On Monday 24 September, the International Crimes Division (ICD) shall open the main trial in the case of Thomas Kwoyelo. This case is the first ever to be tried before a domestic court in the conflict that opposed the Lord Resistance Army and the Government of Uganda. ASF Country Director for Uganda raises concerns about the opportunity given for victims to participate and the lack of State support to the ICD.

Last June, ASF released the Community-Based Mediation Training Module, along with three like-minded organisations. This marked the end of a drafting process from which many lessons have been learned and the beginning of a long-term commitment to work towards closing a major gap in terms of access to justice in Uganda: the disconnection between the everyday forms of justice used by citizens and the justice provided by institutions.

Last week at the Sixteenth Session of the Assembly of States Parties to the Rome Statute, ASF and REDRESS co-organised a parallel event on the legal representation of victims before the International Criminal Court, the International Crimes Division in Uganda, and the Special Criminal Court in the Central African Republic.

Since 2012, ASF has been supporting the International Crimes Division (ICD) in Uganda. The ICD is a domestic court that was created as part of the government’s efforts to implement the Juba Peace Agreement. It is within the ICD’s jurisdiction to try serious offences such as war crimes, crimes against humanity, and genocide. Given Uganda’s history of violent conflicts, the ICD plays a critical role in delivering justice in relation to past atrocities. 

Between February and April 2017, ASF conducted consultations with victims of mass atrocities in Northern and Eastern Uganda, about their views on ways to repair the harm they have suffered. The consultations took place in areas affected by the insurgence of the rebel group Lord’s Resistance Army. Their purpose was to get insight into LRA victims’ reparation needs and priorities, as well as their perceptions of ongoing discussions within the Transitional Justice Policy framework. We asked ASF Uganda’s Country Director to highlight issues raised during these consultations.

Excellent news: ASF has just been granted significant funding for five years by the Belgian DGD (Directorate-General for Development Cooperation and Humanitarian Aid). This aid will be used for projects supporting justice in five countries: Burundi, Indonesia, Morocco, Uganda and the Democratic Republic of the Congo. This also represents ASF’s first project in Indonesia.

ASF releases two publications on reparations for victims of mass crimes in Uganda. They aim at assisting all stakeholders dealing with reparations in the country and, particularly, victims, their counsels and the judges of the International Crimes Division. They will also give a new kick-start to the transitional justice process. While reparations are only one component of this process, they may serve as an “icebreaker” to open the door for the implementation of other measures including truth, justice and reform.

While former LRA rebel Dominic Ongwen is facing justice before the ICC, ASF recalls the importance of bringing justice closer to the affected communities. The NGO supports the organisation of live screenings of the opening of Ongwen’s trial and encourages national authorities to increase their support to make justice accessible for all.

On 21st September 2016 former LRA warlord T. Kwoyelo attended his second pre-trial hearing. After several procedural curbs, the trial might be on track. Most important, for the first time in Uganda, victims right to participate in a trial proceedings was recognized. This could be a very first step towards reparation for victims in Uganda.

Last week, Ugandan and international stakeholders and experts gathered in Entebbe (Uganda) to discuss reparations for victims of mass atrocities in Uganda, during an international conference organized by ASF and REDRESS. The participants shared their experience in the area of transitional justice. The panellists offered recommendations on the framework and implementation of reparation for mass atrocities in the context of Uganda. A document presents a compilation of these recommendations.