Local Voices on Decongestion and Return of Internally Displaced People in Northern Uganda
Camp life in northern Uganda started in 1996. In an attempt to protect civilians from atrocities by the Lord’s Resistance Army (LRA), the government of Uganda started moving people into so-called protected villages. Where people did not follow voluntarily, force was used.
Over the years the population in the camps for internally displaced persons (IDPs) varied with the security situation and reached over 1.5 million in 2004. While people were initially told they could return after three months, the majority of the population in the Acholi sub-region still lives in camps.
With the current peace talks between the LRA rebels and the government of Uganda, people have started to think about returning home. Nevertheless most displaced people in the main camps consider them safer than the decongestion camps - smaller camps closer to their homesteads. They generally offer better living conditions and allow people to work on their land. However the new settlements lack basic infrastructure and have no or very limited access to education and health services.
This short documentary explores local views on the issue.
This movie can be watched online for free.
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