Northern Uganda continues to experience inhuman conditions with high level of human rights violation a report has noted. Foundation of Human Rights Initiative has just released a report indicating intense violation of human rights in the war tone area and in Kampala.
Torture, lack of basic facilities, land wrangles and delays in the peace talks are some of the salient issues in the report. The report for the period July to December 2006 highlights continued violation of human rights in the region including Teso and Karamoja sub regions.
The report is titled Northern Uganda, Peace at last.’ It questions why the peace talks are dragging .and whether there will ever be bona fide peace in the region. It further points out inadequate law enforcement institutions, a factor that has greatly contributed towards the violation of human rights in the region.
Foundation for Human Rights director Livingstone Ssewanyana regrets the situation and calls for an immediate intervention into the justice, law and order sector. The report says the humanitarian condition particularly in IDP camps remains dire while the decongestion exercise was conducted in appropriately.
It says the new decongested camps are only a creation of second homes. On the land issue the report highlights a possible break out of conflict as people are not well informed about land ownership.
Also prominent in the report is the delay in the peace talks. The report claims that the talks may not yield positive results as was the case in the past talks. It recommends involvement of other stakeholders like the church, political parties and the local populace.
Other issues highlighted in the report include violation of media freedom and prisoner’s freedom as well as failure to adequately address the plight of children in conflict affected areas. Torture also remains prominent allegedly perpetrated by both the LRA and the UPDF.
