| dc.description.abstract | The study was conducted in Pader district, one of the districts that was worst
affected by the LRA conflict in northern Uganda. 95% of the total population of
Pader district were displaced into IDP camps and neighbouring districts, as a
result of the twenty year old armed conflict in northern Uganda. With the
improvements in the security situation from the year 2005 to date, the IDP
population in Pader district have been resettling to either transit sites or
homes of origin.
The objective of the study was to find out the opportunities that the IDPs had
for resettling; the challenges and protection threats that IDPs were exposed to
during the resettlement process and to generate facts, figures and qualitative
information on perceived needs and attitudes of IDPs towards resettlement in
light of the ‘improved’ security situation in Northern Uganda.
Data was collected from the field by use of questionnaires, and focus group
discussions. Prior made reports and written materials from the UNHCR and
other humanitarian agencies operating in the district like ICRC, UNICEF,
WHO, OCHA, WFP and the district local government were also reviewed and
consulted.
Findings from the study are presented by use of tables, figures as well as
descriptive methods. Findings from the study indicate that the IDPs were
displaced in areas within and outside the district. Three resettlement patterns
of the IDPs was established by the study; which include resettlement without
movement among those that reside within a reasonable distance from their
pre- displacement homes, resettlement with movement where the IDPs were
resettling in sites within reasonable walking distance from their own land and
resettlement in original homes of origin. These patterns were largely
dependent on the opportunities and challenges they envisage to be faced
with.
The study also established that IDPs had a number of opportunities that they
were utilizing to resettle. These opportunities were categorized into pull and
push factors. Pull factors were conducive conditions in the areas of return that
attracted the IDPs to move and settle in them such as desire to access more
land for cultivation, less congestion and improved security situation. The push
factors are those that are forcing the IDPs to resettle from the main camps to
transit sites and villages of origin; these include evictions by land owners,
congestion in the main camps, limited access to land and the negative
changes in social morals.
Findings of the study indicate that the resettling IDPs are experiencing a
number of challenges in the form of uncertainness of the peace process, fear
of mines and unexploded ordinances, lack of availability of adequate social
and humanitarian services in areas of resettlement. Some of the challenges
experienced by the IDPs during the resettlement process are due to the
changes in their social lives and relations during the period of displacement.
Other challenges were however due to structural problems such as the lack of
availability of social service infrastructure in resettlement areas.
Recommendations towards the improvement of the situation include more
especially interventions in the areas of security, clearance of unexploded
ordinances and other abandoned remnants of war, provision and rehabilitation
of social service infrastructure and the need to involve and encourage the
IDPs to participate in the resettlement, early recovery programmes and
development programmes to enable them revitalize their means of livelihoods
in a sustainable manne | en_US |
