UGANDA

A Bill for an Act
ENTITLED
THE NATIONAL TRUTH AND RECONCILIATION ACT, 2011
An Act to provide for the establishment of a National Truth and Reconciliation Commission:
to provide for and foster fair and peaceful resolution of conflicts in Uganda through a
direct and independent national reconciliation process; to provide for the integration of
the people in addressing the historical causes and patterns of violent conflicts and gross
violation and abuses of human rights; and to provide for related matters.
BE IT ENACTED by Parliament as follows:
PART I PRELIMINARY
1. Interpretation
In this Act, unless the context otherwise requires –
“amnesty” means discharge from criminal responsibility, prosecution or any other form
of punishment;
“Amnesty Committee” means the committee of the Commission responsible for
determining amnesty under this Act;
“Armed forces and groups” refers to any full or part-time members or agents of the state
and its respective auxiliaries, or any armed groups not under the control of the state;
“Commission” means the National Truth and Reconciliation Commission;
“currency point” has the value assigned to it in Schedule 1;
“human rights abuse” means a violation of human rights perpetrated by a non-state
actor;
“human rights violation” means a violation of human rights perpetrated by state actors,
including groups or individuals not officially affiliated with the state but under the control
or authority of the state;
“Minister” means the Minister responsible for justice;
“Selection Committee” means the committee responsible for recommending persons to
be appointed as members of the Commission;
“perpetrator” includes a person or institution directly and indirectly implicated in the
organisation, financing, directing, or execution of crimes, in the course of a conflict;
“reparation” means a remedy or any form of compensation, symbolic or ex-gratis
payment, restitution, rehabilitation or recognition, reconciliation, satisfaction or
guarantee of non-repetition made to or in respect of a victim;.
“victim” means a person who individually or collectively suffered harm, including
physical or mental injury, emotional suffering, economic loss or substantial impairment
of their fundamental rights, through acts or omissions that constitute gross violations of
human rights and includes –
(a) a member of the immediate family or dependant of the direct victim;
(b) a person who has suffered harm in intervening to assist a victim in distress or to
prevent victimization.
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