Does Uganda Have a Good IDP Policy?

[Hellen]

After forcibly displacing over one million people for over 10 years for most, (since 1986 for some), the Ugandan government's IDP policy was recently prasied by the African Commissioner for refugees and internally displaced persons (IDPs) in Africa, Mukirya Nyanduga. It's a stunning indication of approval for a government which has failed to protect its citizens, and caused untold preventable deaths by setting up what it initially called "protected villages."

In reality, an extreme lack of water, sanitation and health care has cultivated disease epidemics, caused thousands of preventable deaths and produced thousands of highly malnourished children unable to enjoy their right to protection, health and education.

Conditions in these camps have caused the most deaths in the long-running civil war been the Ugandan Government and the Lord's Resistance Army.

Read a report by the Govt. of Uganda, WHO, UNICEF and others (pdf version).

Today, the internment camps remain a living hell on earth, where the most basic services like water and sanitation are unavailable. People who were herded into the camps came with nothing, and they are also being forced to leave with nothing, tearing down structures to start over with nothing.

An epidemic of Hepatitis E has broken out in several camps in Kitgum District, where over 100 people share one latrine. The conditions that have contributed to the spread of the current epidemic are the same conditions which the Ugandan government and United Nations in 2005 attributed to the 1,000 person per week death rate. In 2007 it was reported that the UN spends $200 million a year maintaining these death camps in Uganda.

This is the real cost of living in the camps, the lives of innocent people.

Uganda's policy towards its internal refugees has operated outside international laws (including the Geneva Conventions, the UN's Guide to Internal Displacement and the Ugandan Constitution) for years, and it has a long way to go before even the most basic needs of its forcibly displaced citizens are met. The Guidlines of Internal Displacement (which Uganda is signatory to) states that a government must provide adequate services and protection to its citizens:
2. The authorities undertaking such displacement shall ensure, to the greatest practicable extent, that proper accommodation is provided to the displaced persons, that such displacements are effected in satisfactory conditions of safety, nutrition, health and hygiene... (Source United Nations Commission on Human Rights)


The full news story:

Diplomat Praises IDP Policy – Sunday, 6th July, 2008

By Francis Emorut

THE commissioner for refugees and internally displaced persons (IDPs) in Africa, Mukirya Nyanduga, has commended the Government for adopting a national policy on the displaced.

“I commend Uganda for adopting the national policy which contributed to the implementation of the Peace Recovery Development Plan.”

Nyanduga was making a presentation on gender and IDPs during a meeting for leaders from seven districts of northern Uganda at Acholi Inn in Gulu on Thursday. The meeting preceded the official opening of the FIDA regional offices in Gulu.

He recognised the role civil society organisations play in the promotion of human rights among refugees and IDPs in Africa.

“Civil society organisations have continued to be a source of inspiration and strength to the African Commission.”

Nyanduga said civil society organisations had earned the status of observers in the Africa Commission because of their critical role.

He criticised governments that deny refugees asylum, arguing that it was a violation of their human rights and dignity.

He cited Kenya, which recently closed its borders against the Somalis.

The refugees state minister, Musa Ecweru, said the challenge of resettling IDPs was enormous.

He appealed to FIDA to strengthen the Government’s capacity to dispense justice, law and order.

http://www.newvision.co.ug/D/8/16/637552