Uganda

IDPs in North Uganda

In the north, particularly in Gulu and Kitgum districts, twelve years of violence by the rebel group, the Lord’s Resistance Army (LRA), has forced over 330,000 people from their homes. These people have either congregated in “protected villages”, moved in with host families, or have found shelter in public buildings. The instability and relocation have prevented farming in many areas and has resulted in a food shortage for the displaced, although some are able to cultivate in their new location.

Food Security in Gulu and Kitgum In October, pockets of insecurity were reported in Gulu District and led to the displacement of a further 9,000 people in Purongo. In general, however, the security situation in Gulu, and especially Kitgum, has improved somewhat during the reporting period. Many IDPs are spending an increasing amount of time away from the camps working on their farms, although they return to the security of the camps, which are protected by the army, at night. The harvest is almost complete and the prices of basic foods that have been harvested are stable. Food availability is reported to be good in both areas (OCHA -19/11/99; WFP -15/11/99).

More generally, however, twelve years of insecurity have had a profound effect on food security and production in Gulu and Kitgum. Most of the population has been unable to access their land for cultivation over the past few years. In addition, Cassava Mosaic disease has destroyed large areas of cassava crops. Agricultural inputs have also been scarce (although FAO has started a distribution of hoes and seeds). Even if a household is successful in producing surplus crops, there are few viable markets and those that do exist are difficult to access. Farmers tend to lose a significant portion of their crop due to poor handling and storage, and lacking the technology or financial capacity to add value to their products. In addition, the near total loss of livestock in the 1980s continues to impact negatively on food security. Other opportunities for income generation activities are severely limited at present (OCHA - 11/99; WFP-11/11/99).

Nutritional situation

WFP provides food assistance to some 320,000 IDPs in this area, under food-for-work projects and other schemes. Some 50,000 school children are also provided with lunch from WFP commodities. Nutritional surveys among IDPs are underway in both Gulu and Kitgum districts. Preliminary results from Gulu suggest that the situation has improved since the last survey in March (OCHA - 19/11/99; WFP-11/11/99).

IDPs in West Uganda

Bundibugyo

There are an estimated 101,000 IDPs in 36 camps in Bundibugyo District who have been displaced by attacks by the Allied Democratic Forces (ADF). Security in this area had improved considerably after additional government troops had been ordered to the area in July, which allowed relief agencies to carry out their activities uninterrupted. More recently, however, the ADF rebels appear to have increased their attacks in response to recent government successes in locating the rebel camps in the mountains. The IDPs in the district frequently move to alternate sites in response to new security incidents or to increase their access to cultivable land. This fluidity makes accurate estimates of the number of IDPs difficult to obtain (OCHA -19/11/99).

WFP continues to provide half rations to displaced people throughout Bundibugyo district, however distributions in the urban areas of Bundibugyo town and Nyahuka town have been halted in order to better target the needy and eliminate residents. This follows reports of substantial sales of relief food on the markets. Other relief activities in the district include supporting health, water and sanitation, shelter construction, health and hygiene education. MSF is currently conducting a nutritional survey in Bundibugyo town (OCHA-19/11/99).

World Harvest Mission conducted a nutritional survey of IDPs in Nyahuka Camp in August (see annex). The prevalence of wasting was estimated at 1.5%, no severe wasting was found. The prevalence of oedema was estimated at 5.88%. Children whose fathers were absent were more than twice as likely to be malnourished as those whose fathers were present. The authors of the survey stress that the results are only valid for Nyahuka camp and should not be extrapolated to the rest of Bundibugyo district (WHM -08/12/99).

Kasese

Recent assessments by various humanitarian organisations have highlighted the continuing plight of some 30,000 IDPs in Kasese. These people were displaced by the continuing presence of ADF forces in their mountain homes, which are sporadically attacked. The population is being provided with a monthly ration by WFP (OCHA -19/10/99, 21/10/99; WFP-11/11/99).

Kibaale

Kibaale District continued to suffer attacks by the ADF in October and early November. Reports suggest that there may be up to 10,000 IDPs in the area (OCHA -19/11/99).

Refugees

There are 15,000 more refugees in Uganda now than there were at the end of 1998. The inflows are largely from the Sudan and DRC; the latter fleeing instability in the Kivus and a recent inter-ethnic conflict west of Lake Albert, although some of these movements are quite temporary (OCHA-11/99).

At the end of September, WFP assisted some 155,000 Sudanese refuges in six different settlements in northern Uganda. Currently more than 20,000 refugees in this area are considered self-sufficient and therefore no longer require food assistance. Food rations to other refugees are being gradually reduced as they also achieve self-sufficiency, as recommended by the June 1999 Joint Food Needs Assessment Mission recommendations. The next reduction is scheduled for January 2000. In the meantime, the refugees have begun agricultural activities in the camps (WFP - 11/11/99). WFP also assists some 11,700 refugees in camps in southern parts of Uganda and a further 15,500 in camps in the west of the country (WFP -15/11/99).

There is no new information on the nutritional situation of the refugees in Uganda. The latest reports described their nutritional situation as adequate (see RNIS 27 and 28).

Recommendations and priorities:

· Strengthen and support livelihoods, for example: provide agricultural inputs, restocking activities, livestock health programmes, pest control, micro-credit schemes, and income generation activities.