A traditional Acholi reconciliation ceremony called Mato Oput.
In 2000 Uganda’s government passed the Amnesty Act which legislated that LRA members who surrender to the UPDF and return to Uganda will not be prosecuted (with the exception of Kony and his top ICC-indicted commanders). For the rank and file LRA fighter, the promise of amnesty is one of the greatest incentives to try to escape the LRA.
Last year, the Amnesty Act expired and wasn’t renewed. This has put recent LRA defectors in a sort of legal limbo. They aren’t being tried, but they also aren’t being allowed to return home. Right now, the Ugandan government has an opportunity to either eliminate the Amnesty Act for good or reinstate it.
Our advocacy partners at The Resolve posted a blog with their take on the issue and a joint statement written by civil society leaders across Uganda.
Photo Credit: Justice and Reconciliation Project
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