Modern Challenges to Traditional Justice:
The Struggle to Deliver Remedy and Reparation in War-Affected Lango
This report is part of a series by Feinstein International Center that examines the impact of armed conflict on civilian populations in northern Uganda and struggles for redress and remedy. Transitional justice mechanisms, including truth telling, reparation and prosecutions, are important processes that can help address past human rights violations and abuses, and can play a role in rebuilding the lives of the affected population and helping a country to move forward. To address the effects of the over two decades of armed conflict between the Government of Uganda (GoU) and Lord’s Resistance Army (LRA) rebel group, the Juba Peace Accords envisioned traditional justice mechanisms as instruments that could help address serious crimes and resulting harms suffered by civilians. However, after detailing the historical evolution of the traditional justice systems and the impact of the war on these systems, this study finds that traditional justice mechanisms are currently unable to fulfill these roles and are not being used to repair victims from harms suffered due to serious crimes committed by parties to the conflict.
Our research
Refugees and Forced Migration
We are working to increase our understanding of the livelihoods, protection and journeys of displaced people, particularly in urban areas.
Promoting Evidence Based Practice
Aid policy and response must be evidence-driven — from needs assessments through response to rehabilitation and exit.
Humanitarianism and Politics
Humanitarian intervention is an essential safety net, but politics and power define the context in which it takes place.
The Future of Pastoralism
At the policy and institutional level, African pastoralists are often misunderstood and regarded by policy makers as problematic, irrational, and backward.
