Uganda Project

Read "Talking to tyrants: Jan Egeland meets Joseph Kony"
November 16, 2006, comments from Dr. Joyce Neu

Read "Turning a blind eye to democracy and displacement: Uganda on the road to a dead end?" -Joyce Neu

In early 2004, the Institute became involved in the peace process to end the 18-year-war in Northern Uganda that has pitted the government of President Yoweri Museveni against Joseph Kony of the Lords Resistance Army (LRA), a rebel movement that claims it is fighting for democracy and a government based on the Ten Commandments. The LRA is estimated to have abducted more than 25,000 children and more than 1.6 million people are displaced in the north of the country.

Acting as a consultant to a USAID-sponsored project, an IPJ staff member traveled to Uganda in March 2004 to meet with high level governmental and nongovernmental officials and members of the international diplomatic community to assess the situation and make recommendations for a peace process in Uganda.

In May, the staff member returned to Uganda to advance a quiet, unofficial peace process. During that trip, meetings were held with people in an Internally Displaced Camp in Gulu (Northern Uganda) and a night commuters center for children who walk to safety each night from their villages.

The IPJ remains in contact with international officials and with people in Northern Uganda and seeks to promote and facilitate peace talks between the LRA and the government. Another potential facet of IPJ engagement in Uganda is developing an exchange for students and interns with Makerere University as well as offering conflict resolution training for faculty and staff at Makerere.

Staff at the IPJ have been involved in peace, development and democratization in Uganda since 1986.

Read the Policy Brief given by Joyce Neu on June 1, 2005 at the Russell Senate Office Building, Washington, DC.

Map of Uganda