OCHA Situation Report
Uganda
Report for December 2006 - January 2007
12 February 2007


Source: UN Office for the Coordination of Humanitarian Affairs

I. GENERAL HUMANITARIAN CONTEXT

Security

The Juba Peace talks between the Government of Uganda and the Lord's 
Resistance Army (LRA) are in an impasse and LRA Commander Vincent Oti is 
reported to have reiterated that the LRA would not be continuing 
negotiations in Juba, unless the venue and mediator are changed. This 
has caused some tension and fear in Acholi districts of a possible 
return of the LRA to Uganda. Small groups of LRA rebels have been 
sighted in Atanga Sub County in Pader and Patiko and Paicho Sub counties 
in Gulu district. Two people were also reported to have been abducted in 
Atanga Sub country, Pader district.

In Kitgum, the Resident District Commissioner (RDC) revealed that his 
office, in collaboration with the office of the District Security Office 
(DISO) had completed the process of revitalising the Sub County Security 
Committees (SCSC) in all the 19 sub counties. The SCSC is charged with 
security monitoring and reporting and assessment of proposed sites for 
IDP settlement.

According to United Nations Department of Security and Safety (UNDSS), 
the forceful disarmament exercise in Karamoja conducted through cordon 
and search operations by the Uganda People's Defence Forces (UPDF) 
continues amidst increased tension. In two separate incidents during the 
reporting period, one vehicle was ambushed and looted and 11 women (two 
pregnant) were killed and four injured by unknown attackers in 
Nakapiririt district.

The persistent presence and activities of Karamojong warriors is also 
still a destabilising factor in the neighbouring districts of Teso, 
Kitgum and Pader. In Katakwi, a group of Karimojong women and children 
who had moved into the district in search of food were forcefully 
evicted on the suspicion that they are providing intelligence 
information to the warriors. According to UNDSS, this is only one of the 
many cases of forceful eviction.

Access:

In Gulu, Kitgum and Pader, there was growing concern among humanitarian 
agencies and the internally displaced persons (IDPs) over reports of LRA 
sightings in the districts. Nonetheless, this has so far not impacted on 
movements and activities of both IDPs and the aid agencies within the 
districts, including access to gardens for IDPs. The military escort 
policy remains in place for UN agencies and NGOs, depending on their 
mandate and security policy, although the request for military escorts 
by NGOs during the reporting period was notably low in the three 
districts.

In Katakwi and Amuria districts, the presence of suspected Karamoja 
warriors and poor road conditions remain the limiting factors for access 
to internally displaced people's camps.

In response to the persistent threat and activities of the Karamojong 
warriors in Kitgum and Pader, the district authorities have recruited, 
trained and will deploy the Anti Stock Theft Unit (ASTU) to counter the 
incursions by the warriors particularly in areas bordering Karamojong 
districts. In Kitgum the threat of the Karamojong warriors is 
experienced mainly in Omiya anyima, Namukora and Orom sub counties in 
Eastern Kitgum. Over 800 persons recruited in the ASTU in November 06 
have been trained and deployed in Lukung, Paloga, Madi opei, Agoro, 
Namukora, Orom and Anyima anyima, Lagoro and Kitgum matidi sub counties 
to counter Karamojong incursions. The ASTU, which will be supervised by 
the District Police Commander, are currently receiving a salary of 
100,000 shillings per month and monthly food rations. In Pader over 
1,900 trained ASTU will be deployed in areas along the eastern border 
with Karamoja at Lacekotoo (near the border with Lira and Abim 
districts), Ajwaa, Obur Gulu, Lira Kaket and Longor

Meningitis outbreak in Karamoja and West Nile

Karamoja

According to the World Health Organisation (WHO), a suspected outbreak 
of meningitis type XYZ in Kotido was reported to the Ministry of Health 
(MoH) on the 20 December 06. A team of experts from the MoH and medical 
supplies was then sent to the district on 22 December and their findings 
indicated that the outbreak had not reached epidemic proportions. 
However, by 10 January, WHO reported that there were 113 cases and 11 
deaths with a case fatality rate (CFR) of 11% (above acceptable limit of 
10%) in the district. It was also reported that all sub counties of 
Kotido district were affected and most of the cases were from the 
Nakapolimeru military barracks where the conditions (crowding) favors 
the transmission of the disease. According to WHO, the meningitis strain 
reported in Kotido cannot be vaccinated.

West Nile

WHO also reported an outbreak of Meningitis type A and C in 
Arua/Maracha/Terego, Koboko, Yumbe, Adjumani and Moyo districts in West 
Nile region. During the reporting period, Arua/Maracha reported the 
highest number of cases (709 cases and 21 deaths with a CFR of 3%) 
followed by Koboko (319 cases and 18 deaths with a CFR of 5.6%). The 
outbreak has affected 19 out of 31 sub counties (including two divisions 
in Arua Municipality) in the two districts. Yumbe district reported 69 
cases and three deaths; Adjumani district reported 42 cases and five 
deaths, while Moyo reported 27 cases and three deaths and Nebbi reported 
four cases and two deaths. A vaccination campaign targeting persons of 
ages between two and 30 years is ongoing in Arua and Koboko and so far 
five sub counties (two in Arua and three in Koboko) out of the 19 
affected sub counties have been covered.

Cross border movements between Uganda, Democratic Republic of Congo 
(DRC) and South Sudan have impacted on the rate of spread and control of 
the Meningitis outbreak in West Nile Region. According WHO an outbreak 
of Meningitis types A and C was also reported in Kajokeji in Sudan and 
the DRC. Medicines Sans Frontiere, Switzerland (MSF-Swiss) has responded 
to the outbreak in the DRC, but there is no information on any 
vaccination campaigns in Kajokeji in South Sudan.

In Northern Uganda, the suspected case of Meningitis reported in Pader 
district was yet to be confirmed. However, WHO is supporting the 
districts to draw Meningitis Emergency Preparedness Response plans (EPR) 
in Acholi and Lango regions. EPR training was done in Lira and a similar 
training is planned for Gulu. Medical supplies have been pre-positioned 
in Gulu, Kitgum, Pader and Lira.

Cholera outbreak

Kitgum district continues to register the highest cumulative number of 
cholera cases in the country. According to WHO, a total of 1,670 
cumulative cases and 31 deaths and a CFR of 1.9% has been registered in 
the district since April last year. Kitgum Town Council accounts for 90% 
of the new cholera cases (13) reported this month. Other areas reporting 
new cases in Kitgum are Omiya Anyima (1) and Namukora (3). Lack of 
commitment from local authorities and 'cholera fatigue' among aid 
agencies have been cited as main challenges in combating cholera in the 
district.

Kampala district had the second highest number of cholera cases (1,057 
cases, 11 deaths and CFR of 1% by Jan 31), nonetheless WHO reported that 
rate of infection had reduced by the end of January. Other districts 
affected by cholera include Pader (145 cases and 15 deaths and a CFR of 
10.3% since June last year). No new cases were reported by the end of 
this month.

According to the WHO's Health Action in Crisis (HAC) report of the week 
ending 31 Jan, one case of cholera was reported in Gulu on 05 Jan. The 
patient had a history of travel to Sudan. This brings the cumulative 
total of cholera cases in Gulu/Amuru districts to 45 since June last 
year.

Mine Action

In December 06, UNDSS reported that one person in Pader lost an arm when 
an Unexploded Ordinances (UXOs) exploded in the garden where he was 
digging. In the first week of January 07, one landmine was discovered at 
Akuna Laber, one of the proposed sites for resettlement in Kitgum. 
During the month, over 150 UXOs were reported in 40 locations in Gulu 
and Amuru districts. Given the increasing rate of population movements 
to return/settlement sites in Gulu, Kitgum and Pader districts there is 
need for the Mine Action Centre (MAC), located in the Office of the 
Prime Minister in Kampala, to speed up and expand the capacity for 
assessments and de-mining of suspected areas in the districts. 
Associazione Volontari per Servizio Internationale (AVSI) has been 
identified as focal point for collecting, compiling and forwarding 
information on suspected hazardous areas in Gulu and Amuru to MAC in 
Kampala.

MAC also released the report of the Land Mine Assessments conducted in 
Lira and Soroti in 2006. According to the report, 12 suspected hazardous 
areas (SHA) were identified in Lira and nine in Soroti. The assessment 
also established that 66.7% of the respondents in both districts had 
received information on mine/ Unexploded Ordinances (UXOs) safety mainly 
through the radio and from the army. Most respondents in the two 
districts felt that they are still in danger of mine accidents.

Fire outbreaks

In Kitgum three fire outbreaks were reported during this period. In 
Okidi parish in Amida Sub County and Potika B, fire gutted two huts 
respectively while in Padibe, at least twenty-four huts were burnt. The 
fire in Padibe was started by a child attempting to prepare food. The 
International Committee of the Red Cross (ICRC) provided the necessary 
NFIs to all the affected households.

- - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - -
Appropriate Donations for International Disaster/Humanitarian Needs
- - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - -
Center for International              web: www.cidi.org
    Disaster Information          listserv: www.cidi.org/listsub.htm
                                guidelines: www.cidi.org/donate.htm
- - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - -