OCHA Situation Report
Uganda
16 - 30 November 2006


Source: UN Office for the Coordination of Humanitarian Affairs

I. GENERAL HUMANITARIAN CONTEXT

Security

According to the United Nations Department for Security and Safety 
(UNDSS), the situation in Acholi districts has remained largely calm 
over the last two weeks. The terms of the Cessation of Hostilities 
Agreement are still holding. However, it was reported on November 30th 
that the LRA had pulled out of the ongoing peace talks in Juba claiming 
that the Uganda People's Defence Forces (UPDF) had killed three of their 
fighters who were heading towards an assembly point in Southern Sudan. 
The LRA further said that they would stay out of the talks until the 
UPDF withdrew from southern Sudan. It remains unclear how these latest 
developments will impact on the humanitarian situation, especially the 
return of displaced persons whose hopes had been pegged on the 
successful completion of the peace talks. UNDSS also reported cases of 
insecurity due to criminal activities of armed groups (Boo Kec) and 
Karamajong warriors who have continued to make incursions into Pader and 
Kitgum districts.

Reports of Allied Democratic Forces (ADF) presence persist in Kibaale 
and Hoima districts in Western Uganda. According to UNDSS, ADF rebels 
are reported to have engaged in some shooting with the UPDF between 
Kyangwali refugee settlement and Lake Albert.

Access

As the security situation continues to improve, access has become easier 
and restrictions on movement have been relaxed ? displaced persons can 
now move freely between 6.00am and 7.00pm and humanitarian agencies 
between 8.00am and 5.00pm. In Gulu, the newly appointed District 
Resettlement Officers (DROs) reported that IDPs are increasingly 
accessing their own farmland up to 8kms away from their camps.

To facilitate IDP movement and enhance community access, World Food 
Programme (WFP), United Nations High Commissioner for Refugees (UNHCR) 
and the district authorities are continuing with road rehabilitation and 
reopening in various locations in Gulu and Lira. In Katakwi/Amuria, 
heavy rains are making roads more impassable and hampering access by 
humanitarian service providers. Over 28 camps in the two districts are 
inaccessible, and some agencies' trucks and cars were reported to have 
been stuck in the field.

II. KARAMOJA SITUATION

Security

Violent clashes between the UPDF and Karamajong warriors have continued 
since the October 29th incidents in Lopuyo. The Government of Uganda 
maintains that forceful disarmament using the cordon and search method 
will continue, in spite of calls from political leaders and development 
partners for a review of the approach. On the other hand, there are no 
indications that the warriors will let up their violent activities. 
There are unconfirmed reports that at least 200 warriors are undergoing 
military training outside Uganda and procuring anti aircraft weapons. 
Owing to the continued insecurity, UNDSS only recommends essential 
travel into the region which should be security checked.

Humanitarian situation

Since the escalation of violence stated, over 150 deaths have been 
reported, including UPDF soldiers, Karimojong warriors, unarmed women, 
children and elderly people. A lot of property has also been lost, with 
the burning of homesteads, "manyattas" and granaries, mainly by UPDF 
tanks. By November 29th, approximately 1000 people were still displaced, 
seeking refuge in the premises of Church of Uganda, Catholic Missions, 
District Headquarters and Senior Staff Quarters. The economic 
livelihoods of civilians have also been badly affected as many of them 
have lost their cattle. More than 2000 animals were reported to have 
been killed during the air bombing with MI-24 attack helicopters. In 
addition, gross human rights abuses have been reported, committed by 
both UPDF and Karimojong warriors. These include arbitrary arrests and 
detentions, torture, extrajudicial executions, forced labour, extortion 
of money and rape among many others.

In response, some humanitarian agencies have provided relief aid to the 
victims of the violence including non food items (NFIs) and emergency 
supplies for the health centres in affected areas. WFP and UNICEF 
provided the NFIs, health kits and are funding water and sanitation 
activities. CARITAS, Church of Uganda and Oxfam are taking the lead in 
registering the displaced persons and affected population. There have 
been several assessment missions to the area and all have decried the 
human rights abuse and heinous acts of violence committed by both UPDF 
and warriors. The United Nations Resident Coordinator (RC), the 
Emergency Relief Coordinator (ERC), Jan Egeland, OHCHR and UNICEF have 
all expressed the need for government to exercise restraint and to 
review the cordon and search approach to disarmament. There have been 
various calls for thorough investigations into all allegations of human 
rights abuse by different agencies

Access

The continued insecurity in the area has resulted into limited access 
for humanitarian agencies. Given that the warriors are targeting UPDF, 
and that the police do not have the capacity to quell the violence or 
provide adequate armed escort, humanitarian access by agencies has been 
jeopardized. In some areas it has been impossible to get an accurate 
picture of the consequences of the ongoing violence due to lack of safe 
access. These areas include Toror Hills in Kotido district, Lobeel Hills 
and Morongole Mountains in Kabong district. UNDSS reported that vehicles 
are still plying the key routes in Kaboong, Abim and Moroto, although 
some ambushes were reported along the Kotido-Abiim road. It is still 
necessary to take security precautions when travelling in the region.

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