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Uganda


Country Statistics  
Latest IDP figure:
Number of refugees:
(Originating from the country)
21,341 (UNHCR, June 2008)
Total Population:
28,81 million
24 April 2008

Uncertain future for IDPs while peace remains elusive


uga_countrypage_apr08
Displaced boy in Pabo IDP
camp, Amuru district.
K. Ridderbos/IDMC 2007.
With the peace process plagued by delays and confusion, and with conditions in return areas often worse than in the IDP camps, the future for IDPs in northern Uganda remains uncertain.

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.

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Access to database

"Causes and Background","Background to the conflict in Acholiland","Displacements in Acholiland","Displacements in the Lango and Teso regions ","Peace-efforts","Regional aspects: Sudan","DRC","CAR ","Background to the conflict in the Karamajong affected area","ADF-induced displacement","Background to the conflict in West Nile"
"Population Figures and Profile","Global figures","General"
"Patterns of Displacement","General","Patterns of displacement in Karamoja"
"Physical Security & Freedom of Movement","Physical security in the Acholi region","Physical security in Karamoja","Sexual and Gender-Based Violence (SGBV)","Freedom of movement"
"Subsistence Needs","Food","Health","Water and sanitation","Shelter and non-food items"
"Access to Education","General","Access to education in the Acholi region","Access to education in Lango","Access to education in Karamoja"
"Issues of Self-Reliance and Public Participation","Public participation","Self-reliance"
"Issues of Family Unity, Identity and Culture","General","Youth","Elderly people","Karamoja"
"Property Issues","General","Land"
"Patterns of Return and Resettlement","General","Return and reintegration"
"Humanitarian Access","General","Humanitarian access in Karamoja"
"National and International Responses","National response","International response","References to the Guiding Principles on Internal Displacement"

Previous Profile updates

News 
Land disputes worry IDPs, The New Vision, 30 June 2008
Pader sets up smaller IDP camps, The New Vision, 11 June 2008
Gulu IDPs demand clean water, The New Vision, 4 June 2008
LC5 chief woos IDPs to go home, The New Vision, 4 June 2008
More
Recent Reports 
Camp Management and Return Monitoring: Newsletter, United Nations High Commissioner for Refugees (UNHCR), June 2008
Humanitarian Situation Report, UN Office for the Coordination of Humanitarian Affairs (UN OCHA), 31 May 2008
Durable Solutions Task Force Assessment Lalogi Sub-County, Durable Solutions Task Force and Gulu DDMC, 21 May 2008
Back To(wards) My Home, AVSI, 7 May 2008
Camp Phase-Out Guidelines, Office of the Prime Minister, May 2008
Intention to return/durable solutions: focus group discussions, United Nations High Commissioner for Refugees (UNHCR), April 2008
Intention to return/durable solutions: focus group discussions, Amuru district, UNHCR, Amuru District, Camp Management partners, April 2008
More
Cluster approach 
NGO statement