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Social Reconstruction in Uganda: The Role of Customary Mechanisms in Transitional Justice

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Abstract

In the aftermath of prolonged civil conflict, social repair is essential. Countries like Uganda, various parts of which have been at war since 1962, are in need of healing and renewal. This paper explores the use of customary mechanisms, instead of trials and truth commissions, to bring about societal acknowledgement of what has happened, and it offers ideas as to how these traditional practices might augment the rebuilding process in Uganda.

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Notes

  1. Unnamed government official, interview with author, 15 July 2001, Kampala, Uganda.

  2. Berg-Schlosser, Dirk, and Rainer Siegler. 1990. Political Stability and Development: A Comparative Analysis of Kenya, Tanzania and Uganda. Boulder: Lynne Rienner Publishers. 196.

  3. Wright, Nancy G. 1996. “Uganda: History From 1971.” In John Middleton (ed.), Encyclopedia of Africa South of the Sahara. New York: Charles Scribner’s Sons. 306.

  4. Pirouet, M. Louise. 1991. “Human rights issues in Museveni’s Uganda.” In Hölger Bernt Hansen and Michael Twaddle (eds.). Changing Uganda. Athens, Ohio: Ohio University Press. 305.

  5. Berg-Schlosser, Dirk, and Rainer Siegler. Ibid. 199; Khiddu-Makubuya, Edward. 1989. “Paramilitarism and Human Rights” In Kumar Rupesinghe (ed.), Conflict Resolution in Uganda. Oslo: International Peace Research Institute. 141–157.

  6. Briggs, Philip. 1998. Uganda. Old Saybrook, CT: The Globe Pequot Press. 23.

  7. Museveni, Yoweri K. 1997. Sowing the Mustard Seed. London: Macmillan. 41.

  8. Famighetti, Robert (ed.). 1998. “Uganda.” In The World Almanac and Book of Facts. Mahwah, NJ: Primedia Reference. 852.

  9. Berg-Schlosser and Siegler, ibid. 199; Khiddu-Makubuya, “Paramilitarism.” 153.

  10. Author name? 1998. Uganda. Brooklyn: Interlink Books. 53; Ofcansky, X.Y. 1996. Uganda: Tarnished Pearl of Africa. Boulder: Westview. 55.

  11. Abdul Nadduli, LCV District Chairman, Luweero Triangle, interview with author, 17 Nov. 2004, Luweero, Uganda.

  12. For a much more complete account of Uganda’s history from 1971, see Berg-Schlosser and Siegler, ibid. 97–132.

  13. Museveni, Sowing the Mustard Seed. 33, 46–173.

  14. 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 Hovil, Lucy and Zachary Lomo. 2004 (Feb.). Working Paper 11: Behind the Violence: Causes, Consequences and the Search for Solutions to the War in Northern Uganda. Kampala: Refugee Law Project. 4; and Hovil, Lucy and Zachary Lomo. 2005 (Feb.). Working Paper 15: Whose Justice? Perceptions of Uganda’s Amnesty Act 2000: The Potential for Conflict Resolution and Long-Term Reconciliation. Kampala: Refugee Law Project. 6.

  15. For an analysis of the root causes of the conflict, see Lomo, Zachary and Lucy Hovil. 2004 (Feb.). Behind the Violence: Causes, Consequences and the Search for Solutions to the War in Northern Uganda Refugee Law Project Working Paper No. 11.

  16. World Vision. 2004. Pawns of Politics: Children, Conflict and Peace in Northern Uganda. Kampala: World Vision. 4.

  17. Médecins Sans Frontières. 2004. Life in Northern Uganda: all Shades of Grief and Fear. MSF.

  18. Tim Allen points out that “the scale of abduction is a matter of speculation” due to insufficient monitoring. See Allen, Tim. 2005 (Feb.). War and Justice in Northern Uganda: An Assessment of the International Criminal Court’s Intervention. London: Crisis States Research Centre, Development Studies Institute, London School of Economics. iii.

  19. Hyden, Goran 1998. “The Challenges of Constitutionalizing Politics in Uganda.” In Holger Bernt Hansen and Michael Twaddle (eds.) Developing Uganda. Oxford: James Currey. 113.

  20. US Department of State. 2005 (Mar.). Country Reports on Human Rights Practices – 2005; available from http://www.state.gov/g/drl/rls/hrrpt/2005/61598.htm; accessed 26 June 2006.

  21. Ofcansky, Uganda: Tarnished Pearl of Africa. 155.

  22. Freedom House. 2005. Country Report: Uganda (2005); available from http://www.freedomhouse.org/template.cfm?page=22&year=2005&country=6854; accessed 22 June 2006.

  23. Ofcansky, Uganda: Tarnished Pearl of Africa. 154.

  24. Tumusiime, James and Sylvester Onyang. 1999 (11 Sep.). “UPDF amasses in Karamoja.” The Monitor; [article on-line]; available from http://www.africanews.org/east/uganda/stories/19990911_feat4.html; internet.

  25. Unnamed newspaper editor, interview with author, 20 July 2001, Kampala, Uganda.

  26. Unnamed NGO official, interview with author, 16 November 2004, Kampala, Uganda.

  27. Ofcansky, Uganda: Tarnished Pearl of Africa. 157.

  28. Busharizi, Paul. “One Killed in Uganda Ahead of Banned Rally.” Reuters On-line, available from http://www.reuters/com/news_article.jhtml?type=worldnews&StoryID=510967; Internet; accessed 12 January 2002.

  29. Ocitti, Political Evolution. 358–360.

  30. Ofcansky, Uganda: Tarnished Pearl of Africa. 155.

  31. 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. At the time of writing the results of the election are being officially contested by Museveni’s chief political rival, Kizza Besigye.

  32. Recently, the British government cut its assistance to Uganda, citing Museveni’s undemocratic governance. “U.K. aid cut pressures Uganda,” BBC News [article on-line]; available from http://newsvote.bbc.co.uk/mpapps/pagetools/print/news.bbc.co.uk/1/hi/world/africa/449838, accessed 1 May 2005.

  33. “Mariandina AIDS Research Foundation,” National Information Centre, 11 Sep. 1999; [article on-line]; available from http://www.mariandina.or.ug; internet.

  34. Freedom House, Country Report: Uganda (2005).

  35. Hansen, Hölger Bernt and Michael Twaddle. 1991. “Introduction.” In Hölger Bernt Hansen and Michael Twaddle (eds.), Changing Uganda: The Dilemmas of Structural Adjustment and Revolutionary Change. London: James Currey. 15.

  36. Dicklich, Susan. 1998. “Indigenous NGOs and political participation.” In, Hölger Bernt Hansen and Michael Twaddle (eds.), Developing Uganda. Oxford: James Currey. 145.

  37. Uganda was ranked 144 of 177 countries in the 2003 Human Development Index. UNDP, Human Development Index (2003); available from http://hdr.undp.org/statistics/data/indicators.cfm?x=1&y=1&z=1; accessed 26 June 2006.

  38. See Govier, Trudy. 2002. Forgiveness and Revenge. New York: Routledge; Borer, Tristan Anne (ed.). 2006. Telling the Truths. Chicago, IL.: Notre Dame University Press; Helmick, Raymond and Rodney Petersen. 2001. Forgiveness and Reconciliation. Templeton Foundation Press; Murphy, Jeffrie. 2003. Getting Even. Oxford: Oxford University Press; De Gruchy, John W. 2002. Reconciliation: Restoring Justice. Chico, CA, Fortress; Lederach, John Paul. 2005. The Moral Imagination Oxford: Oxford University Press.

  39. Quinn, Joanna R. 2003. “The Politics of Acknowledgement: Truth Commissions in Uganda and Haiti.” Ph.D. Dissertation, McMaster University. 9–47; Quinn, Joanna R. 2005 (15 May). “What of Reconciliation?” Paper presented to the conference on “Reconciliation” held by the Nationalism and Ethnic Conflict Research Group, University of Western Ontario, London, ON, Canada.

  40. Colletta Nat J. and Michelle L. Cullen. 2000. Violent Conflict and the Transformation of Social Capital. Washington: The World Bank. 13. See also Sen, Amartya. 1999. Development as Freedom. New York: Knopf.

  41. Minow, Martha. 1998. Between Vengeance and Forgiveness: Facing History after Genocide and Mass Violence. Boston: Beacon Press. 2.

  42. Ibid., 132.

  43. Ibid., 135.

  44. In reality this was Uganda’s second truth commission. Idi Amin had appointed “The Commission of Inquiry into ‘Disappearances’ of People in Uganda Since the 25th of January ,1971” in 1974. See Hayner, Priscilla. 1994. “Fifteen Truth Commissions – 1974 to 1994.” Human Rights Quarterly 16: 611–613.

  45. This is different from definitions offered by Hayner, Gibney, Van Zyl and others, but more adequately addresses the conditions of truth commissions in my estimation. See van Zyl, Paul. 1999 (17 Jun.) “Plenary Session: Truth Commissions.” Paper presented at the Twelfth Annual Meeting of The Academic Council on the United Nations System. New York, NY, USA; Gibney, Mark. 1994. “Decommunization: Human Rights Lessons from the Past and Present, and Prospects for the Future.” Denver Journal of International Law and Policy 23(1): 87–133; Hayner, “Fifteen Truth Commissions.” 604.

  46. Carver, Richard. 1990 (Jul.). “Called to Account: How African Governments Investigate Human Rights Violations.” African Affairs, 89:356, 397.

  47. Although the CIVHR was named and appointed in May, it was not until June that its work officially began. This is common for truth commissions, which must first design a mandate for themselves, find office space and furniture, and hire staff. For a discussion in greater depth see Quinn, Joanna and Mark Freeman. 2003. “Lessons Learned: Practical Lessons Gleaned from Inside the Truth Commissions of Guatemala and South Africa.” Human Rights Quarterly. Accepted for publication.

  48. Republic of Uganda, The Report of the CIVHR, Appendix 10: xxx.

  49. Ibid., Table Three: V–VI.

  50. Republic of Uganda, The Report of the CIVHR, 3–4.

  51. The experience of Guatemala in this regard is similar. See Tomuschatt, Christian. 2000. “Clarification Commission in Guatemala.” Human Rights Quarterly 23:2, 239–240.

  52. For a more detailed account of the CIVHR, see Quinn, Joanna R. 2004. “Constraints: The Un-Doing of the Ugandan Truth Commission.” Human Rights Quarterly. 26:2(May), 401–427

  53. Republic of Uganda, The Report of the CIVHR, 18, Sec 2.9 (III).

  54. Republic of Uganda, The Report of the CIVHR, 16, Sec 2.9 (I).

  55. Kakwenzire, Joan. 1990. “Problems of Implementing Human Rights in Uganda.” Three Papers Presented before the Commission of Inquiry into Violations of Human Rights, February 15–16, 1990, Kampala, Uganda. Washington, DC: US Committee for Refugees. 28.

  56. Ibid., 18, Sec 2.9 (III).

  57. Antjie Krog interviewed by Philip Coulter in Walk to Freedom (Ideas, Canadian Broadcasting Corporation, 2004).

  58. Eyber, Carola and Alastair Ager. 2002. “Conselho: psychological healing in displaced communities in Angola.” The Lancet 360(Sep. 14), 871.

  59. Honwana, Alcinda. 2001. “Children of War: Understanding War and War Cleansing in Mozambique and Angola.” In Simon Chesterman (ed.). Civilians in War. Boulder: Lynne Rienner. 1137–140; Nordstrom, Carolyn. 1997. A Different Kind of War Story. Philadelphia: University of Pennsylvania Press. 142–152.

  60. Pkalya, Ruto, Mohamud Adan, and Isabella Masinde. 2004. In Betty Rabar and Martin Karimi (eds.), Indigenous Democracy: Traditional Conflict Resolution Mechanisms. Kenya: Intermediate Technology Development Group – Eastern Africa.

  61. Shaw, Rosalind. 2005.Rethinking Truth and Reconciliation Commissions: Lessons from Sierra Leone. United States Institute of Peace, Special Report 130. 9.

  62. Gacaca, Inkundla, traditional systems of justice being looked at in the US as “Restorative Justice.” Herndon, VA: Marek Publications, 2001, [article on-line]; available from http://www.marekinc.com/GovernanceINT100901.html, accessed 22 July 2002.

  63. See, for example, Harrell, Peter E. 2003. Rwanda’s Gamble: Gacaca and a New Model of Transitional Justice. New York: Writers Club Press.

  64. For a discussion in greater depth of the use of traditional mechanisms in Uganda see Quinn, Joanna R. 2005. “What of Reconciliation? Traditional Mechanisms of Acknowledgement in Uganda.” Paper prepared for Reconciliation, a conference held by the Nationalism and Ethnic Conflict Research Centre at The University of Western Ontario (May 14–15).

  65. Novelli, Bruno. 1999. Karimojong Traditional Religion. Kampala: Comboni Missionaries. 169–172, 333–340.

  66. Peter Lokeris, Minister of State for Karamoja, interviewed by author 18 Nov. 2004, Kampala, Uganda.

  67. For an excellent description of mato oput see Finnstrom, Sverker. 2003. Living With Bad Surroundings: War and Existential Uncertainty in Acholiland in Northern Uganda. Uppsala: Acta Universitatis Upsaliensis, Uppsala Studies in Cultural Anthropology No. 35. 297–299.

  68. Waliggo, John Mary. 2003. “The Human Right to Peace for Every Person and Every Society.” Paper presented to Public Dialogue organized by Faculty of Arts, Makerere University in conjunction with Uganda Human Rights Commission and NORAD, Kampala, Uganda, 4 Dec., author’s collection, 7. Idem, “On Kitewuliza in Buganda, 3 May 2005,” author’s collection, 1.

  69. Ndrua, Joseph 1988. “A Christian Study of the African Concept of Authority and the Administration of Justice among the Lugbari of North Western Uganda.” M.A. Dissertation, Catholic Higher Institute of Eastern Africa.. 42–56.

  70. Finnstrom, Living With Bad Surroundings, 299.

  71. Shorter, Aylward. 1998. African Culture: An Overview: Socio-Cultural Anthropology. Nairobi: Paulines Publications Africa. 65.

  72. Ayisi, Eric O. 1979. An Introduction to the Study of African Culture, 2nd ed. Nairobi: East African Publishers. 110.

  73. Waliggo, “The Human Right to Peace.” 7.

  74. Oldenquist, Andrew. 1988. “An Explanation of Retribution.” Journal of Philosophy 85:9(Sept., 471.

  75. Waliggo, “The Human Right to Peace.” 8.

  76. Ayisi, An Introduction to the Study of African Culture, 67, 111; Novelli, Bruno. 1988. Aspects of Karimojong Ethnosociology. Verona: Museum Combonianum No. 44. 48; and Ngologoza, Paul. 1998. Kigezi and Its People. Kampala: Fountain Publishers. 20.

  77. Ngologoza speaks of the Abakuru b’emiryango as such; see Kigezi and Its People, 20.

  78. Waliggo, The Human Right to Peace. 8.

  79. Ngologoza, Kigezi and Its People. 20.

  80. Oldenquist, “An Evaluation of Retribution.” 471.

  81. Ayisi, An Introduction to the Study of African Culture. 111. See also Finnstrom, Living With Bad Surroundings. 76, 201, 219; Novelli, Karimojong Traditional Religion. 201–225; andEvans Pritchard, E.E. 1937. Witchcraft, Oracles and Magic Among the Azande. Oxford: Clarendon Press. 154.

  82. Novelli, Aspects of Karimojong Ethnosociology. 73.

  83. Waliggo, The Human Right to Peace. 8.

  84. Ross, Rupert. 1996. Returning to the Teachings. Toronto: Penguin. 55.

  85. Waliggo, The Human Right to Peace. 8.

  86. Finnstrom, Living With Bad Surroundings. 219.

  87. Geresome Latim, Executive Secretary, Ker Kwaro Acholi, interview with author, 22 Nov. 2004, Gulu, Uganda.

  88. Pain,Dennis. 1997. The Bending of Spears. International Alert (Dec.). 55.

  89. Ibid., 34.

  90. Finnstrom, Living With Bad Surroundings. 297.

  91. Waliggo, The Human Right to Peace. 9.

  92. Novelli, Aspects of Karimojong Ethnosociology. 73.

  93. Quoted in Allen, Tim. 2005. War and Justice in Northern Uganda: An Assessment of the International Criminal Court’s Intervention. London: Crisis States Research Centre, Development Studies Institute, London School of Economics (Feb.). 67.

  94. Waliggo, The Human Right to Peace. 6,9; see also Ngologoza, Kigezi and Its People. 32.

  95. Waliggo, John Mary. 2003. “Reconciliation as a Means of Resolving Conflict and Restoring Relations.” Paper presented at AMECEA Pastoral Institute, Eldoret, Kenya, 6 June. Author’s collection. 2.

  96. Sister Specioza Kabahoma, Justice and Peace Commission, interview with author, 10 Nov. 2004, Nsambya, Uganda.

  97. Geresome Latim, Executive Secretary, Ker Kwaro Acholi, interview with author, 22 Nov. 2004, Gulu, Uganda.

  98. World Bank. 2000. Uganda: Post-Conflict Resolution. Washington: World Bank. 9.

  99. Jones Parry, Sir Emyr. President of the Security Council. 2004. Presidential Statement on Justice and the Rule of Law: The United Nations’ Role: a statement on behalf of the Security Council 6 Oct. 2004, available at http://www.ukun.org/search/search_show.asp?Aid=779&T=1, accessed 25 Apr. 2005.

  100. Finnstrom, Living With Bad Surroundings. 201.

  101. Novelli, Karimojong Traditional Religion. 201–225.

  102. Finnstrom, Living With Bad Surroundings. 76, 219. See also Evans Pritchard, E.E. 1937. Witchcraft, Oracles and Magic Among the Azande. Oxford: Clarendon Press. 154.

  103. Confidential interview by author with Sabiny man studying at Makerere University, 7 Nov. 2004, Kampala, Uganda.

  104. Ngologoza, Kigezi and its People. 20–22.

  105. Dixon Kamukama, Professor of Development Studies and History, 15 Nov. 2004, Kampala, Uganda.

  106. Waliggo, “Reconciliation as a Means of Resolving Conflict.” 2. Also Sister Specioza Kabahoma, Justice and Peace Commission, interview with author, 10 Nov. 2004, Nsambya, Uganda.

  107. Allen reports that a study funded by the Belgian government revealed that young people no longer automatically respect the elders. Allen, War and Justice in Northern Uganda. 76.

  108. Confidential interview by author with Sabiny man studying at Makerere University, 7 Nov. 2004, Kampala, Uganda.

  109. Finnstrom, Living With Bad Surroundings. 201.

  110. Ibid. 298.

  111. Ibid. 201.

  112. Novelli, Karimojong Traditional Religion. 201–225.

  113. Finnstrom, Living With Bad Surroundings. 76, 219. See also Evans Pritchard, E.E.1937. Witchcraft, Oracles and Magic Among the Azande. Oxford: Clarendon Press. 154.

  114. Mbiti, African Religions and Philosophy. xi.

  115. Finnstrom, Living With Bad Surroundings. 299.

  116. Allen, War and Justice in Northern Uganda. 84.

  117. Quinn, Joanna R. 2005. “What of Reconciliation? Traditional Mechanisms of Acknowledgement in Uganda.” Paper prepared for Reconciliation, a conference held by the Nationalism and Ethnic Conflict Research Centre at The University of Western Ontario, May 14–15.

  118. Confidential interview with author of Sabiny man studying at Makerere University, 7 Nov. 2004, Kampala, Uganda.

  119. Peter Otim, Inter-Governmental Authority on Development, interview with author, 23 Nov. 2004, Kampala, Uganda.

  120. Idem.

  121. Confidential interview with author of Sabiny man studying at Makerere University, 7 Nov. 2004, Kampala, Uganda.

  122. Waliggo, “The Human Right to Respect.” 9.

  123. Ross, Returning to the Teachings. 55.

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  1. Department of Political Science, Faculty of Social Science, The University of Western Ontario, London, Ontario, Canada

    Joanna R. Quinn

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This paper was initially prepared for presentation to the panel “Transitional Justice: Local and International Dimensions” at the Canadian Political Science Association Annual Meeting, 2 June 2005.

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Quinn, J.R. Social Reconstruction in Uganda: The Role of Customary Mechanisms in Transitional Justice. Hum Rights Rev 8, 389–407 (2007). https://doi.org/10.1007/s12142-007-0020-8

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