Isis-WICCE: Conflict and Peace

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'A UPDF soldier has again raped a woman' read the headline of the local newspaper Rupiny. During the night of October 10, 2003 a soldier of the 509th battalion of the Uganda People's Defense Force (UPDF) stationed in Pader District went and unlawfully arrested two mothers. The soldier raped one of them immediately. When the second one refused to succumb to the soldier's demand, she was killed by four shots in the head. When civilians complained about the behavior of the UPDF soldier, other troops opened fire at the crowd and wounded a 10 year old girl, so the paper says. A similar incident has been reported earlier. A soldier of the 65th battalion in Alim Lapul raped a women and later killed her and her 8 month old baby.

In a situation of war and constant violence like the one Acholiland has been living in for over a decade and a half, the reports of atrocities committed by representatives of the state are a worrying trend. The terror of the Lord's Resistance Army (LRA) forced people out of their homes and into the so-called protected villages. According to international standards - the guiding principles for internally displaced -, the state has the responsibility to protect civilians after they have been forced out of their places of origin. The state also has the obligation to provide for basic services and limit all negative effects to a minimum. For years the people of northern Uganda had to suffer under the atrocities of the rebels as well as under the gross neglect of the state to live up to a minimum of protection and services guaranteed. But the longer the war is waging on, the heavier the burden becomes for the population of Acholi. More and more reports about misconduct and criminal acts by the army and other state institutions are reported. Starting from beatings and harassment, over the recruitment of minors into the armed forces and attempted prosecutions of formerly abducted children to rape and murder - the list goes on and on. While the mere acts of violence are worrying in itself, it is alarming that people who dare to speak out against them are often labeled saboteurs, rebel sympathizers and collaborators. The constant threats create an atmosphere of fear that makes life in Gulu, Kitgum and Pader even harder.

In a democracy - and Uganda considers itself to be one - the state and all its organs should act in the best interest of the people. All people and not just the strong, the rich and the mighty ones. It has to do its best to protect its citizens and cater for their basic needs. While the war in the north poses a special challenge to the state of Uganda to put this commitment into reality, it should not try to intimidate people who speak out openly against crimes and wrongs and on behalf of human rights, human dignity and humanity. It should be listening to the voice of the suffering ones and do all it can to prevent violations of the people's rights. Instead of intimidating the victims and covering up on misconduct it should prosecute the ones who added to the burden of the mistreated ones. If this is not the case, then people get the impression that Acholiland is not just not a priority on the government's agenda, but actually a region where the laws do not apply. If the state does not do its best to stop the intimidation of civilians and acts actively against the image that justice cannot be expected in a war-zone, then permanent damage will be done to the fabric of the Ugandan society as a whole.