Project Profile
Doing Northern Uganda Justice
IWPR radio programme on transitional justice provides survivors of the
LRA insurgency with a platform to air their views on efforts to
restore stability to northern Uganda.
By IWPR - International Justice - ICC
8 Apr 11
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The Uganda radio project team. From the left, Moses Odokonyero
(project coordinator), Florence Ogola (reporter), Simon Jennings
(project manager), Arthur Okot (reporter), and Alex Odongo (reporter).
(Photo: IWPR)
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As the people of northern Uganda seek to rebuild their lives after the
brutal, 20-year insurgency waged by the Lord’s Resistance Army, LRA,
IWPR’s radio programme on justice and issues surrounding the
resettlement of those uprooted by the conflict provides sought after
information on post-conflict developments in the region.
Facing Justice is a regular, feature-length radio broadcast that seeks
to fill a void in investigative reporting on human rights and
transitional justice issues in northern Uganda.
“There is a great lack in northern Uganda of in-depth, analytical
programming on these important issues,” said David Okidi, manager of
Gulu-based IWPR partner Mega FM, part of a network of five radio
stations which broadcast Facing Justice across northern Uganda. The
programme goes out in English and three local languages - Luo, Ateso
and Lugbara.
Mega FM, Voice of Teso, Radio Palwak, Radio Pacis and Rhino Rhino have
a combined regional audience of an estimated 4.6 million listeners.
“The people of northern Uganda suffered a lot at the hands of both
rebels and government troops – but nobody seems able to hold the
perpetuators accountable,” said Facing Justice reporter Arthur Okot,
who also works for Mega FM. “The victims have given up but the
programme now brings them life and renewed hope. Through this
programme, [audiences can] listen to the victims and hold [those who
persecuted them] accountable for their actions.”
The IWPR Uganda Radio Project – of which Facing Justice is a part –
has trained a network of 12 reporters from the regions of Teso,
Acholi, Lango and West Nile. The project is run by IWPR reporter Simon
Jennings and project coordinator, Moses Odokonyero, with the Facing
Justice programme produced by Susan Kavuma.
IWPR media training held in Gulu, northern Uganda, in 2009 and 2010
has equipped reporters with skills in investigative journalism,
reporting legal and justice issues, as well as technical production
techniques that have enabled them to produce high quality reports for
the programme.
“Following the launch of Facing Justice in 2009, new training modules
in investigative reporting and technical sound production for radio
have raised the standard of reporting among the local journalists,”
Odokonyero said. “It has also equipped the journalists with specific
editorial skills necessary for them to choose topics and story angles
relevant to the local audience.”
IWPR’s work in the region has taken place against a background of
attempts by authorities to undermine press freedom, which has been
widely condemned by international watchdogs, particularly in the
run-up and aftermath of the recent presidential elections held in
February 2011.
Despite the often intimidating atmosphere, Facing Justice reporters
produce accurate, fair and balanced reporting that informs local
audiences of the facts around northern Uganda’s post-conflict recovery
process.
"As a journalist I know it is my duty to inform and educate people but
when denied that right I feel like I am doing public relations work
and not sticking to the real issues,” Facing Justice reporter Florence
Ogola said. “Even when they have the facts right, journalists in
Uganda often sit on them because they fear the consequences of
publishing. Facing justice deals with real issues, that's exactly what
every journalist should be reporting on.”
Bill Oketch, who has reported extensively for IWPR on the
mismanagement of development funds earmarked for the reconstruction of
war-scarred areas of northern Uganda, cited Facing Justice’s
independence as one of its most important merits.
“Journalists are intimidated by government officials who have been
implicated over the allegations of corruption related to rebuilding
programmes in the north. But we are just professionals doing our
work,” Oketch said.
“Communities affected by the two-decades of LRA conflict are our fans.
They love the Facing Justice programme because of its balanced, well
researched and comprehensive approach that highlights challenges the
war survivors are facing as they rebuild their homes and lives. Now
many are calling for the establishment of an independent Facing
Justice radio station in northern Uganda.”
The largely commercial nature of the radio landscape in northern
Uganda means the interests and information needs of a critical section
of the population - particularly in rural areas - are often not
catered for. The financial and technical limitations of radio stations
in the region also mean they struggle to produce high quality,
well-researched programming that draws on the experience and views of
ordinary people. As a consequence, the communities of northern Uganda
seldom get a chance to have their voices heard.
Facing Justice - which embarked on its second series in November 2010
- has sought to fill this gap across the Acholi, West Nile and Teso
regions. IWPR sends reporters to rural settlements to hear residents’
views on everyday issues such as access to clean water, gender-based
violence and the availability of health services. By also engaging
relevant experts and government stakeholders, Facing Justice provides
much-needed analysis on these important issues and addresses the
concerns of its target audience.
The programme has also produced stories on the prevalence of weapons
left over from the LRA war era, widows’ inheritance rights and other
transitional justice issues such as the formation of a possible truth
commission in the north and war victims’ reparations claims.
After each episode, partner radio stations host a phone-in for
listeners to give their views about a given topic live on air or send
in text messages to be read out.
Not only has Facing Justice prompted lively debate on the issues it
covers, but local stakeholders say the programme is making a real
difference to communities in northern Uganda.
“It is really a programme that is good,” said Hassan Juma Nyene, the
police spokesman for the mideastern region. “It is very educating for
our listeners. We can see that they are getting in touch with whatever
is happening. Sometimes, there is a problem and the outside world
doesn’t know. The programme is on air and they begin to feel that help
is going to come because people are aware.”
A recent programme about formerly displaced citizens struggling to
access clean drinking water in villages they’ve returned to prompted
particular acclaim from local officials.
“The radio programme is good. It is telling others that we who live in
the villages need clean water. But are those responsible bringing us
the clean water?” Okello Mateo, an elder from the village of Koro
Abili in Gulu district, said.
Facing Justice is seen as an increasingly vital source of information,
delivered through a medium which can effectively highlight key issues.
“This is a programme that addresses real issues that affects the
community,” Simon Oyet, member of parliament for Nwoya County in Amuru
district, told IWPR.
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