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Uganda: The Costs of War
AfricaFocus Bulletin
Apr 20, 2006 (060420)
(Reposted from sources cited below)
Editor's Note
"Since 1986 northern Uganda has been trapped in a deadly cycle of
violence and suffering. After 20 years the war shows no real signs
of abating, and every day it goes on it exacts a greater toll from
the women, men, and children affected by the crisis. ... The Lord's
Resistance Army, the Government of Uganda, and the international
community must act ... without delay ... to secure a just and
lasting peace." - Civil Society Organisations for Peace in Northern
Uganda
This AfricaFocus Bulletin contains the summary, recommendations, and
an additional excerpt from a new report from Civil Society Organisations for Peace in
Northern Uganda (CSOPNU), as well as a press release on the report from Oxfam International,
one of the international member organizations of CSOPNU.
For previous AfricaFocus Bulletins on Uganda and related background
links, see http://www.africafocus.org/country/uganda.php.
For AfricaFocus Bulletins on issues of peace and conflict around
the continent see http://www.africafocus.org/peaceexp.php.
++++++++++++++++++++++end editor's note+++++++++++++++++++++++
Counting the cost
Twenty years of war in northern Uganda
CSOPNU (Civil Society Organisations for Peace in Northern Uganda)
March 2006
CSOPNU is a coalition of more than 50 Ugandan and international
non-governmental organisations working with women, men and children
affected by the northern conflict.
CSOPNU believes that the needs and rights of people affected by the
conflict must be central to the debate about northern Uganda.
[Distributed by Oxfam International
http://www.oxfam.org/en/policy/briefingnotes/report_CSOPNU_nuganda_060330
Full report in pdf format is also available at
http://allafrica.com/peaceafrica/resources/00010777.html]
Since 1986 northern Uganda has been trapped in a deadly cycle of
violence and suffering. After 20 years the war shows no real signs
of abating, and every day it goes on it exacts a greater toll from
the women, men, and children affected by the crisis. The time has
come for all parties involved to act decisively. The LRA, the
Government of Uganda, and the international community must
acknowledge the true scale and horror of the situation and act
resolutely and without delay, both to guarantee the effective
protection of civilians in the region and to secure a just and
lasting peace.
Summary
Northern Uganda is trapped in a deadly cycle of violence and
suffering. After 20 years the war shows no signs of abating, and
each passing day takes a greater toll on the women, men, and
children affected by the crisis.
Each month more than 3,500 people die from easily preventable
diseases, extreme violence and torture. Hundreds of children are
abducted and abused, or killed in battle. Nearly two million people
are forced to live in squalid and life-threatening conditions,
dependent upon relief and denied access to incomes and education.
Millions of dollars are squandered in wasted productivity and in
the pursuit of a military 'solution'.
It is a situation that has produced a humanitarian catastrophe of
dreadful proportions.
But this is a catastrophe that is fuelled not only by terrible acts
of war and violence. It is also fuelled by a shameful litany of
failure - the continuing failure of the Lord's Resistance Army
(LRA) to cease its brutal campaign of violence against civilians,
and of both the Government of Uganda (GoU) and the international
community to uphold their legal obligations to secure the
protection, security, and peace for the civilians of northern
Uganda.
After 20 years, the time has come for all parties involved to act
decisively. It is time for the LRA, the GoU, and the international
community to fully acknowledge the true scale and horror of the
situation in northern Uganda, and to act resolutely and without
delay, both to guarantee the effective protection of civilians and
to secure a just and lasting peace.
Recommendations
The Lord's Resistance Army
The LRA must immediately cease attacks on, and abductions of,
civilians and aid workers.
- It must show a clear commitment to resolving the conflict
peacefully via negotiation.
- It should clearly declare its peace team and articulate its
demands so that they are known and can be addressed.
The Government of Uganda
The GoU must make the protection of civilians its first priority
and take immediate, concrete action to guarantee the protection of
its citizens.
- It must prioritise the protection of civilians over the
annihilation of the LRA, and shift its focus from military
confrontation to building an environment of security for civilians.
- It must ensure the adequate deployment of UPDF troops in northern
Uganda - particularly for the defence of IDP camps, the security of
major access roads, and the protection of humanitarian
organisations.
- It must drastically increase its commitment to upholding
international humanitarian law in northern Uganda.
- It must give a clear signal that abuses perpetrated by the armed
forces against civilians are intolerable. All instances of violence
against civilians must be investigated and prosecuted to the
highest extent of the law.
The GoU must also commit to resolving this conflict peacefully.
Steps must be taken to establish an institutional mechanism through
which dialogue can take place. Such a mechanism would enable talks
to transcend individuals involved in the process. Adequate
financial, political, and material support should be made
available. Strength, determination, and resolve in the pursuit of
a negotiated settlement are necessary, even in the face of
setbacks.
The UN Security Council
The UN Security Council (UNSC) must act resolutely and without
delay to guarantee the protection of civilians and those providing
humanitarian assistance in northern Uganda. It should immediately
adopt a resolution specifically addressing the conflict in northern
Uganda. This resolution should express deep concern for the
humanitarian emergency in the region and should also include the
following key elements:
- Call on the GoU to acknowledge the severity of the humanitarian
crisis;
- Express its conviction that the crisis in northern Uganda can
only be ended via a process of political engagement, diplomacy, and
peaceful negotiation, and call on all parties to declare an
immediate ceasefire and pursue a peaceful and negotiated
settlement.
- Urge the GoU to fulfil its responsibility to protect all of its
civilians by adopting a more appropriate security strategy,
focusing on protection rather than on confrontation.
- Establish a panel of experts to investigate and monitor the
activities of the LRA, as well as networks supporting it, and their
impact on regional peace and security.
- Express its firm conviction that failure on the part of the GoU
to provide adequate protection for civilians will require further
decisive action by the international community, via the Security
Council.
The Council must also commit to following-up quickly on Resolution
1653 and to taking a comprehensive approach to situation in the
Great Lakes region including, critically, the conflict in northern
Uganda.
UN Secretary General
The Secretary General must directly support the efforts of the UNSC
and UN agencies to secure peace and the protection of civilians in
northern Uganda.
- He should appoint a special envoy for northern Uganda to support
efforts for a peaceful resolution of the conflict.
- He should act quickly to provide comprehensive recommendations to
the Security Council pursuant to operative paragraph 14 of
Resolution 1653, including concrete measures aimed at securing
peace and protection for the people of northern Uganda consistent
with the broader recommendations of this report.
- If the Security Council fails to place this crisis on its agenda,
he should exercise Article 99 of the UN Charter to force it to do
so and to take the above actions.
International community
The international community must radically improve their commitment
to the protection and relief of civilians in northern Uganda, and
to the achievement of a just and lasting peace.
- Governments must demonstrate this by applying co-ordinated and
concerted diplomatic pressure upon the GoU to ensure that it
focuses its resources on protection and on the peaceful resolution
of the conflict.
- They must also ensure that the UN Security Council and the
African Union gives northern Uganda the attention it warrants.
- The European Union must act on commitments made by the General
Affairs and External Relations Council at the end of November 2005.
- Donors must commit to fully funding the UN's consolidated appeal
for Uganda.
Regional governments
Governments in the region should stand firm in their support for a
peaceful resolution to this conflict.
- They must use their influence with the GoU to ensure that it
makes the protection of civilians its first priority.
- They must wholeheartedly support efforts to resolve this conflict
peacefully, including full co-operation in relevant international
processes, e.g. the International Criminal Court.
- They must ensure that arms flows in the region are controlled,
and that previous agreements made at the UN level are fully
enforced.
They can do this through their involvement in regional bodies such
as the African Union, Inter-Governmental Authority on Development
(IGAD), Tripartite Commission and the East African Community, or
bilaterally.
Counting the Cost
Box 2: Northern Uganda: key facts
Internal displacement
- Between 1.8 and 2 million people are internally displaced and
living in camps (about 8 per cent of the national population).
- Approximately 1.2 million of these people are internally
displaced in the northern districts of Gulu, Kitgum, and Pader
(representing 94 per cent of the local population).
- In Gulu, Kitgum, and Pader an area the size of
Belgium is now depopulated.
- There are 202 IDP [internally displaced people) camps in
northern Uganda, some with populations of over 60,000.
- . Population density in some camps is as high as 1,700
people per hectare.
- 50 per cent of IDPs are under the age of 15.
Mortality
- Rates of violent death are three times higher than those
reported in Iraq following the Allied invasion in 2003.
- Crude mortality rates are more than three times higher
than those recorded in Darfur in October 2005.
- There are 901 excess deaths every week. This means 129
people die every day as a result of violence and conditions
in camps.
- Each day, 58 children under the age of five die as a result of
violence and preventable diseases.
Abduction
- More than 25,000 children have been abducted during the course of
the war.
- At time of increased insecurity up to 45,000 children 'nightcommute'
each evening to avoid abduction by the LRA.
Education
- 737 schools in northern Uganda (60 per cent of the total) are
non-functioning because of the war.
- 250,000 children in northern Uganda receive no education at all.
Humanitarian access
- 80 per cent of the camps in Gulu, Kitgum, and Pader cannote be
accessed without military escorts.
Economic costs
- 95 per cent of IDPs in Gulu, Kitgum, and Pader live in absolute
poverty.
- Cost of the war to Uganda after 20 years: $1.7bn.
- Cost of the war to Uganda annually over 20 years: $85 m.
- The annual cost of the war is approximately equivalent to
Uganda's total annual income from coffee exports.
- The equivalent amount of money could provide clean, safe drinking
water to 3.5 million people per year - or the total population of
Liberia.
Rate of Death in Northern Uganda Is Three Times Higher Than in
Iraq - New Report
Oxfam International
http://www.oxfam.org
March 30, 2006
The current rate of death from the war in northern Uganda is
three times higher than in Iraq following the Allied
invasion, finds a new report released today. The release of the
report comes as the UN Under-Secretary General Jan Egeland
holds high-level meetings in Kampala with the Ugandan government
and other international representatives to address the 20-year
conflict in northern Uganda.
The report by a coalition of over 50 leading
non-governmental organisations, Civil Society Organisations
for Peace in Northern Uganda (CSOPNU), reveals new facts and
figures showing the brutal impact of the conflict between the
Government of Uganda and the rebel Lord's Resistance Army on
the civilian population. The coalition includes Oxfam
International, Care International, Norwegian Refugee
Council, Save the Children and International Rescue Committee
as well as national and community based organisations.
Almost two million people have been displaced by the conflict. A
staggering 25,000 children have been abducted during 20 years
of war. One quarter of children in northern Uganda over ten
years old have lost one or both parents.
The National Programme Coordinator, Uganda Child Rights NGO
Network and Chairperson of CSOPNU, Stella Ayo-Odongo said:
"Northern Uganda is one of the world's worst war zones. The
violent death rate in northern Uganda is three times higher
than in Iraq. It is tragedy of the worst proportions. This
conflict cannot be allowed to fester any longer. A peaceful
resolution of this conflict must be found."
The report, "Counting the Cost: 20 years of war in northern
Uganda" shows the devastating economic cost of the war
estimated at US$1.7 billion (GBP œ1bn) over the course of the
last two decades. This is equivalent to the USA's total aid to
Uganda between 1994 and 2002 and is the double the UK's average
annual bilateral gross public expenditure on aid to Uganda
from 1994 to 2001. The average annual cost of the war to
Uganda is US$85 million.
Kathy Relleen, Oxfam's Policy Advisor in Uganda, said that twenty
years was enough: "The Ugandan Government, the rebel army
and the international community must fully acknowledge the true
scale and horror of the situation in northern Uganda", said
Relleen. "Twenty years of brutal violence is a scar on the
world's conscience. The government of Uganda must act
resolutely and without delay, both to guarantee the effective
protection of civilians and to work with all sides to secure a
just and lasting peace."
Kevin Fitzcharles, Director, Care International said: "UN
Under-Secretary General Egeland is clearly pushing the Security
Council to act, yet none of his recommendations are being
implemented. It is time for the Security Council to recognise
that its failure to address this crisis is a scar on its record
and undermines its credibility. The UN must act by passing a
resolution urging the Government of Uganda to protect its own
people."
CSOPNU is calling upon all parties involved to take up Jan
Egeland's challenge and to act decisively. The coalition is
urging the UN Security Council to adopt Egeland's recommendation
to appoint a panel of experts to investigate the activities of
the LRA. The appointment of a high level envoy to reinvigorate
peace efforts, address all aspects of the crisis and report back
to the UN Security Council on progress has also received
widespread support though as yet no action has been taken.
Despite the scale of the crisis and its huge impact on the
region, the Secretary General has not yet been publicly
engaged. A recent meeting in Geneva offered hope for a
comprehensive plan of action on the conflict but urgent action
to make this plan a reality is needed. Benchmarks must be
established to enable the Government of Uganda to show clear
progress in monitoring peace, protecting the civilian
population, and addressing the humanitarian crisis. Egeland's
visit to Uganda raises hope for concrete action to address this
devastating crisis.
Key figures from "Counting the Cost: 20 years of war in northern
Uganda":
Rates of violent death in northern Uganda are three times higher
than those reported in Iraq following the Allied Invasion in
2003. (The violent death rate for northern Uganda is currently at
146 deaths per week, (0.17 violent deaths per 10,000 people per
day). This is three times higher than in Iraq, where the
incidence of violent death in the period following the allied
invasion was estimated to be 0.052 per 10,000 people per day.
20 years of conflict have had a devastating impact on children.
25,000 children have been abducted during the course of the war.
41 per cent of all deaths in the camps are amongst children under
5. 250,000 children in northern Uganda receive no education,
despite Uganda's policy of universal primary education. An
estimated 1,000 children have been born in LRA captivity to girls
abducted by the rebel army. At the times of heightened insecurity
up to 45,000 children "night commute" each evening and sleep in
streets or makeshift shelters in town centres to avoid being
abducted by the rebel Lord's Resistance Army. The World Food
Programme (WFP) currently delivers food to 84% of all
households that are dependent on food aid. Almost 50 per cent
of children are stunted due to malnutrition in the Kitgum area.
The economic cost of the war to Uganda after 20 years is $1.7
billion (œ 1bn). This is the equivalent of: Double the UK's
gross bilateral public expenditure on aid to Uganda between
1994 and 2001 OR the USA's total aid to Uganda between 1994 and
2002
The annual cost of the war to Uganda is $85 million. This is the
equivalent of:
The cost of providing clean, safe drinking water to 3.5 million
people per year, or the total population of Liberia Uganda's
total annual income from coffee exports The entire budget of the
World Bank's five-year Northern Uganda Social Action Fund
AfricaFocus Bulletin is an independent electronic publication
providing reposted commentary and analysis on African issues,
with a particular focus on U.S. and international policies.
AfricaFocus Bulletin is edited by William Minter.
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