Survivors of the Lord’s Resistance Army (LRA) insurgency in northern Uganda are urging the government and stakeholders to address their struggles with land ownership and community rejection.
Under the War Victims and Networking Organisation, the survivors have voiced concerns over the difficulties they face in reintegrating into society.
A major issue is land ownership, especially for those who were abducted as children and forced into combat.
Many former child soldiers returned without knowledge of their ancestral homes, only to face rejection from relatives.
Single mothers and orphaned children have found it particularly difficult to access land, despite interventions by NGOs advocating for women's land rights.
Lalam Stella, director of the War Victims and Networking Organisation, said their repeated appeals to the government, including petitions to the president, have yielded no meaningful solutions.
“We have tried to be heard, especially by those in positions of authority. We reached the president and other relevant offices, but nothing seems to be adding up,” she said.
Organizations such as ActionAid and CARE Uganda have launched programs supporting women who returned from captivity, but survivors say these efforts have not brought lasting change.
Beyond land disputes, rejection within communities remains another significant challenge. Many survivors say they have been denied jobs and vocational training opportunities due to their past as LRA captives.
“We have tried to seek help in various ways, but we seem defeated. Many people come with proposals and promises, but they don’t fulfil them,” one survivor said.
Dr. Ogal Mark, head of programs at the Christine Livelihood Transformative Agency for Development (CLITADI), said interventions should be designed to meet the real needs of survivors.
“Training, mindset change, and enterprise development add more value than projects that fail to create meaningful impact,” he noted.
Smith Ogon, a councillor in Kitgum local government, argued that government programs like the Parish Development Model (PDM) do not adequately support war victims, particularly those with disabilities.
“Government needs to develop tailored programs for survivors, especially those who lost limbs, instead of lumping them into general schemes that do not address their specific needs,” he said.
CLITADI, which has been offering vocational training, believes a fresh approach is needed.
“One-off interventions no longer work. We have offered financial and agricultural training, but we need to rethink our approach,” said Christine Chandiro, a CLITADI official.
Despite various government interventions through the Office of the Prime Minister, survivors say little has been done to improve their livelihoods or resolve their land disputes.