Uganda: breaking the circle: protecting human rights in the northern war zone

The districts of Gulu and Kitgum, home of the Acholi ethnic group, have been ravaged. Approximately 400,000 people, around 50% of the population, are internally displaced.

The rural economy is catastrophically reduced. In the context of gross human rights abuses by the LRA against unarmed civilians, Amnesty International does not believe that the creation of camps for internally displaced people, or a policy of moving people into camps by the authorities, is intrinsically a violation of international human rights or humanitarian law by the Uganda Government. However, the organization is concerned at the manner in which human rights abuses, in some areas by government forces as well as the LRA, have been a key factor in forcing people out of their homes.