Albert Ocen, who lost fingers to LRA rebels. PHOTO/JANE NAFULA
Nearly two decades after the cessation of hostilities, the echoes of the Lord’s Resistance Army’s (LRA) brutal conflict continue to reverberate across northern Uganda.
The region, once a theatre of unspeakable atrocities, remains home to countless victims still battling the profound physical and psychological scars of war.
These wounds, both visible and invisible, impede their ability to lead normal lives, perpetuating a cycle of poverty and trauma that threatens to engulf future generations.
Mr Albert Ocen, a 38-year-old resident of Aloi Village in Agago District, embodies this ongoing struggle. His ears, lips, and fingers, mutilated by LRA rebels in 2002, serve as a constant reminder of the violence he endured as a primary school pupil.
“I can’t work effectively. I fear to associate with people because of my appearance. I wouldn’t be in this kind of state if I had not been affected by the war,” he laments, his gaze fixed on his disfigured hands.
Mr Ocen, a shopkeeper and farmer, finds simple tasks like tilling the land with a hand hoe excruciating, a daily reminder of the war’s enduring impact.
He implores the government and humanitarian organisations to provide financial and mental health support, acknowledging the limited relief he received from TPO Uganda. “I’m feeling a bit better because of the psychosocial support... They sent here their team not only to counsel us but also give us some start-up capital. I used the money to open a retail shop, but we need more support from government,” Mr Ocen says.
Beyond physical injuries
The LRA’s two-decade reign of terror, under the leadership of Joseph Kony, left a devastating legacy: more than 100,000 dead and 1.8 million displaced.
The scars of this conflict extend beyond physical injuries, manifesting as severe psychological trauma, including Post-Traumatic Stress Disorder (PTSD), which cripples victims’ ability to function normally.
Jennifer Lamwaka, former LRA abductee. PHOTO/JANE NAFULA
Ms Jennifer Lamwaka, a former LRA abductee and mother of seven from Pader District, shares a similar story of enduring hardship. She lived with a bullet fragment lodged in her hip until 2022 when TPO Uganda facilitated her surgery.
Abducted at the tender age of 14, she endured years of sexual violence and forced marriage.
“I was given a rebel of 38 years to be my husband. He had three other wives who were also abducted girls. When I refused to have sex, he beat me seriously,”Ms Lamwaka says. “When I came back home from the bush, I was so bitter.
I wanted to commit suicide because life was meaningless... All these challenges complicate life,” she recounts.
Despite her trauma, Ms Lamwaka expresses gratitude for the support she received.
“I thank TPO for taking me to hospital for rehabilitation and giving me start-up capital. I have a shop. All my children are now in school,” she says.
Efforts
Ms Josephine Akurut, the coordinator of TPO Uganda’s rehabilitation project, highlights the organisation’s efforts to address the multifaceted needs of LRA victims.
Since 2019, in partnership with the Trust Fund for Victims (TFV),they have provided physical rehabilitation, mental health support, and livelihood assistance in Gulu, Pader, Agago, and Omoro
districts.
“We worked with Gulu and Lira referral hospitals and a total of 1,180 cases that needed physical rehabilitation were successfully attended to, but there are quite a number that are still in the community,” she explains.
“The greatest fear right now as they are closing the project, is sustaining victims that are on mental health drugs,” Ms Akurut adds.
Dr Jimmy Komakech, Gulu Regional Referral Hospital. PHOTO/JANE NAFULA
Dr Jimmy Komakech, who worked at Gulu Regional Referral Hospital during the project, emphasises the prevalence of gynaecological issues resulting from sexual violence.
“They had pelvic inflammatory diseases. We also got a number of women who suffered bad tears and we had to repair them, but the most common one was the retained bullet fragments,” he adds.
Health care challenges
He urges the government to decentralise healthcare services, making them more accessible to remote communities. Beyond physical and mental health challenges, the LRA conflict has exacerbated existing social tensions.
Ms Akurut notes that the project addressed internal conflicts stemming from land disputes, gender-based violence, and the stigmatisation of children born in captivity.
“An estimated 5,727 people benefited from this intervention. About 50 cases were resolved in collaboration with the community support structures out of the 100 cases identified. In addition, 30 land conflict cases were supported with the demarcation of land boundaries,” she explains.
Scott Portell, programme manager at TFV, highlights the scale of the ongoing need.
“For more than 17 years, the entity, through a network of NGO and partners, has been able to reach out to 85,000 victims of the conflict in northern Uganda. There are more than a million people who need relief from suffering,” he states.
TFV is transitioning from assistance to reparations for victims of Dominic Ongwen’s atrocities, following an ICC ruling awarding 52.4 million Euros to affected communities.
“We are not satisfied with only helping the 85,000 people. We hope to help more people when we transition to reparations as well,” Portell asserts.
Appeal
Mr Peter Okwi, the country director of TPO Uganda, calls for efficient resource allocation, particularly as donor support diminishes.
“It is incumbent for NGOs like us to be more efficient, to be more meaningful, and to be able to demonstrate value for money,” he emphasises.
Gulu District chairperson Christopher Opiyo Ateker points to corruption as a significant impediment to effective rehabilitation efforts.
“Some key stakeholders who are supposed to implement all these programmes, first think about themselves. When you have bad leaders, people suffer,” he states, while commending TPO Uganda’s commitment.
Robert Ojok was abducted in 2001 and on several occasions, he was ordered to kill
abductees. PHOTO/JANE NAFULA
BACKGROUND
The LRA, a rebel outfit headed by Joseph Kony, left over 100,000 people killed and over 1.8 million displaced in northern Uganda during their two-decade civil war against President Museveni's government. Kony is the subject of an arrest warrant issued by the International Criminal Court (ICC). He faces numerous charges of war crimes and crimes against humanity. Last year, the ICC ordered that 52.4 million Euros (about Shs 223.7 billion) be paid to victims of the atrocities committed by jailed LRA commander Dominic Ongwen.
