Conversations around the LRA conflict are often focused on atrocity, abduction, combat, and defection; but there is a critical yet relatively sidelined issue that has been the backbone of all efforts towards sustainable peace in central Africa and reconciliation in Uganda: Amnesty. Uganda’s amnesty policy is what guarantees that when Ugandan LRA surrender, they can peacefully reintegrate back into their communities without charges.
Last week a national conference was held in Kampala to discuss the future development of Uganda’s Amnesty Policy that was first introduced in 2000. Initially, Amnesty law was meant to be only a six-month policy, but after thirteen years of continual renewal, the law was again extended in May 2013 for another two years. The theme of the National DDR Stakeholders Conference, which was hosted by the Uganda’s Amnesty Commission, was, “promoting effective reintegration and sustainable peace building in Uganda”. Participants included Ugandan policy makers, religious leaders, people formally abducted by the LRA, civil society actors, counter-LRA actors, and humanitarians.
IC Regional Ambassador, Jolly Okot
Invisible Children was a featured guest at the conference, and IC Regional Ambassador, Jolly Okot, was a keynote speaker. She talked about the comprehensive work IC is doing to address the LRA conflict, from recovery to defection and then reintegration. She also stressed the importance of government, civil society, and NGO actors continuing to expand reintegration programs to resettle former LRA abductees.
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