ICC fund brings relief to war victims
ICC outreach coordinator for Uganda and Kenya Maria Kamara (in white T-shirt) interacts with survivors of 2004 Lukodi massacre at Lukodi in Gulu District in July last year. Photo by James Owich
Gulu- At least 40,000 survivors of the Lord’s Resistance Army (LRA) rebellion in northern Uganda have received surgery and psychosocial support through the International Criminal Court (ICC)’s Trust Fund for Victims (TFV).
Since 2008, TFV has been involved in the rehabilitation of the victims in the 18 districts of the greater north.
ICC outreach coordinator for Uganda and Kenya Maria Kamara told journalists at Lukodi massacre site last week that survivors received facial reconstruction, plastic surgery, replacement of limbs and micro-credit loans.
“The programme specifically targets those with extreme cases and needed urgent assistance. We could not wait until a guilty verdict (against suspected perpetrators of crimes) is arrived at before coming to help those who needed support most,” Ms Kamara said.
She also noted that despite dire need among war survivors, ICC cannot provide for everyone who faced the alleged LRA atrocities.
The ICC outreach coordinator, however, said reparations would be given depending on the outcome of the case before the ICC against former LRA commander Dominic Ongwen and other commanders, when arrested.
The programme manager of conflict, transitional justice and governance under the Refugee Law Project (RLP), Mr Stephen Oola, estimates that at least 200,000 LRA war victims in northern Uganda are still grappling with various forms of injuries inflicted on them during the insurgency.
