UGANDA

NORTHERN CONFLICTS
Major Noah Talib among others, 271 were interpreted as a repetition of the revenge that
had followed the earlier rise to power of the Uganda National Liberation Army (UNLA),
and as justification for a return to armed insurgency. In addition, the National Resistance
Movement (NRM) Government was seen to have socially and politically marginalised
the West Nile region through inadequate development. In response to this, the UNRF
II was consequently formed in the Sudan in 1998 with a force of 3000 active soldiers.
When peace negotiations took place nearly four years later, the majority of the UNRF II’s
demands revolved around issues of development, particularly relating to infrastructure
projects including the construction of schools, tarmac roads, and the provision of
electricity. It was believed that these projects would facilitate economic activities
that had previously been denied to them. 272 The Boma peace agreement signed in
Yumbe on 24 th December 2002 and that brought the UNRF II out of the bush had been
brought about through a multi-pronged process that saw the active involvement of the
community, the Government, and UNRF leadership.
271 Ibid, p. 14
272 DANIDA, (June 2004) Community dynamics in West Nile: A situation analysis
125