LRA victims ask EU to fund ongoing war reparations

Hundreds of former Lord’s Resistance Army victims in northern Uganda have appealed to the European Union Heads of Missions in Uganda to support in funding of the reparations of victims affected by the brutal conflict in the region.

They say while the guns have fallen silent, the war continues to rage in terms of emotional sufferings, high youth unemployment, rampant gender-based violence, suicides driven by post-traumatic stress disorders and recurrent body pains.

Therefore, they say they want it done alongside increased recovery efforts focused on the physical and mental rehabilitation as well as economic recovery.

The EU delegation, led by head of the EU delegation to Uganda Jan Sadek on Tuesday, May 20, 2025, interfaced with 25 beneficiaries of integrated physical and psychological rehabilitation Assistance for Victims in Teso region and Northern Uganda at Gulu Regional Referral Hospital, being implemented by AVSI for two hours.

Some of the beneficiaries in three focus group discussions narrated experiences of torture, murder and forced sexual violations experienced while in the captivity of the Lord’s Resistance Army for many years.

Grace Piloya, 47, told the delegation, “It is difficult to imagine life without the medical, physical and economic interventions of the Trust Fund for Victims, AVSI and TPO Uganda – all of whose projects are ending soon.”

The AVSI project has been providing physical therapy, counselling and prosthetic limbs to amputees in the region.

Dutch ambassador Frederieke Quispel told the war survivors that the future of northern Uganda demands partnership between the victims and the international community. Healing and recovery of the region remains a commitment for all of us.”

EU Ambassador Jan Sadek speaking to Local Government leaders in Gulu City, at the Mayor's Garden on Tuesday. (Credit: Peter Labeja)

The reparations

The International Criminal Court in February 2024 ordered the Trust Funds for Victims to pay euros 52.4 million in reparations to over 49,772 victims of the Dominic Ongwen atrocities in Pajule, Abok, Lukodi and Odek sub-counties in Gulu and Oyam districts in northern Uganda. Registration of beneficiaries, including victims of sexual violence and former child soldiers, is currently ongoing across Northern Uganda.

The nine-member EU delegation is on a three-day mission to assess future investment opportunities and challenges still faced by the post-war region. They held meetings with local government leaders, members of the Acholi Religious Leaders’ Peace Initiative and the Acholi Cultural Institution Ker Kwaro Acholi.

The other members of the delgation are Simone Knapp (Austria), Hughes Chantry (Belgium), Signe Winding Albjerg (Denmark), Xavier Sticker (France), Matthias Schauer (Germany), Frederieke Quispel (Netherlands), Maria Hakansson (Sweden) and Jill Clements, the deputy ambassador of Ireland.

Sadek told leaders gathered at the Mayor’s Garden in Gulu city that the European Union will invest euros 140 million in the gender for development project focusing on health rights of women and girls in the region.

He said trade between Uganda and the European market increased by nearly 60 per cent last year, especially in coffee to euros 1.25 billion last year alone. Of interests, he said are interventions in refugee programmes in Bidi Bidi and Kiryandongo and local climate change adaptation, among others.

“Coffee is a strategic product on demand in the European markets, and northern Uganda should seize this opportunity to reduce the high poverty rate in the region.” Jan Sadek advised Acholi Paramount Chief His Highness David Onen Acana II during a visit to his Palace.

In response, the Paramount chief said his chiefdom is actively mobilising subjects to embrace Coffee production in the region alongside initiatives to restock the region.
Cycle through the history of Gulu

The ambassadors spend their evening riding through the city of Gulu to retrace the sufferings endured by victims and the night commuters during the conflict. The first leg of their cycling was from Acholi Inn Hotel to Gulu Regional Referral Hospital then to Pece War Memorial Stadium.

The last and final leg was from Pece War Memorial Stadium to Koro Kal East in Koro Sub County where they interacted for another two hours with war-affected children being rehabilitated through skating.

EU Heads of Mission with Acholi cultural dancers during day one of their Mission to Gulu. (Credit: Peter Labeja)

The skateboard was built with funding from the French government.

Opio Nelly Uma, the Director and Founder of Skateboard and Beyond, informed the EU delegation that the Gulu Skateboard Community is rehabilitating war-affected children in the region, many of whom do not go to school.

“We would like to replicate this project in other cities such as Lira and Kitgum.” Uma said.

Sticker said seeing the children skating was a thrilling testament that the Investment was strategically changing lives.

Background

Gulu city mayor Alfred Okwonga said EU investment has supported the extension of 10 million litres of safe water from the Nile River at Karuma to the city, construction of Logistics hubs to facilitate trade, construction of a new landfill and extension of Mini power grids generating 80MW.

The others include the upgrade of Atiak Laropi Road to bitumen, the Regional Healthcare and Cancer Institute and the Physical Planning of Gulu City.

Earlier investment portfolios included the Peace Recovery and Development Plan for Northern Uganda, the Development Initiatives for Northern Uganda (DINU).