Impact of the Lord's Resistance Army - Uganda peace talks on the observance of human rights in Northern Uganda. Time frame 1983 – 2009.

Abstract

During all the Lord’s Resistance Army/Movement (LRA/M) - Uganda peace talks (Seven peace talk attempts: from 1993 to 2009) both the Ugandan government and the LRA leadership on a number of occasions offered temporary ceasefires to allow negotiations to commence. But hostilities, atrocities and violations of human rights continued. The displaced people of Northern Uganda remained isolated, ignored and unprotected, vulnerable to abuses by both the rebels and army forces. This study delved to investigate the impact of the LRA/M – Uganda government peace talks on the observation of human rights in northern Uganda, in establishing the effects of the peace talks, the challenges brought about by the process and suggested recommendations for improvements. This study established that the peace talks came with both negative and positive impact, however to some extent, other factors also propelled the human right situation in the region. Contributing overwhelmingly to the changes in the human rights observance in Northern Uganda. Detailed and important agreements were eventually reached for each agenda. But the talks struggled to achieve the level playing field necessary to build trust between the parties, leading to a direct suffering toll on the civilian population. (1) Different motivations and expectations, (2) Representation and negotiating strength, (3) Continued violence and distrust, (4) Multiple voices and parallel processes, (5) International involvement and the question of justice, had a direct retaliation impact on the human right situations: i.e., exposed civilians to more violence for instance wilful killing, rape, torture-mistreatments, arbitrary arrest, mutilation, and abductions from both sides, divided the Acholi people. However, on the other hand, it also brought about the atmosphere of ceasefire, exposed Joseph Kony's empty mythical nature, led to the final blow to Kony's presence in Uganda, and exposed the lack of accountability and UPDF's impunity during the war. This end, the essay postulates that it's safe to say that the peace talks extensively changed the manner in which the northern region is viewed. Thus, concluding by noting that, the increase and decrease in the human rights situation during the war, were utmost propelled by the ad-hoc methods of piling people in the camps that were limited to basic supplies and at the same-time with limited security presence on the perimeters.