Into Africa: York academics rise to the challenge of recovery
Posted on 28 October 2004
Dr Sultan Barakat and Dr Richard Jones of the University's Post-War Reconstruction and Development Unit, with Dr William Lume of the Centre for Inter African Relations in London, have examined new ways in which the Ugandan Government, working with the EU, can respond to conflicts.
The Unit, which specialises in training professionals to manage and plan reconstruction after war and other emergencies, has given assistance to the Ugandan Government in supporting thousands of people displaced by instability in the north and north-east of the country.
In January, the team began recording what previous development and conflict prevention programmes had achieved, identifying lessons learned and priorities for the future. Using feedback from donors, local and international NGOs, government departments and civil society organisations, the academics developed a programme to enhance the government's capacity to respond to the conflict.
Dr Barakat said: "Over the years, tens of thousands have died and many children been abducted and forced to take part in violence and butchery. The population of the northern part of the country lives with a persistent low-level fear, extensive displacement, and economic migration."
In the short term, our priority was to help the government address the needs of the internally displaced, restore livelihoods and carry out training to help prevent future conflict
Dr Sultan Barakat
"Although Uganda is often hailed by the international community as a good example of progress in development, a significant part of the country is still beset by conflict," said Dr Jones, "In the north (Acholi, Lango, Pader and Gulu) the Lords Resistance Army (LRA) rebellion has claimed thousands of lives since it began 17 years ago. The LRA commits serious human rights abuses against civilians in villages and remote areas: a common strategy is to abduct children and brutalise them into fighting. To date over 20,000 children and adults have been seized.
"The second main area of fighting is the drought-prone north eastern district of Karamoja, populated by ethnic groups collectively known as the Karimojong who have traditionally been cattle keepers. One section of the heavily armed Karimojong will raid cattle from another, and in the ensuing battle many people are killed, property destroyed, and their livelihood disrupted. The cycle of raids, deaths, counter raiding, revenge and further deaths has displaced over 10,000 people in this region."
The region has suffered from a lack of effective central and local government, inconsistent law enforcement; the failure of the social and economic elite to improve the situation; proliferation of small arms; and the social and political isolation of Karamoja by successive governments.
Dr Barakat added: "In the short term, our priority was to help the government address the needs of the internally displaced, restore livelihoods and carry out training to help prevent future conflict."
"In the long-term the priority is to improve the way both the Government and non-Government bodies deal with conflict and disasters and to promote positive socio-economic development for the whole of Uganda."
Notes to editors:
- The Post-war Reconstruction and Development Unit specialises in the research, consultancy and training of professionals in issues of management and planning of reconstruction after war, humanitarian intervention in complex emergencies and peace-building.
- Dr Sultan Barakat is the Director of the Unit, founded at the University of York in 1992. He has experience in development planning and in conducting in-country strategy and training workshops. He has written about refugee shelter, humanitarian assistance policy and impact, NGO development and peace-building strategies, settlement planning, rehabilitation and conservation of urban areas, post-war reconstruction and development, disaster mitigation, social and economic rebuilding of war-torn societies.
- Dr Richard Jones is a Research Fellow in the PRDU. He has experience in poverty assessment, economic development and ca[acity building. As part of his ESRC funded PhD, he worked with the Rwandan Ministry of Finance and Economic Planning's National Poverty Reduction Strategy Programme.