UGANDA

COMPENDIUM OF CONFLICTS IN UGANDA
resorted to unlawful killing and poisoning of marauding elephants, which has brought
some individuals into conflict with the law. Participants revealed that the wildlife
problem has hampered peace, recovery and development in Nwoya District, and the
community is planning to use other approaches such as mass demonstrations to compel
the Government to address the problem. 344
70. Post-displacement Domestic Conflicts (2006 – present)
Participants throughout the northern region noted that domestic conflicts between men
and women are among the major causes of insecurity and lack of peace at the family
level. 345, 346 While the origins of domestic conflicts were said to predate the war in northern
Uganda, participants stated that these disputes intensified during displacement, and
fully revealed themselves when the war that raged outside people’s houses came to an
end and the war indoors continued.
The main narrative on this conflict was that during life in the IDP camps, men lost the
wealth from which they previously derived respect, authority and privilege as heads
of their households. This in turn threatened their sense of masculinity and perceived
place in the traditional patriarchal system. No longer able to provide for the basic needs
of their families, men were often overcome by feelings of powerlessness. Further,
the majority of male participants across northern Uganda argued that the promotion
of gender equality and female empowerment in Uganda has disrupted the harmony
between men and women in Acholiland. 347 Many men resorted to beating their wives in
an attempt to show their power and command respect.
Rampant violence between men and women during displacement has led to numerous
family breakdowns, divorce and separation, as well as an increase in child abuse and
children living on the street. Child neglect has been a very common form of abuse
during the post-conflict period, as some men tend to evade their responsibilities toward
children. They justify this under the pretext that Kony’s rebels will come back and abduct
these children, so there is no reason to educate them. 348 Participants also discussed that
poverty caused by the prolonged armed conflict in northern Uganda has contributed to
frustrations and conflict between men and women. 349
71. Post-conflict land conflicts in Acholiland (2006 - present)
As communities affected by the Lord’s Resistance Army (LRA) returned from Internally
Displaced Persons (IDP) camps to their ancestral villages, land conflicts emerged and
disrupted the newly established fragile peace in the region. Participants explained that
a significant number of former IDPs resettled on land that did not belong to them, while
344 Research conducted in Gulu District
345 Ibid
346 For contextualizing of and more information on this conflict, see “Conflicted relationship between men
and women” in the “cross-cutting thematic issues” section of this Compendium
347 Research conducted in Gulu, Pader, Kitgum, Lira and Adjumani Districts
348 Research conducted in Gulu, Adjumani, Soroti, Hoima, Mubende, Nakasongola, Mbarara and Mukono
Districts
349 Research conducted in Gulu and Adjumani Districts
156