OCHA Situation Report
Uganda
1 - 15 October 2006


Source: UN Office for the Coordination of Humanitarian Affairs

I. GENERAL HUMANITARIAN CONTEXT

Security

The calm situation still prevails in the conflict affected northern 
Uganda region. A UNDSS report released on September 30 indicated that 
Lords Resistance Army (LRA) activity had died out, at least for the 
duration of the peace negotiations in Juba. There were no raids 
reported, no civilian killings and abductions, no confrontations with 
Uganda People's Defence Forces (UPDF) and no aggressive daytime 
activity. LRA presence was reported in Pabbo (Gulu) and in Agago and 
Atanga (Pader).

However, UNDSS reported an increase in Karimojong and criminal 
activities. This was attributed to the withdrawal of UPDF troops as per 
the cessation of hostilities agreement. The criminals were responsible 
for the death of at least three civilians mainly in Lira and Kitgum. The 
Karimojong on the other hand killed five civilians and were involved in 
two fire exchanges with UPDF and Local Defence Unit (LDU). In response, 
the UPDF has redeployed troops in specific areas to contain the 
situation.

In Karamoja the security situation has deteriorated. According to UNDSS, 
inter-clan fighting, cattle rustling and road ambushes are now more 
common. UNDSS is now trying to establish a more effective reporting 
system in the region, ahead of the deployment of a UN international 
security officer.

In another development in Amilmil trading centre (Katakwi district), two 
people were killed and seven severely injured, when an Unxeploded 
Ordinance (UXO) they were melting exploded. They had wanted to use the 
UXO copper and steel to make an axe. An Explosive Ordinance Disposal 
(EOD) response team searched the area and detonated another Explosive 
Remnants of War (ERWs). Next Thursday the Minister of State for Disaster 
Preparedness, Relief and Refugees with other OPM management staff will 
visit this area and other ERWs will be detonated.

In Kibaale, in the last week of September, the UPDF was reported to have 
killed four suspected Allied Democratic Forces (ADF) rebels in an 
ambush. Currently, the ADF are reported to be lying low and avoiding 
contact with the population. UNDSS will soon embark on a re-evaluation 
of the security phases in ADF affected areas.

Access:

Humanitarian agencies have reduced their military escort requirements 
and expanded their reach in areas of operation. According to UNDSS, UN 
agencies can now access all locations in Gulu without military escorts, 
with the exception of three sites. This situation has seen an 
improvement in service delivery and a cut in costs with minimum exposure 
to risk. Similarly, the civilian population has expanded their reach to 
land and other resources.

Camp fires:

A fire outbreak in Padibe camp (Kitgum) gutted 72 huts, leaving 366 IDPs 
without homes or household items. Similarly in Agweng camp (Lira), a 
fire razed 217 huts and in Gulu, 398 and 17 huts were reportedly burnt 
in Olwal and Opit camps respectively. The cause of the fires is yet 
unknown.

Humanitarian agencies have warned that as the dry season draws nearer, 
more of these fires might be witnessed. As such, it is important for all 
of them to replenish their emergency shelter/Non Food Item (NFI) stocks. 
In addition, it is important for agencies to take preventive measures 
against such unexplained fire outbreaks. In Agweng camp, Uganda Red 
Cross Society (URCS) is already conducting group discussions with the 
camp dwellers to find ways of forestalling the fires, while Christian 
Children's Fund (CCF) is facilitating resident patrols and sensitization 
about fires. GOAL, in partnership with Fire Masters from Kampala, 
trained two community fire volunteers from each block in Pader Town 
Council on fire prevention and control. The community fire volunteers 
will in turn sensitise the community. Samaritan's Purse trained six IDPs 
per camp on fire response and basic first aid to handle fire outbreak in 
the camp in Adwari corner, Aliwang, Orum, Olilim, Okwongo and Okwang 
camps.

II. POPULATION MOVEMENTS

Decongestion Return and Resettlement

In Kitgum, out of 54 sites that were assessed in August and September, 
the population movement committee has recommended 17 sites as suitable 
for resettlement. These sites were found to have key facilities like 
security, passable roads, water, schools and access to heath centres. 
Local leaders are sensitizing the population about these available 
places so that the IDPs can make informed choices on where to settle.

The Resident District Commissioner (RDC) held a consultative meeting 
with the sub-county leaders to exchange views on the proposed plan of 
moving people closer to their areas of origin. The meeting resolved that 
1) Local Councils (LCs) should identify safe areas that IDPs can move 
into 2) Sub county population movement committees should be established 
3) the Kitgum LCV should work with stakeholder in Pader and Kotido to 
find ways of addressing the Karimojong issue.

OCHA/UNICEF developed a checklist to help in tracking population 
movement. The aim is to get a bi-weekly update on IDPs leaving camps, 
identify resettlement areas, and get to know the families likely to be 
separated during the movement. LC III agreed to help in collecting the 
information.

In Pader a four-day inter-agency assessment on the 108 new sites was 
completed and the production of reports is underway. Preliminary 
observations indicate that about 65% of the sites could not be accessed 
because of impassable roads, overgrown bush, and the absence of 
residents in such sites.

In Gulu, 15 new sites assessed in June were approved, bringing the total 
number of resettlement camps in Gulu/Amuru to 66. The main challenge 
facing the Sector Working Group is effective monitoring of activities in 
the face of mushrooming new sites.

In Lira, IRC conducted assessed 14 villages in Abako sub-county, 26 
villages in Aloi and 14 villages in Apala. All villages were found to 
have local council governing structures and several civil society 
organisations. UNHCR also conducted an assessment of Oboko village, were 
369 families have returned over the past year. The village was found 
heavily infested with mosquitoes and lacking water sources.

IDP population revalidation exercise

WFP Uganda is working with International Organisation for Migration 
(IOM) and other partners to finalize the data entry process of the 
information gathered in the recent verification exercise of IDPs in 
Acholiland. WFP attended a UNHCR led workshop in Nairobi from Oct 8-10th 
to share lessons learnt in IDP profiling.

Night commuters

According to UNICEF, the declining trend has continued in all three 
districts of Gulu Kitgum and Pader with a total of 7894 night commuters 
at the end of September, down from 8,459 in August.

In Gulu the Night Commuter Working Group is discussing ways of 
responsibly closing night commuter centers. So far, community 
discussions are going on to sensitize caretakers about the need to 
encourage children to stay home and the associated risk factors of 
having children continuing to commute when their friends are staying 
home. War Child Holland has agreed to take on the case management for 
night commuters whom the screening process identified as "at risk". 
Support will be dependant on outcomes of family assessments that will 
verify information gathered during the screening. On 13 October a 
roundtable discussion "Beyond Night Commuting" organized by MSF took 
place in Gulu. Discussions centered on developing a plan within the 
framework of broader issues affecting children in the district.

In Kitgum, the phase out plan which started in August entered the third 
and final month, with significant progress in the planned activities. 
There is ongoing community sensitization about the need to encourage 
children to remain home and the risks associated with continued night 
commuting. UNICEF has so far supported six shelters to conduct evening 
time recreation activities outside the municipality. Screening and 
identification of children at risk is ongoing. Five shelters have so far 
completed the process, covering a total of 1342 children. Identification 
is based on exposure to abuse, total absence of adult caretakers and 
extreme poverty.

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