During the year under review, Uganda remained a key player in the Great Lakes and Horn of Africa regions. It continued to be involved in the conflict in the neigh-bouring Democratic Republic of the Congo, backing armed opposition groups fighting the Congolese government.

In December, a peace agreement was signed by the Ugandan and Sudanese governments. Brokered by the Carter Center in Nairobi, the agreement includes provisions for the repatriation of Sudanese POWs, the reunification of abducted children with their families and pledges to stop supporting each other’s armed opposition groups. Just before the agreement was signed, the Ugandan Parliament approved an Amnesty Law which offered all armed opposition groups in and outside the country
six months to put an end to their armed opposition “without fear of prosecution”.

The plight of Ugandans living in the West Nile region improved in 1999 as a result of peace negotiations between the government and the UNRF II.* Most displaced people from the north-west were able to return to their homes and take steps towards resuming a normal life. Although the security situation was less acute in Acholiland, in northern Uganda, than in previous years, tension mounted at year’s end. Armed opposition groups remained active in the south-west, where humanitarian practitioners were often unable to reach the destitute resident and displaced populations because of the lack of security guarantees. The Ugandan capital, for its part, again fell victim to violence when it was rocked by a series of bomb blasts.

Acholiland, northern Uganda

The security situation in Acholiland started improving in February and became increasingly stable up until the very last week of the year. Displaced people living in protected camps, set up by the government to regroup the rural population around trading centres protected by the army, enjoyed increased freedom of movement, had regular access to larger tracts of land and were able to plant their seeds at the start of the rainy season. Prospects for the approximately 320,000 displaced people living in various camps in Gulu and Kitgum districts therefore steadily brightened. At the end of December, however, infiltrations by the LRA* were again reported, upsetting the calm.

Dire needs in the south-west

In November 1998, the ICRC had been forced to suspend most of its humanitarian operations and all field movements in the south-west owing to the lack of security guarantees from all parties [49]. However, in the light of the tremendous needs of the displaced population and after having obtained the necessary security guarantees, the ICRC resumed its activities in May. The following month it opened an office in Bundibugyo to coordinate its activities in the region. In December, however, the situation deteriorated with an upsurge in the activities of armed opposition groups (ADF*), again forcing the ICRC to evacuate its team for want of security guarantees from all parties to the conflict.

The ongoing conflict between the ADF and the UPDF* troops in the south-west led to the displacement of some 150,000 civilians who sought refuge in 50-odd camps. Living conditions were difficult, with most people lacking appropriate shelter, health facilities and sanitation infrastructure. Such large-scale population movements to camps also affected access to food. The arrival of different groups of Congolese refugees put an additional strain on the scant resources. Basic health care was also lacking in the region for both the resident and displaced populations.

Emergency assistance

After receiving the necessary security guarantees, the ICRC provided emergency assistance to meet the most urgent shelter and hygiene needs. In Kasese district, the combined effects of a serious drought and a sharp increase in the number of displaced persons put an unbearable strain on resources. The ICRC began food distributions in September to stem the tide of malnutrition and encouraged the displaced and resident populations to use the seeds it had provided for planting. Non-food assistance included the distribution of tools, soap, blankets, tarpaulins and jerry-cans. As the harvest was satisfactory, the ICRC was able to suspend its food distributions in early December.

The cramped conditions in the camps resulting from the fresh influx of displaced people led to a severe outbreak of cholera. Within a few days over 300 patients were admitted to Kagando hospital. The death toll was kept relatively low and the outbreak was contained, largely thanks to the hospital’s effective case management and out-reach services provided by Red Cross volunteers, substantial material support from the ICRC and efficient coordination between the Ministry of Health, the district health services, NGOs and the Uganda Red Cross.

Scourge of cholera and malaria in the south-west

The health delegate based in Bundibugyo carried out weekly checks on infectious diseases, supported the local dispensaries caring for the displaced population and provided ad hoc assistance to Bundibugyo district hospital. Clinic facilities were improved as necessary and drugs distributed to ensure their smooth running. The ICRC health team launched a cooperation programme with the camp hygiene committees to improve sanitary conditions. A water and sanitation engineer was also employed to upgrade the access to water in this cholera-prone area, particularly in rural camps for the displaced.

The ICRC was able to monitor the health situation in Kilembe valley thanks to frequent contact with the relevant health authorities and the Red Cross branch in Kasese. The major health concern was a severe outbreak of fatal falciparum malaria amongst the displaced population. In addition to the Red Cross health education programme run by the Kasese branch, which received ICRC support, the delegation organized a case-management workshop for the treatment of severe malaria. It also provided oral and injectable medicines for health centres and hospitals in the district.

The ICRC’s sub-delegation in Kasese launched a pilot project together with the Uganda Red Cross to study the acceptability of mosquito nets impregnated with insecticide among 350 displaced families in an effort to prevent the insect-borne disease. If the nets are well received and effectively used, a large-scale distribution is planned for the year 2000. The National Society’s malaria-awareness programme, which also received ICRC support, was extended until the end of 1999. The ICRC also lent its support to the Uganda Red Cross drama group, which helped to raise community awareness of malaria control.

Helping the displaced in Acholiland

In 1999, the ICRC conducted a major seed and tool distribution for displaced people in Acholiland. With the help of Red Cross volunteers, beneficiaries received crop seeds and vegetable kits. The excellent rain patterns ensured an abundant harvest for both displaced people and residents.

The situation of the 350,000 displaced people still living in camps in the region improved considerably as the year progressed, the majority being able to benefit from the agricultural assistance provided by the ICRC to boost their economic security. Many were able to return home and work their fields, while others began agricultural production on their land but returned to the camps at nightfall.

As resettlement movements increased, the need for tools to rebuild homes and till fields became more acute. The ICRC distributed additional tools and vegetable seeds, targeting some 75,000 households among displaced people and vulnerable residents.

Pockets of displaced people in Adjumani district, totalling about 10,000 people, were assisted with the most essential non-food items (tools, blankets, jerrycans, cooking pots and soap) and food rations were provided to tide them over until the next harvest. A similar programme was carried out for pockets of displaced people in the West Nile region.

Although the plight of the displaced people in Acholiland improved over most of the year, the security situation deteriorated rapidly in December and many of those who had left the camps set up for the displaced were obliged to return.

Training for local nurses

Staff in local health clinics in Acholiland were under-trained and lacked sufficient resources to implement first-aid programmes or to buy basic medicines to supplement Ministry of Health supplies. The ICRC therefore distributed primary health care medicines to district health structures, including hospitals and dispensaries. It also organized, in cooperation with the district director of the health services, a three-month training course for nursing aids working in the camps for the displaced with a view to upgrading their professional knowledge of case management.

To improve communication between health structures in Acholiland and the Ministry of Health in Kampala, the ICRC funded a one-week training course in Gulu district on monthly reports on health services. The course was intended for those in charge of clinics in areas with a large displaced population.

ICRC vaccination campaigns

Thanks to close monitoring of the health situation in Acholiland, an outbreak of measles in some of the biggest camps in Gulu district was detected in time and the relevant authorities duly informed. The Ministry of Health launched a vaccination programme to prevent an epidemic. In Bibia camp, close to the border with southern Sudan, a diarrhoea outbreak, feared to be cholera, was contained through a rapid joint response by the health authorities and the ICRC. The delegation in Uganda supplied soap, chlorine and jerrycans to improve hygiene and the safety of the area’s water supply. In September and October, the ICRC took part in the national polio campaign by giving logistical support to Gulu district health workers.

Caring for the sick and wounded

Hospitals in conflict areas did not have the materials or the professional capacity to respond to all the needs of the civilian population let alone any major influx of war-wounded. The ICRC therefore distributed emergency kits containing dressing material, syringes, drugs, gloves and other basic items to hospitals treating the war-wounded.

War-surgery seminar

In July, Hoima district hosted a two-day war-surgery seminar organized by the ICRC in close cooperation with the Ugandan Association of Surgeons. The seminar was attended by military and civilian surgeons working in conflict areas. The Association provided special services in five district hospitals in the region, operating on over 230 patients who otherwise would not have benefited from such expert care.

Rehabilitation of amputees

The prosthetic/orthotic centre in Fort Portal operated effectively. The Ministry of Health announced the adoption of ICRC prosthetics/orthotics technology throughout the country. Technicians from Gulu hospital were the first to be trained in the use of that technology at the ICRC centre.

Emergency preparedness with the Uganda Red Cross

The National Society, the ICRC’s main local partner, required support in improving its emergency-preparedness and response capacity. Six branches in conflict and conflict-prone areas in south-west and northern Uganda began to implement guidelines for disaster-/conflict-preparedness and response, and volunteer recruitment.

As a part of its emergency-preparedness and response programme, the Uganda Red Cross, with the ICRC’s support, conducted a ten-day basic first-aid training course for volunteers from these six Red Cross branches. In November, the Gulu branch hosted a regional workshop on emergency preparedness and response for the nine northern branches.

Delegates visited security detainees in military bases, police stations and civilian prisons in accordance with standard ICRC procedures. Detainees included suspected members of various opposition groups. Following the bombings in Kampala and subsequent arrests, the ICRC increased the number of visits to places of detention in the capital and its suburbs.

The ICRC kept up its regular visits to Sudanese POWs held in military facilities in Kampala and enabled them to maintain contact with their families in Sudan through Red Cross messages.

Visits to detainees and POWs

Contact was also maintained between security detainees and their next-of-kin thanks to the Red Cross message service, run by the ICRC in cooperation with the Uganda Red Cross Society. Family visits were organized for the families of detainees held in Kampala, Jinja, Katojo and Fort Portal. The ICRC covered the transport and accommodation costs for the visits by the families, most of whom lived in northern Uganda. The delegation provided released detainees with a ticket home (mostly to the West Nile region) and basic material assistance.

The ICRC distributed vegetable seed and gardening implements to prisons in Uganda. The programme, which was carried out for the first time in the country, aimed to supplement prison food supplies. An ICRC agronomist monitored progress on a regular basis.

In September, the ICRC completed its rehabilitation projects in both Luzira Upper and Remand Prisons in Kampala. This included extensive work on the water supply and associated evacuation systems of shower rooms, toilets, washing facilities and kitchens. Elsewhere, the ICRC distributed medical items and medicines on an ad hoc basis to prevent outbreaks of communicable diseases.

The protection of civilians

The ICRC made representations to both the LRA and the UPDF regarding respect for the civilian population caught up in the spiral of violence in Uganda. Cases of violations of international humanitarian law were submitted to the relevant parties.

Tracing and dissemination workshops

With the help of the ICRC, the Uganda Red Cross developed an efficient tracing department. In July, the National Society held a joint dissemination and tracing workshop in Kampala for participants from northern and eastern branches. Dissemination and tracing guides were produced and distributed to participants as reference material. The Uganda Red Cross is the first African National Society to publish a dissemination reference guide. A second workshop was held in November, also in Kampala.

The ICRC maintained relations with the UPDF with a view to integrating international humanitarian law into military training. Contact with the armed opposition was limited to the LRA.

Training for army instructors

The ICRC trained UPDF officers as instructors in the law of armed conflict. For the first time, three-day sessions for junior officers and non-commissioned officers were held in the 2nd, 3rd and 4th Infantry Divisions. Two three-day basic sessions on the law of armed conflict were also held at the Kabamba and Jinja military training schools. Dissemination sessions for soldiers in the field, including members of the reserve forces in northern Uganda and in the West Nile region, took place on a regular basis.

A series of radio spots and posters was produced in five local languages and in English, focusing on the basic principles of humanitarian law and the obligation of belligerents to respect civilians in all circumstances. The posters targeted arms bearers, particularly armed opposition groups.

First-ever course for the police force

A consultative meeting with 20 senior police officers, drawn mainly from regional posts, training schools and headquarters, was held in Jinja in September under the guidance of the ICRC Police and Security Forces coordinator from Geneva. This was followed by a two-week training course for future instructors, the first time such a course was held in Uganda.


IN 1999 THE ICRC:

	regularly visited some 1,860 people detained for security reasons or in connection with the activities of armed opposition movements and held in 61 places of detention; provided detainees with 56.4 tonnes of material assistance and basic medical supplies; regularly visited 72 Sudanese POWs held in Kampala and supplied them with clothing, hygiene products and recreational items; renovated the water supply and sewage systems and the kitchens in Kampala’s prisons; initiated a vegetable garden programme and distributed 390 kg vegetable seed to prisons throughout the country; handled, partially in cooperation with the Uganda Red Cross, 7,153 Red Cross messages for detainees, their families and Sudanese POWs; facilitated family visits for minors and for re-arrested members of the West Nile Bank Front;
	made representations to the parties concerned when acts of violence committed against civilians were brought to its attention;
	helped the Uganda Red Cross run its Red Cross message network for members of families separated by conflict and refugees in the country (some 16,000 Red Cross messages were exchanged); registered unaccompanied minors among displaced people and refugees and, with the assistance of the Uganda Red Cross, reunited 2 of them with their families;
	provided displaced people in Acholiland in northern Uganda with 794 tonnes of seeds, 274,600 hoes, 74,400 axes, 74,300 machetes and 465 tonnes of soap; distributed 122 tonnes of soap, 53,200 blankets, 18,200 tarpaulins, 13,220 cooking pots and 13,950 jerrycans to displaced people and residents in Bundibugyo and Kasese districts in the south-west;
	regularly supplied dressings and surgical materials to private and government hospitals treating war casualties; regularly visited and supported health facilities catering to the needs of displaced people in Acholiland and in the south-west, supplying drugs and dressing materials to relieve temporary shortages; provided Kampala University Hospital with surgical kits to help treat victims of the bomb blasts in the capital; held a war-surgery training course for 63 civilian and military surgeons working in 23 hospitals in conflict areas; organized a case-management workshop for the treatment of severe malaria in the south-west; in cooperation with the district director of the health services, organized a 3-month training course for 15 nursing aids working in the camps for the displaced; funded a 1-week training course on the health management information system (monthly reports on health services), for those in charge of clinics in areas with a substantial displaced population in Gulu district; supplied soap, chlorine and jerrycans to improve hygiene and the safety of the water supply in Gulu district to prevent the spread of cholera; took part in the national polio campaign by giving logistical support to the Gulu district health authorities;
	continued prosthetic/orthotic work at Fort Portal in western Uganda, which fitted 81 patients (of whom 35 were victims of anti-personnel mines) with 86 prostheses; provided training to prosthetic/orthotic technicians from Gulu district;
	upgraded the access to water in cholera-prone areas in the south-west, particularly in rural camps for the displaced;
	supported the Uganda Red Cross, in particular in the areas of tracing, promotion of humanitarian law, emergency preparedness and response; whenever possible, involved National Society branches and volunteers in its assistance programmes in conflict zones; held two joint dissemination and tracing workshops in Kampala for participants from northern and eastern branches; supported a first-aid training course for volunteers from the 6 Red Cross branches in conflict and conflict-prone areas in the north and south-west ; supported the National Society’s cholera and malaria prevention and control programmes;
	trained groups of UPDF officers and policemen to teach the law of armed conflict to new recruits; gave dissemination sessions to soldiers and reserve forces, security agencies, religious leaders, members of civil society and Uganda Red Cross volunteers; organized dissemination sessions in the conflict areas of Gulu, Kitgum, Arua and Kasese for Red Cross volunteers, branch governing boards, recipients of ICRC/Red Cross relief assistance, teachers and schoolchildren; organized dissemination sessions for refugee leaders in Orichinga and Nacivali refugee settlements; launched a radio spot and poster campaign in conflict areas with the aim of reaching out to armed opposition groups with a message to respect the life and dignity of the civilian population.

Notes

49. See the ICRC’s 1998 Annual Report, p. 124.

* UNRF II : Uganda National Rescue Front II
* LRA: Lord’s Resistance Army
* ADF: Allied Democratic Forces
* UPDF: Uganda People’s Defence Forces