The project seeks to collect and document cartoons depicting the pursuit of elusive peace in South Sudan. It capture cartoons and newspaper cutting in three Juba based newspapers i.e Juba Monitor, The Dawn Newspaper and Star Tribune. Check them out below
Causes, Impact and Implication of the rampant suicide cases in Koro sub-county, Omoro district.
August 2018
Introduction
Following the over two-decade brutal conflict between the government of Uganda and the Lords Resistance Movement/Army in northern Uganda from 1986-2008, the region has witnessed several post-conflict challenges, top amongst which has been, rampant and growing cases of suicides and attempted suicide. In the newly created district of Omoro, Koro sub-county has been leading in such reported cases, and incidences. But Omoro district is by no means the only district affected by suicide cases.
Also, suicide and attempted suicides are not the only manifestations of the unaddressed mental impact of the war. What is clear is that while physical violence has ended, a frontier has emerged at the psychological, economic and social space evident by growing suicide incidents and other post-conflict conflicts. This study focused on the psychological impact of the war which partly accounts for the growing suicide cases.
This study was commissioned by the Koro Sub-County Local Government in response to a growing cases and incidents of reported suicides and attempted suicides within the sub-County. The Authorities were concerned by the rampant and increasing cases, coupled with a general lack of awareness on their causes and consequences –as well as appropriate measures for prevention and responses.
As a result, the Koro Sub-County authorities convened a multi-stakeholder meeting and requested research-focused institutions and organizations to undertake a rapid assessment to identify the causes of the rampant and growing suicide cases, their impact and implications, as well as appropriate responses, in the sub-county. The study was conducted between January and August 2018.
This study was developed and conducted by the Amani Institute Uganda, in partnership with local organizations with a presence in the sub-county including, the Justice and Reconciliation Project, Hope Alive, Church of Uganda, ARLPI, Thrives Gulu and Ker Kal Kwaro Acholi. However, the findings documented here are exclusively those of Amani Institute Uganda which constituted part of the bigger report.
Methodology
The study adopted a blend of qualitative and quantitative methodology. A detailed questionnaire was developed and administered in all the Parishes within the Sub-County. This was followed by key informant interviews and some focus groups discussions. The target respondents were survivors, victims’ families, local councilors, and service providers. Data on reported cases and incidents of suicide and attempted suicides were collected from local health centers and local councilors who played a great role in identifying and profiling the victims and the reported cases. The study focuses on eliciting possible preventive and mitigation strategies in response to this crisis.
Key Findings
Causes of Suicide
“In all the villages the Amani team visited, the causes of suicide were identified as varied but ranging from domestic violence, land disputes, poverty, lost hope, mental illness to evil spirits haunting people in most cases.” Specifically, in Pageya and Acoyo parishes, the following causes were identified as leading on the reported incidents:
Case Studies
In the Parishes of Acoyo and Pageya visited by Amani researchers, a few suicide incidents were documented. The circumstances surrounding the cases are quite similar, but the motivation, experience and outcome differs from individual to individual. Below are some of the outstanding cases documented for illustrative purposes. The names and references made in this reports have been altered to conceal their true identity.
Abena of Pageya
Abena, a pupil of Pageya Primary school whose father was killed during the LRA war and is now living with the grandmother in Koch Village in Acoyo Parish attempted to commit suicide twice in 2017.The first time he attempted to take his life was when he crushed a dry cell which he mixed with water and drunk it. He felt ill but didn’t die. The second time he entered his grass thatch house, locked himself and set it ablaze. However, when the Amani team visited their home by the LC1 Chairman of the area, they found out that the boy was epileptic, and he feels very bad about it.
His grandmother informed us that the problem begun when the boy was five years of age and now that he is grown up, he feels unhappy about the suffering he is going through, because the disease disturbs him monthly. He sees no meaning in life and as a result, he has so far attempted to kill himself twice. At the time of collecting the information, the boy fled the home because he thought his parents were reporting him or accusing him. He believes that this suicide attempt is not voluntary. They suspect that some evil spirit may be haunting this boy since he is the only person who has attempted suicide in the family. This case also turned out to be the only case identified where there was no previous history of attempted suicide.
The grandmother believes that something could have happened in the past which demanded traditional rituals to be performed. A year ago, she consulted a witch Doctor and the ritual was performed and they had had confidence that the suicide attempt tendencies of the boy would stop but to their surprise the boy attempted suicide again. This left her with doubts on whether the ritual was performed rightfully or not, or whether the boy’s medical conditions-the epilepsy is the main cause.
Ocici of Koch
According to the LC1 of Koch village, Ocici’s wife was taken away from him by his in-laws and Ocici asked for money from his parents to follow his wife. Because of the prevailing poverty at home, the parents didn’t give him any money. Nonetheless, he went after his wife and on his way back from his in-law’s home he decided to drink a chemical commonly known as “cibacol” and he was found dead. Ocici had also attempted to commit suicide before but for unknown reasons. Between 1990 and 1995 Ocici’s brother Ojok Martin had also committed suicide in his 40’s. It’s believed that he drunk poison and died.
Olango of Koch
The third case is of Olango. At the time of the occurrence of the incidence he was living with his mother, a businesswoman in town. It is believed that he had asked for some money from his mother but he was denied and so he returned to his village in Koch in the evening and committed suicide by drinking poison. According to the local authorities, Olango was a reckless person and short tempered. The purpose of the money he asked for is not clear and the mother could not give him the money so from frustration he committed suicide. All the above suicide cases originate from the same clan of Pabit. All these victims are joined by one great grandfather and one would not be surprised by what is happening in that family because of rampant cases and long history of suicides.
Santo Ariya
According to the LC I of Ariya Village, a lot of suicide cases have occurred in his family. One such case was of the late Santo Ariya who had a long-term dispute with his wife after they had had five children, three boys and two girls. The wife then left Santo and returned home. By then, Santo had also acquired syphilis which he could not manage to treat due to lack of money. He had also developed chronic wounds in his private parts and was afraid to go to the hospital. All attempts by the LC to bring medical personnel to him failed. His people also neglected him because they thought he was useless coupled with stigma from people especially his immediate family. Santo apparently did not see any meaning in life, and he took a rope and shortened his life by hanging.
Albino and his Mother
According to the LC1 of Okeyomero village Acoyo parish Mr. Kaggwa Michael, his village had not been spared either. In fact, it witnessed some very tragic suicide incidents, including two recent deaths in one family. On that fateful day, the afternoon of September 16th, 2016, a man by the names Albino who had for long been disturbing his mother took Icon and DDT, both chemicals used in the fight against spread of mosquitoes and mixed it with his mother’s maize flour after preparing some eggs. He then ordered the mother to mingle for him posho to eat with the eggs he had cooked. As it is a habit for women to taste food while cooking, the mother also tested the posho she had mingled for Albino. As soon as she tasted the posho on the mingling stick she fell and collapsed. Albino, on seeing his mother collapse and knowing very well what he had done, decided to go and eat the posho with the eggs he had cooked as well, and before completing the food he also collapsed and died instantly. All these happened while efforts were being made to take him and his mother to the hospital. His mother succumbed to the same later that day at 4:00pm from the hospital. They were all buried the same day.
Abett
In 2018, in the same family in the month of July, the daughter in law of the late Lucia Aketch, Abett the wife to the brother of the late Albino also attempted to commit suicide. Abett had pressure and diabetes and she lived on medication. She decided to commit suicide after a misunderstanding with her husband who she accused of having an affair with another woman. She decided to take half a cup of tablets with alcohol, but she was saved and rushed to the hospital. At the time of interviewing Abett, she had recovered fully, and she regretted so much for her actions and promised to never ever think about suicide. She pointed out emotions and we recommended psychosocial support and counseling.
Apisi of Panycwala
It is alleged that a brother to the victim gave Apisi’s husband money to purchase chairs for her, but her husband instead bought the chairs and took them to the house of another woman. So, this did not go well with Apisi who on seeing how she had labored to find that money chose to vent her frustration by committing suicide. She took poison and killed herself.
Apisi left behind two children both boys who are currently with their father. However, the brother of Apisi has shown his worry that he hasn’t been allowed to see or talk to his nephews. Secondly, the husband of the late Apisi, as culture demands was forced to marry Apisi’s dead body before she was buried. According to the brother, Apisi drunk poison and alcohol and was found dead in her house. When we asked the brother of the late Apisi, whether in the past anybody had committed suicide in their family, he said Apisi’s case was the first in their family, but that their neighbors had had such an incident in the past.
Labolo Pida
Our second case in Pida village was a man popularly known as Labolo. Labolo got involved in infidelity with a woman who is alleged to be a witch doctor and who is believed to have removed Labolo’s power to perform his sexual duties. So, when Labolo returned home to the mother of his children, his sexual organs were not there. So, because of the shame and fears of what had happened, he decided to commit suicide. Labolo bought alcohol and mixed it with cibacol and drunk it and later he passed on.
Lumix of Koro
It is narrated that Lumix had another woman who lived in town. On that fateful day, 9th October 2018, which was Independence Day, he returned to his home where he had a married wife and found his mother and his wife and started fighting them. He beat up his mother and wife while swearing that he wants to die with his wife. His mother ran away with his wife to hide. Whatever caused this frustration was not clear. It was night time. When he failed to locate his wife and mother who had run away from home because of the violence, he decided to use a mosquito net which was in his house and hanged himself on a tree behind his house. This was narrated by his son.
Kevina
Kevina’s husband was allegedly cohabiting with another woman in town and this frustrated her so much. She then bought a pain killer ‘Action’ and mixed it with dry cells and drunk it. According to her parents, she left a note for her husband saying, “Please take care of my children. Goodbye”. A few days before she committed suicide she returned home and presented no sign of stress at all. She was happy and bright, and no one could imagine she could ever think horrifically like that. Amani team managed to see the son who was left at eight months. The two other children are with their father.
Koro Kal -An Epicentre
According to the LC1 of Kal-Village in Pageya, Koro Sub-County, Koro Kal is definitely the epicenter and suicide hotspot in Omoro District. Over six people had committed suicide in a very short period of time.
Komagum
Komagum, was a humble boy during the war time who had turned out into a well-known regular drunkard who spent most of his time in bars squashing and squandering money. At the time of his death he was aged between 28-30. On that fateful day, Komagum had gone drinking in a bar in Koro trading center. After drinking all his money, he decided to go and take anything that he could grab from home that could be sold. He then grabbed his mother’s dog from home and wanted to go sell it, but the mother refused for her dog, which led to bitter exchanges between him and her. After some time on that day, he drunk ‘cibacol’ and died instantly. Komagum left one woman and one child who is now living with his grandmother.
Deno
The second documented case in Kal village is a 21-year-old boy called Deno who committed suicide in 2015.He left his parents in Kal A and went to live with an old woman in Pabbo quarters in Koro. While he was there, he got involved in a domestic quarrel with the woman he had eloped with. So, the woman kicked him out and as a result he committed suicide. He drunk poison and died later.
Martina Oci
Martina Oci was a 51-year-old farmer. He had sold land and got a huge amount of money according to the people and his money disappeared mysteriously and he became so frustrated after failing to get back the money that he had lost. He then committed suicide using poison. According to the LC1 of Kal, it is not clear why he committed suicide. However, it is suspected that he could have misused his money and finished it. So, he committed suicide.
Laguna
Laguna was a 19-year-old victim who committed suicide in 2011.It was believed that he was at bad terms with the mother because he believed that the mother hated his wife. So, he drunk poison and died in frustration. According to the LC and the community, it was believed that Laguna was a very hot-tempered boy and he could not contain his temper and ended up committing suicide.
Ajack
Ajack was a 20 years year old woman was very strict on her husband. One day she wanted her husband to buy her some things that she needed but the husband did not have the money. Ajack then became very aggressive towards her husband to the extent that she became violent. Her husband then left and went to a male friend’s place where he decided to spend a night due to the fear of Ajack’s violence. Ajack assumed that her husband had gone to another woman. She then became so angry at her husband and she drunk poison and she was found dead in the house the next morning.
Daniella
The sixth case from Kal village is a 15-20-year-old victim called Daniella, whose mother was a Lugbara and the Dad an Acholi. Daniella lived with his Dad and his Dad loved her a lot. One day his Dad learned that Daniella had gone to the dancehall in town and followed up. His father assumed that Daniela had stolen money from him, and he followed Daniella and found the victim in a dancehall and brought the victim back home. It was believed that the father became bitter at the victim and the victim lost it and took a rope and committed suicide.
Implications/Outcome
Most of the (attempted) suicide cases above, especially of male victims, resulted into death. The documented cases have had immense impact, social, political, economic and psychological on their survivors and affected families. Some of the victims were the primary providers of their families. Some of the deceased were parents and left children, wives or husbands. Most of the children left behind are now being taken care of by relatives while others have since become street children, who sometimes join criminal gangs, referred to as “Aguu”. Because of the lack of social support and high poverty rates, even the relatives are not able to take care of survivors and victims of suicides making some survivors to keep trying to die due to lack of social assistance and lost hope. Many of the relatives are struggling to meet basic needs, including education. Trauma is common amongst survivors and affected families.
Challenges
Recommendations.
Some of the major recommendations advanced included:
Conclusion
Koro kal has been hit hardest in the Sub-County by suicide and attempted suicide. The incidents appear to happen frequently in families where there have been similar incidents in the past. The victims often resort to desperate measures of suicide due to lack of redresses. Poverty and financial constraints appear to breed the frustration and inability of family members to detect and respond effectively to suicidal signs equally contributing to the fatality.
Refugee Rights in the Era of Covid-19: Assessing Uganda’s Responses and the Principle of Non-Refoulement.
By: Courage Ssewanyana, Amani Institute Uganda
Abstract
The novel corona virus Covid-19 pandemic is challenging the world from all fronts including addressing the plight of refugees and asylum seekers. In Uganda, just like many other countries, around the world within Africa, stringent measures have been adopted, including border closures to fight the virus. As a result, the so called “paradise for refugees” in the region has currently locked out thousands of potential asylum seekers. This paper argues that the government should review its measures to come in conformity with its international obligations to refugees.
Introduction
Uganda has received worldwide acclaim for its friendly refugee policy. Situated in a troubled region of Africa, surrounded by countries experiencing perennial conflicts and governance crisis after crisis, Uganda host the highest numbers of refugees in the continent of Africa and probably world over. However, this refugee friendly attitude is not be exhibited today in its ‘proactive’ response strategy to the novel corona virus Covid-19. With all borders totally closed-except for cargo transportations, what happens to asylum seekers within the region facing persecutions in their own countries? Do the current international responses, including that of Uganda, to Covid-19 assumes that persecution has ended? What about distressed populations in conflict situations, like DRC, Somalia, Libya and South Sudan to mention but a few, where active conflicts and frequent violations of ceasefires continues? Where are the human rights defenders, refugee agencies and transitional justice advocates in these taskforces responding to Covid-19? Therefore, while epidemiologists and scientist are busy working round the clock to develop a vaccine or cure for the virus, politicians are busy cutting their share of the cake-be it political mileage or financial, human rights defenders and United Nations High Commissioner for Refugees must continuously engage with the WHO, and all the state actors to make exceptions for some asylum seekers on a case by case basis.
A Knee-Jerk Reaction or Model Strategy?
Within the region, Uganda appears to be ahead of the curve in its responses to Covid-19. The measures have come swiftly albeit confusing which had made many people belief that it was simply a ‘knee jerk’ reaction devoid of a comprehensive strategy. This assertion of lack of proper strategy is bolstered by the fact that it took the President three live public addresses to clarify on his measures. It is also probably the reason it sharply contradicts its refugee friendliness.
The truth, however, is that Covid-19 has taken the world unexpectedly and challenged even those with the best health care system. As a new virus with high human to human transmission, Covid 19 is more contagious in the corona family. According to the John Hopkins Tracker, there are over 2,224,426 confirmed cases and 153,177 deaths worldwide as of April 18,2020. The impact of the virus has been felt on all aspects of day to day life with most countries in total lockdown as a preventive measure. The Makerere University Corona Virus Resource Centre reports 55 confirmed cases in Uganda with 20 recoveries and zero deaths as of April 18, 2020. The World Health Organization (WHO) on 11 March 2020 declared the disease a pandemic and implored governments across the world to employ measures to tame its spread. The Republic of Uganda complied with the above and the president issued a number of directives thereafter cured with statutory instruments from the Minister of Health.
One of the directives is the closure of all borders of Uganda and prohibition of any entry into Uganda. It is estimated that around two hundred refugees and asylum seekers entered Uganda daily in the month of March. This means that the directive directly affects the refugees and asylum seekers.
Uganda’s obligation under International Law
Uganda is a party to a number of international and regional instruments that enjoins her to protect refugees and asylum seekers. The country ratified the 1951 Convention Relating to the Status of Refugees and its 1967 Protocol in 1976; in 1987 it did the same to the 1967 OAU Convention Governing the Specific Aspects of Refugee Problems in Africa. Uganda is also bound by the African Charter of Human and Peoples Rights (ACHPR), The International Convention on Civil and Political Rights (ICCPR), the International Covenant on Economic, Social and Cultural Rights (ICESCR) and many others with all the rights enshrined therein applicable to refugees and asylum seekers. Uganda also enacted the 2006 Refugee Act and its 2010 Regulations in line with the above international instruments.
All the legal instruments were worth mentioning because they hint on the cornerstone of International Refugee law which is the principle of non-refoulement. This principle envisages a situation where no state expels or returns refugees or asylum seekers to countries where they face persecution. The question therefore is whether, strictly enforced, Uganda’s current measures against Covid 19 violates its international obligations, especially the concept of non-refoulement?
The Principle of Non-Refoulement
The 1951 convention read together with its 1967 protocol describes a refugee as a person who ‘owing to a well-founded fear of being persecuted for reasons of race, religion, nationality, membership of a particular social group or political opinion’ leaves the protection of his country of origin or nationality. The OAU convention further defines a refugee as ‘any person compelled to leave his country owing to occupation, foreign domination or events seriously disturbing public order in his country or part of the country’. The definitions of who a refugee is describe who is entitled to a grant of refugee status in a given state. The 1951 Convention thus engenders protection to any person who is entitled to a grant of a refugee status.
Article 33(1) of the 1951 convention which forms the basis of non-refoulement provides that
“no sate shall expel or return a refugee in any manner whatsoever to the territories where his or her life or freedom would be threatened on account of his race, religion, nationality, membership of a particular social group or political opinion”
This principle as noted earlier has become the cornerstone of international refugee law and some scholars believe it is evolving to become jus cogen, as it is not subject to derogation. The article has attracted two points of interpretation based on the question ‘whether it applies to only those who have gained entry into the territory of the contracting state or even to those who seek entrance to the territory’ some scholars argued in the affirmative while others in the negative. The work cited Fernandez and Goodwin who affirm that the Article applies to even those seeking entrance, “principle of non-refoulement now encompasses both non-return and non-rejection”
We base our argument on the interpretation that the principle applies to even those who are seeking entrance into a territory owing to a well-founded fear of persecution, whose denial of entrance tantamount to a violation of Article 33 of the convention. The foregoing therefore affords us the opportunity to examine Uganda’s directives in line with Article 33 on non-refoulement.
Uganda Responses and the Principle of Non Refoulement.
In response to the threats posed by the novel Covid 19, Uganda immediately shut its borders on 24th March, 2020, initially for a period of thirty days by virtue of the Public Health (Prohibition of Entry into Uganda) Order 2020. The order only exempted personnel of United Nation and cargo carrying trucks. The measures were subsequently extended for a period of 21 days until May 05, 2020 . In a message to refugees in Uganda on 27th March, the authorities confirmed that the travel ban applied to refugees and asylum seekers outside Ugandan borders. The message on a positive note clarified the asylum seekers already at reception and transit centers would be allowed to enter Uganda subject to mandatory quarantine and indeed they entered. Of concern therefore is the plight of those under genuine threat of violence or those facing persecutions or asylum seekers who were already enroute to Uganda, but had not yet arrived prior to the Order. These people are likely to be blocked at the border points, with no assistance, making them not only liable to being persecuted, re-arrested, tortured or even killed by their governments or belligerents. In fact, even if they are lucky to escape such persecution, they probably risk catching covid-19, spreading it, and dying of it, because such persons are likely not to seek assistance or be assisted in their country, making the principle of non-refoulement even more important.
In view of the above, the UNHCR in its protection messages for Covid 19 noted that in the face of the pandemic all people are vulnerable and the states are rightly taking stringent measures but such measures should be employed while respecting the principle of non-refoulement. It is clear therefore, that the closure of borders, including that of Uganda, to the extent that it applies to those seeking asylum, is a violation of this cardinal principle of non-refoulement, which now forms part of the international customary law.
There is no doubt that being a global pandemic, Uganda as a state has the right, as indeed the obligation, to take all necessary measures in times of public health emergency to prevent its spread, however, such measures must be proportionate and take cognizance of international human rights obligations of states. Just like the region is adhering to existing East Africa Protocols in relations to cargo movement and trade, it’s my submission that similar exceptions can be made to address the plight of asylum seekers. This way we strike a much-needed balance between public health emergencies and refugee rights.
Conclusion
In conclusion therefore, I want to submit that the denial of entry to an asylum seeker, who is at the border point, of a state party to the relevant international covenants and conventions highlighted above on grounds of public health law violates the principle of non-refoulment. There must be exception to allow such asylum seekers to enter the country but to subject to all health and safety measures including mandatory testing and institutional quarantine. This is where the UNHCR and all refugee agencies and rights groups could play a supportive role to the States anti Covid-19 taskforce.
The College of Humanities and Social Sciences (CHUSS) in partnership with Amani Institute Uganda launched a collaborative research project titled, “Beyond War Compensation: Gender Justice, Livelihood and Rights in Northern Uganda” to investigate and find lasting solutions to challenges that continue to undermine peace in the region.
The launch followed an impact workshop held by the collaborating institutions at Acholi Inn in Gulu District to seek views of local leaders in Northern Uganda on the intractable development challenges of attaining gender justice and inclusive security. Participants at the workshop included Local Government Leaders, researchers, students, media personnel and representatives from NGOs and CSOs.
The five-year research project led by Dr Josephine Ahikire, Principal, CHUSS and Mr. Stephen Oola, Director Amani Institute Uganda is supported by the London School of Economics and Political Science under the UK Research and Innovation and Global Challenges Research Fund (UKRI-GCRF). It will focus on four districts in Northern Uganda namely; Gulu, Pader, Amuru and Nwoya.
The project seeks to unravel new gendered realities of post-war conflicts associated with land acquisition in Northern Uganda. It also seeks to examine local justice mechanisms and how these can be harnessed to deal with some of the critical peace building gaps. The project will also document women’s agency in land rights claiming processes in the post-war era.
Background
Amani Institute Uganda (AIU) is a think-tank established in northern Uganda to enhance research capabilities and localize impact of research within the region, as well as promote rights, peace, justice and empowerment through evidence-based advocacy. Amani is a non-profit, non-governmental organization incorporated in 2013 as a company limited by guarantees.
Tasks
Amani seeks the services of an experienced website designer to evaluate, redesign and upgrade its website to accommodate its ever-growing content, research materials, audio-visual content and dynamic requirements.
The assignment would include review and evaluation of the current website design, its content, potential and design an upgrade strategy and new layout to achieve the desired goal as one of the most use friendly, attractive, navigable, and multi-media website.
Application:
Interested candidates should submit their expression of interest with a cover letter, a short CV (max 3 pages), an inception report consisting of an assessment of the current website www.amaniuganda.org and a proposal for its redesign and upgrade, proposed timeline and costs.
Application can be emailed to amaniuganda@gmail.com or hand delivered to Plot 13 R Labour Line Muroni Rd, Pece Division, Gulu Municipality.
For more information call Lydia Lanyero Janet on 0784835570 or Office line 0775341041
Dateline is 5pm August 5th, 2019.