OCHA Situation Report No. 7/06
Uganda
12 - 29 May 2006


Source: UN Office for the Coordination of Humanitarian Affairs

I. GENERAL HUMANITARIAN CONTEXT

Security

The security situation in the three Acholi districts (Gulu, Kitgum and 
Pader) and Teso region was stable without major LRA-related incidences 
involving civilians. However, there were a number of confrontations 
between the Uganda's People Defence Force (UPDF) and the Lord's 
Resistance Army (LRA) and a number of LRA sightings in all three Acholi 
districts.

The major security incident involving civilian victims during the 
reporting period took place in Lira, where a local militia shot dead 10 
displaced people and wounded another 14 in Ogwette displacement camp on 
the night of 21 May. The objective of the gruesome murder remains 
unknown, although it is reported that the relationship between the 
detach where the culprit was attached and the camp residents had 
degenerated prior to the incident. The culprit was later apprehended and 
shot dead by the local militia in Amuria. The Office of the High 
Commissioner for Human Rights (OHCHR) is to follow up the case of 
children affected in this incident, which raises concern over the 
discipline and accountability of the local militias.

Access

Access in the conflict-affected districts, for both displaced families 
and humanitarian workers remains largely unchanged from April. In Kitgum 
and Gulu districts, the UPDF effectively provided military escorts for 
field movements as per weekly plans submitted by OCHA on behalf of 
humanitarian agencies. The UN Department for Safety and Security (UNDSS) 
also drafted some guidelines to address some of the operational problems 
such as payment of transporters, communication and convoy leadership. 
However, the humanitarian agencies in Kitgum have complained about the 
reduction in numbers of escorts per convoy from twelve to eight, which 
according to the UPDF was a result of their analysis of the security 
situation. OCHA/UNDSS have agreed with the military that the numbers of 
escorts should depend on the size of the convoy and that decision to 
withdraw escorts, which is being contemplated by the UDPF for certain 
areas, should be done gradually and with the participation of the NGOs.

In Gulu it is reported that the withdrawal of military escorts 
requirement for 69% of the camps has enabled a number of agencies which 
could not meet escorts related costs to access more camps. Also 
increased is the number of man hours spent in the camps and levels of 
activity. Displaced families continue to access farmland for 
cultivation, with the increasing rainfall, and expanded activities to 
new settlement sites and along major roads. In Lira district, displaced 
persons are easily accessing their villages in Bata, Amugo, Barr, Ogur 
sub counties where the return process is ongoing. The UDPF maintains 
that all displacement camps in Lira are freely accessible, but still 
provide military escort on request by UN agencies for movements to camps 
such as Okwang, Okwango, Adwari, Aliwang, Orum, Abia and Olilim on the 
border with Pader district.

Cholera outbreak

The cholera outbreak which started in Kitgum in April has now spread to 
Pader district. District health authorities in Kitgum attribute the 
outbreak to cross-border population movements between Sudan and Kitgum, 
poor sanitation and hygiene practices and consumption of contaminated 
stream water. As of 1 June, the cumulative number of cases for ten sub 
counties in Kitgum (Agoro, Potika, Palabek Gem, Kitgum Town Council, 
Paloga, Padibe, Kitgum Matidi, Madi Opei, Mucwini and Namukora) stood at 
617 with eight deaths. The worst affected camps are Potika with 239 
cases, followed by Agoro (174), Kitgum Town Council (55) and Padibe 
(45). The displacement camps along the Sudanese border as well as those 
along the main axis connecting Kitgum town to the Sudan have been 
categorised as high risk and include Ngomoromo, Pangira, Madi Kiloc, 
Aweno Olwiyo, border (Lukung, Palabek Kal, Palabek Ogili, Amida).

The first case of cholera was reported in Pader on 27th May and by end 
of the month three cases were confirmed in Acholi-Bur displacement camp 
located on the Gulu- Kitgum road. All three cases were treated in Kitgum 
town council cholera treatment centre. A fourth case was reported on 1 
June in Pajule displacement camp. The main challenges in combating the 
spread of the disease and management of the registered cases include the 
inadequate capacity and supplies in the districts, poor sanitation and 
hygiene practices in the communities, cross border movements (Sudan - 
Kitgum - Pader) and insufficient supply of safe water and sanitation 
facilities in the camps. Despite the challenges, the following response 
strategies are being coordinated by the District Directors of Health 
Services of Kitgum and Pader:

- Cholera task forces are fully operational in both districts and meet 
daily to review progress, although Pader district is still relying on 
support and supplies from Kitgum. The task forces are divided into 
operational committees over viewing the pillars of the response: case 
management including setting up cholera treatment centres, social 
mobilization, water and sanitation activities, surveillance, and 
logistics for all the camps.

- Although the number of deaths have been contained (eight so far), a 
lot of concerted effort is still required to prevent the spread of the 
disease both within Kitgum and in Pader.

- Gulu has remained on high alert for cholera with threats from Southern 
Sudan, Pader and Kitgum. The overcrowded camps situation, with the poor 
health and sanitation hygiene, remains vulnerably grounds for the speedy 
spread of the epidemic.

Night Commuters

According to UNICEF May 2006 data, there was a reversal in the declining 
trend of night commuter figures registered in Gulu until April 06. In 
May, the numbers increased by 13.67%, from 5,884 in April to 6817 
children. According to MSF who operate a night commuter's centre in 
Lacor, the increase was attributed to increased insecurity incidences in 
the Koch Keyo area as well as to the school holidays during which more 
children are at home. In Kitgum, preliminary head count results for May 
from 13 of the 15 centres stands at 4,696, a decline from 6,718 in 
April. In response to the steadily declining numbers, one centre at 
Kitgum government Hospital B has been phased out and another due in June 
2006. In addition, NGOs in Kitgum are considering shifting their 
outreach from night commuters centres directly to communities.

II. POPULATION MOVEMENTS

Movements outside displacement camps

Despite ongoing population movement outside displacement camps to new 
settlement sites in the Acholi districts, freedom of movement has not 
necessarily improved. Security arrangements in the new sites remain as 
stringent as in the displacement camps with imposed curfew and security 
perimeters. Access to land has increased principally along side main 
roads patrolled by the UPDF. In fact, increased access to land is the 
main motivating factor for families to move. Living conditions have 
neither improved in the original displacement camps nor in the new 
settlements. The movement is gradual with children attending school and 
the elderly remaining in the displacement camps while the rest of the 
family sets foot in the new sites. The lack of grass for thatch roof and 
dry bricks will hamper the construction of new houses till the next dry 
season. Following assessment of new sites in Kitgum and Gulu districts, 
an inter-agency assessment of the 18 decongestion sites was carried out 
in Pader from 9 to 12 May. Preliminary findings confirm the trends 
identified in Gulu and Kitgum.

Return and Resettlement

In Lira the UPDF conducted sensitisation programmes in Abako, Alanyi and 
Amugo displacement camps to assure displaced families of safety in 
return areas. The District Human Rights Promotion Committee, chaired by 
the Uganda Human Rights Commission, recommended that the UPDF 
coordinates these efforts with other stakeholders to ensure maximum 
impact of confidence building measures among displaced families.

Contact: Christophe illemassene or Beatrice Lakot at illemassene@un.org 
/ lakot@un.org More information on the humanitarian situation in 
Northern Uganda available at www.reliefweb.int

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