UGANDA

COMPENDIUM OF CONFLICTS IN UGANDA
A number of participants criticized this military approach to political questions. Some
alleged that individuals in the Government had a vested interest in approaching the
conflict in northern Uganda from a military angle. They cited a number of Government
and army officials and members of the first family whom they thought had benefited
from the prolonged military conflict. In Mukono it was argued that the state used its
monopoly on force solely in the interest of staying in power, to the detriment of the
security of citizens.
A participant there said
“The incumbent Government does not mind about what
does not threaten its Government, since the iron bar hitmen
squad does not have the intention to overthrow the
Government. I bet the Government will remain dormant in
providing total security and clearing these bandits...”
Militarisation of Ugandan society was said to be manifest at many different levels, in
addition to the national political level. In Adjumani, women complained about military
tendencies amongst the youth, some of whom have been abducted and forced to
fight. It was said that the history of militarisation has led the general population to see
the gun as a means either to obtain power or to defend against the abuse of power.
In Gulu, participants noted that people had to defend themselves militarily when the
NRA crossed Karuma after the overthrow of Tito Okello, in order to protect themselves
against the atrocities of operation Fagia (see conflict No. 56) and other such attacks. The
lack of demobilisation of previous Government soldiers in northern Uganda, combined
with the military response to the real or perceived threat posed by NRA forces, was said
to have contributed to the descent of northern Uganda into a state of conflict that would
last for decades.
Participants further criticized the militarisation of the police, evident during political
protests and demonstrations that were frequent during the time of the field research. In
Mbarara, it was said that both the army and police displayed lack of respect for human
life and used excessive force against civilians during protests around the country. They
commented that arrests by military operatives and police that took place at that time
could be considered a continuation of the illegal panda gari arrests by the military before
Museveni came to power. In Luwero, youth wished the police were more non-partisan
and independent from the army. They called the Uganda Police Force the “NRM Police.”
One youth wanted to tell the Inspector General of Police
“Please use your power equally so that all political parties
get equal services.”
THE DEMOBILISATION, DISARMAMENT AND
REINTEGRATION (DDR) DEFICIT
A lack of appropriate demobilisation, disarmament and reintegration of former army
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