Uganda

24 April 2008

Uncertain future for IDPs while peace remains elusive

Displaced boy in Pabo IDP
camp, Amuru district.
K. Ridderbos/IDMC 2007.

In August 2006 the government of Uganda and the Lord’s Resistance Army (LRA) signed a Cessation of Hostilities Agreement (CHA), which led to significant improvements in the security situation in northern Uganda. After many delays, progress in the peace negotiations between the Government of Uganda and the Lord’s Resistance Army in early 2008 gave rise to cautious optimism that an end to the conflict in northern Uganda might finally be on the horizon after 22 years of war. However, the process stalled again when on 10 April 2008 Joseph Kony, the leader of the LRA, at the last moment failed to sign a Final Peace Agreement. The CHA has not been renewed and has now expired.

Since the signing of the CHA, about half of the more than 1.8 million people who had been internally displaced by the conflict have returned to their homes or have moved to transit sites nearer to their homes. However, many IDPs are reluctant to go home in the absence of a final peace agreement. Moreover, a significant number of IDPs who live in camps or transit sites close to their land might not intend to move back onto their land, preferring to live in commu-nities near basic services such as schools and clinics.