six districts, Kaberamaido, Katakwi, Amuria, Kumi, Bukedea and Soroti. For hundreds of years, the two communities co-existed well enough as neighbours with minor conflicts of cattle rustling on both sides. The balance of power was fairly even and both sides understood and accepted the culturally symbolic cattle rustling.

Up to 1979, the Iteso took the raids as a bearable nuisance against which they would defend themselves. This position took a tragic turn for the worse when the Karimojong acquired large quantities of guns left abandoned in military barracks during the war that brought down the Idi Amin regime. The well-armed Karimojong warriors have attacked their neighbors at various times since then, with disastrous consequences for the entire region.

Since 2001, about 100,000 Iteso have been living in IDP camps strewn along the common border. The camps are typically congested and unhygienic, resulting in high morbidity and mortality rates and the break down of family patterns and values. Most schools along the border have closed thus denying future generations the chance to work themselves out of the vicious circle of poverty and ignorance.

The government initiated attempts in 2001 to disarm the Karimojong warriors but the efforts stalled with serious consequences when the exercise was mishandled and the promised protection of the Iteso failed to materialize. Gun trafficking has escalated with assorted weapons flowing into the region from Kenya and conflict-ridden Ethiopia, Somalia and Sudan.

One long term solution to the conflict situation could be the complete disarmament of the Karimojong warriors, the closure of their sources of ammunition and development of the infrastructure including water resources to enable the nomadic people better living conditions within Karamoja.

In the short-and-medium term, however, peace building and reconciliation efforts and development of peace constituencies are imperative.

4. IPF grant for cross border dialogue

The grant from IPF was used by CHIPS and TIP for a range of peace initiatives throughout the year. The objectives of the grant were to:

To strengthen cross border relationships between Political leaders at different levels.
To increase shared understanding of challenges faced by communities in different Districts.
To increase transparent cross border communication on security incidents/matters.
To identify joint practical activities that would benefit the youth in both communities.
To share and agree jointly appropriate sites for resettlement of Iteso and Karamonjong in border area.

During the autumn of 2007 there was significant flooding throughout Uganda which led to widespread road closure necessitated some changes in how the grant was used compared to how it was planned to be used. The actual outcomes that were achieved were:

4 cross over meetings conducted from village to county level in addition to many meetings at District level (‘shuttle diplomacy’).
The political relationship between Amuria and Moroto districts has greatly improved.
There has been a positive intervention on security matters in the three districts of Moroto, Katakwi and Amuria.
1 Youth exchange visit in mid December with almost 40 (mainly male) Teso and Karimojong youths taking part.
Joint practical activities that would benefit the Kara-Teso youth have been identified.
Possible sites for future border settlements have been identified.
A radio talk show that took place on 14th December with two Teso and four Karimojong participants answering each others questions on the conflict, future hope and risks of leaving IDP camps.

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