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Getting to Peace? Negotiating with the LRA in Northern Uganda

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Abstract

Getting to peace is not a straightforward process. In Uganda, internal conflict has raged for more than 20 years between the Government and the Lord’s Resistance Army. The construction of a comprehensive negotiated settlement is at the mercy of conflicting ideologies and influences at the international, national and grassroots levels. This paper examines the Juba peace talks, the major actors in the negotiation process, and tension between prosecution and amnesty.

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Notes

  1. Uganda (Brooklyn: Interlink Books, 1998), 53

  2. Abdul Nadduli, LC5 District Chairman, interview with author, 17 Nov. 2004, Luweero town, Uganda.

  3. Museveni was returned to power in the first multi-party elections since his accession to power on 23 February 2006, reportedly with 59% of the vote.

  4. These include rebellions by the Action Restore Peace, Allied Democratic Forces, Apac rebellion, Citizen Army for Multiparty Politics, Force Obote Back, Former Uganda National Army, Holy Spirit Movement, the Lord’s Army, Lord’s Resistance Army, National Federal Army, National Union for the Liberation of Uganda, Ninth October Movement, People’s Redemption Army, Uganda Christian Democratic Army, Uganda Federal Democratic Front, Uganda Freedom Movement, Ugandan National Democratic Army, Uganda National Federal Army, Ugandan National Liberation Front, Ugandan National Rescue Fronts I and II, Ugandan People’s Army, Ugandan People’s Democratic Army, Uganda Salvation Army, and the West Nile Bank Front. Compiled from Lucy Hovil and Zachary Lomo (2004); and Lucy Hovil and Zachary Lomo (2005).

  5. Tim Allen points out that “the scale of abduction is a matter of speculation” due to insufficient monitoring. See Allen 2005, iii.

  6. “When the sun sets, we start to worry...”: An Account of life in Northern Uganda, OCHA/IRIN, November 2003, 8.

  7. Latim, Geresome, Secretary to the Paramount Chief of Acholi, interview by author, 22 Nov. 2004

  8. “UNDMT Technical Group Status Report: Preparatory Planning for Displaced Persons”.

  9. Ferdinand Tonnies divided societies into two distinct groups: “Gemeinschaft society is one in which people live together in primary groups, tightly wound around the institutions of kin, community and church... In gesellschaft society, by contrast, people frequently leave their primary groups for association with people who may be strangers. One chooses one’s occupation, place of residence, and marriage partner. Ties to primary kin, place of origin, and church are loose and may be cut off entirely.” See Rhoda E. Howard (1995).

  10. Agreement on Comprehensive Solutions Between the Government of the Republic of Uganda and Lord’s Resistance Army/Movement Juba Sudan, 02 May 2007, Juba, South Sudan. .

  11. “Minister Rugunda woos Indian investors,” New Vision (Uganda), 6 May 2007.

  12. Ibid.

  13. Statement by David Masanga, LRM representative, Institute for African Alternatives, London, June 27, 1998, in Human Rights Watch (1999).

  14. John A. Akec (2007). Akec also argues that it is “neither correct nor fair to depict the Acholi Diaspora as those who caught the LRA bandwagon into Juba at the last minute to advance their personal agenda. They have every right to form the core of LRA/M negotiating team in Juba and are well equipped to speak on behalf on [sic] Northern Uganda. Liberation struggle is a voluntary thing and it does not require mandate from anyone. LRA/M was restricted and banned from establishing offices in the West as SPLM did. We must bear that in mind when comparing LRA/M lack of visibility in the West.”

  15. “Ugandan rebel peace talks begin,” BBC News Online.

  16. Akec, “Why Naivasha success story could not be repeated in Uganda talks?”

  17. Ibid.

  18. “Tense start to Uganda peace talks,” BBC News Online.

  19. Uganda’s Poverty Eradication Action Plan is the Ugandan equivalent of a Poverty Reduction Strategic Plan.

  20. Confidential interview by author with Office of the Prime Minister official (2004).

  21. Confidential interview with opposition Member of Parliament by author, 03 Nov 2004, Kampala, Uganda.

  22. The wang oo is a traditional talk held in a communal fire place. The wang oo held in March 2007 was organized as a larger peace conference.

  23. The Government of Canada pledged $1.5 million to the process in December, 2006, and an additional $2.5 million in February, 2007, making Canada the largest bilateral donor. (Government of Canada 2007)

  24. “UN wants LRA to release captives,” New Vision (Uganda), 17 Nov. 2006.

  25. See also “UN High Commissioner for Human Rights urges Uganda and Lord’s Resistance Army to commit to principle of no-impunity for serious violations,” United Nations Office of the High Commissioner for Human Rights (2007).

  26. “Uganda: US gov’t demands trial for rebel leaders,” IRIN CEA Weekly Round-up 338 for 1–7 July 2006.

  27. “Amnesty,” Radio One (Kampala), 19 April 2006. The United Nations Disarmament, Demobilization and Reintegration Resource Centre states that by December 2006, that number had grown to more than 21,000; see UNDDRRC (2007).

  28. At the time of writing, 100 Ugandan shillings are worth approximately 5¢ USD.

  29. At the time of writing, none of these warrants has been executed.

  30. Rome Statute of the International Criminal Court, Art. 17.1.a.

  31. Akec, “Why Naivasha success story could not be repeated in Uganda talks?”

  32. Confidential interview with MEGA FM producer by author (2004).

  33. Confidential interview with Christian NGO worker by author (2004a).

  34. Confidential interview with Christian NGO worker by author (2004b).

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  1. Department of Political Science, The University of Western Ontario, SSC 4158, London, ON, N6A 5C2, Canada

    Joanna R. Quinn

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Quinn, J.R. Getting to Peace? Negotiating with the LRA in Northern Uganda. Hum Rights Rev 10, 55–71 (2009). https://doi.org/10.1007/s12142-008-0075-1

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