Uganda

Mine Ban Policy

The Republic of Uganda signed the Mine Ban Treaty on 3 December 1997, ratified on 25 February 1999 and the treaty entered into force on 1 August 1999. In December 2005 Uganda reported that national implementation legislation was “ready for parliamentary debate.”^[1] In May 2007 an official told Landmine Monitor that the bill still had to be approved by the cabinet before being sent to parliament.^[2] As of July 2007 the legislation had not been presented to parliament.

Uganda’s annual Article 7 transparency report, due 30 April 2007, had not been posted on the UN website by end-July 2007.^[3] Landmine Monitor obtained a copy which is undated, and covers the period from 1 May 2006 to 1 April 2007. Uganda did not submit a report in 2006.^[4] Its most recent report was submitted on 5 December 2005 (covering September 2004 to September 2005).^[5]

Uganda participated in the Seventh Meeting of States Parties in Geneva in September 2006, as well as the intersessional Standing Committee meetings in May 2006 and April 2007. On each occasion, it made statements on its mine clearance and victim assistance efforts.

Uganda has not engaged in States Parties’ discussions on matters of interpretation and implementation related to Articles 1 and 2 of the Mine Ban Treaty, dealing with the issues of joint military operations with states not party to the treaty, foreign stockpiling and transit of antipersonnel mines, and antivehicle mines with sensitive fuzes or antihandling devices. With regard to mines retained under Article 3, “Uganda supports the position already taken by African states which have called for a minimum number of retained mines to be of a bare minimum and not in thousands.”^[6]

Uganda is party to the Convention on Conventional Weapons and its original Protocol II on landmines, but not Amended Protocol II or Protocol V on explosive remnants of war.

Production, Transfer, Stockpiling and Destruction

Uganda produced antipersonnel mines until at least 1995; the state-run facility has been decommissioned. Uganda has stated that it has never exported antipersonnel mines.^[7]

In July 2003 Uganda completed destruction of its stockpile of 6,383 antipersonnel mines. This figure was considerably higher than Uganda initially indicated would be destroyed, apparently because of additional mines captured from rebel forces and a decrease in the number of mines kept for training purposes.^[8]

Uganda’s December 2005 Article 7 report indicated it had decided to retain 1,764 antipersonnel mines for training purposes, less than the 2,400 it originally indicated would be retained. It listed 1,164 Type 72 mines and 600 TM-200 mines.^[9] The 2007 Article 7 report obtained by Landmine Monitor states “As reported last year” regarding retained mines.^[10]

However, Uganda told the Seventh Meeting of States Parties in September 2006 that “the types and quantities of mines for training purposes are being monitored,” and provided a chart of 1,798 mines of the following types: 584 POMZ 2, 500 PMN, 231 PMA-1, 200 Nr413, 161 PMD-1, 121 OZM-3 and one Type 72.^[11]

Uganda further stated, “The destruction of the following types and quantity have occurred since the last meeting,” and provided a chart of 202 mines showing: 40 POMZ 2; 20 PMN; 14 PMA-1; 31 Nr413; 11 PMD-1; 16 OZM-3; 70 Type 72.^[12] In the absence of the annual updated Article 7 report due on 30 April 2007, it is not known how many mines Uganda retained at the end of 2006 under the Article 3 exception.

In March 2006 a Ugandan military official told Landmine Monitor that some of the retained mines had been used for training in 2005 and 2006 at the Kabamba Army Training School. He said mines used in training are not destroyed in the process.^[13] Uganda has not yet reported in any detail on the intended purposes and actual uses of its retained mines—a step agreed to by States Parties at the First Review Conference in 2004.

Non-State Armed Groups

On 26 August 2006 the Lord’s Resistance Army/Movement (LRA/M) and the government of Uganda entered into a Cessation of Hostilities Agreement (CHA) under the mediation of the Vice-President of the Government of South Sudan.^[14] The CHA requires the parties to cease all hostile military action, but does not specifically mention landmines.^[15] It was renewed on 6 May 2007.^[16]

In June 2007 a Uganda People’s Defence Forces (UPDF) official confirmed to Landmine Monitor that there had not been any reports of use of antipersonnel mines by, or any recoveries of stockpiled antipersonnel mines from the LRA or any other armed group in Uganda during the reporting period.^[17] The UDPF has not reported any use of antipersonnel mines by the LRA since 2004, and has not reported the seizure or recovery of stockpiled antipersonnel mines from the LRA since 2005. In May 2005 a UPDF spokesperson stated that the LRA still possessed landmines, and to date the LRA has not surrendered them.^[18]

Two other rebel groups, the People’s Redemption Army (PRA) and the Allied Democratic Forces continued to carry out low level activities in western Uganda or in the neighboring Democratic Republic of Congo, but there have been no allegations of mine use by either group in 2006 or early 2007. A former PRA rebel who received an amnesty in January 2007 reportedly stated that in 2004 he procured antipersonnel mines, among other weapons, for the group.^[19]

Landmine and ERW Problem

Landmines and explosive remnants of war (ERW) in Uganda are the result of armed conflicts and insurgencies over the past four decades.^[20] The greatest threat is in the north of the country, following many years of conflict with the Lord’s Resistance Army, and includes mines, unexploded ordnance (UXO) and abandoned explosive ordnance. Anecdotal evidence continues to suggest that mines constitute a lesser threat.^[21]

The Uganda mine action program has conducted regional needs assessments, rather than national general or impact surveys of contamination; some 360 suspected hazardous areas had been identified and 30 of these were pending clearance in April 2007. It was noted, however, that in northern Uganda more than 80 percent of the population had been displaced into camps for over 10 years. As a result, it is believed that the number of suspected hazardous areas will increase when displaced people start to return to their home areas.^[22] This appeared to be confirmed by press reports. In May 2007, for example, one international NGO based in Gulu reported that it received more than 200 reports of UXO from local people. According to one of its staff, “There are unexploded mortar shells, grenades, RPGs [rocket-propelled grenades] shells, aircraft bombs...but we can also find single mines and mine fields near the border with South Sudan.”^[23]

Mine Action Program

Uganda’s program management body is its National Mine Action Steering Committee (NMASC). A mine action policy drafted in early 2006 was formally adopted in October 2006 by the committee, and is pending cabinet approval in 2007.^[24] The policy focused on clarifying the responsibilities of the main mine action institutions and other actors in the mine action program.^[25]

On 4 April 2006 the Uganda Mine Action Centre (UMAC) was officially opened in Kampala under the responsibility of the NMASC. UMAC functions include accrediting, tasking, monitoring and quality assuring mine action operators.^[26] It also conducts technical survey, rapid explosive ordnance disposal (EOD) and clearance operations with four multipurpose demining teams.^[27] UMAC was equipped with the version 4 of the Information Management System for Mine Action (IMSMA), which as of April 2007 was said to be operational with all identified suspected hazardous areas entered into the database.^[28]

The recruitment of two regional mine action coordinators was planned in the first quarter of 2007, for Acholi sub-region (Gulu) and for Teso and Lango sub-regions (Lira), using facilities of the UNDP sub-offices. Monthly coordination meetings have been held at national and district levels.^[29]

The UN Development Programme (UNDP) has provided support to Uganda’s mine action program, including a chief technical advisor and a technical advisor for victim assistance.^[30] In April 2007 Uganda announced that it would move to a nationally executed program during the course of the year; Uganda’s representative at the Standing Committee meetings appealed to UNDP to quicken the process.^[31] UNDP previously provided technical assistance to the Office of the Prime Minister (OPM), which was responsible for managing mine action in Uganda.  Since the creation of UMAC, the OPM has focused on building UMAC’s capacity to coordinate and implement mine action as well as providing technical advice to the National Steering Committee for Mine Action.

National mine action legislation was drafted in the first half of 2006 and was due to be submitted to parliament in the course of 2007. With support from the Geneva International Centre for Humanitarian Demining the development of national mine action standards started in late 2006 and completion was expected within 18 months.^[32]

A strategic plan was due to be developed after the completion of targeted needs assessments in all affected areas of northern and western Uganda. As of July 2007 the assessments had not been completed.

Integration of Mine Action with Reconstruction and Development

The focus of the mine action program is on facilitating the safe return and recovery of internally displaced persons (IDPs).^[33] According to the UN, “Mine action has been integrated into national plans and UN humanitarian and development plans.… Links with humanitarian, development and political/security agencies are either in place or under consideration by donors…. With planning integrated into responsible ministries and other development sectors, Uganda is well above the benchmarks for integrated mine action.”^[34]

A six-month emergency plan was announced by the President of Uganda in May 2006 for the protection of IDPs returning to their homes.^[35] The UNDP Chief Technical Advisor pointed out that, “Mine action is one of the pre-requisites for early return and recovery.”^[36] The results of this initiative were not known as of June 2007.

Mine Action Evaluations

An external evaluation of Uganda’s mine action program took place in March-April 2007; results were not publicly available as of July.^[37]

An internal monitoring mission was conducted by the UNDP Regional Mine Action Advisor for Africa in September 2006. The mission made a number of recommendations, including:

• development of a mine action presence in Gulu to liaise with the UPDF, to coordinate mine action services and link with local authorities, UN agencies and accredited operators and NGOs;
• mobilization of a mine detection dog team as a quality management and technical survey service; and,“sustained advocacy efforts at high levels” to persuade the government to release funds that it had allocated for mine action.^[38]

Demining

In 2006-2007 demining in Uganda was conducted primarily by multipurpose demining teams under UMAC responsibility.^[39] In February 2007 two additional teams were made operational and deployed to Gulu in the north of the country.^[40]

Identification, Marking and Fencing of Affected Areas

In April 2007 Uganda reported the results of its needs assessments (modified impact surveys) carried out by the Mines Awareness Trust (MAT) which recruited and trained national staff from affected districts. Hazardous areas were identified in Lira (13 hazardous areas), Soroti (9 pending clearance), Gulu (91), Kitgum (153) and Amuru (63).  Deminers were prioritizing operations in Gulu. Kitgum and Amuru were both pending clearance and completion of the needs assessment. Also, six of the 56 identified suspected hazardous areas in Kasese had been cleared, pending quality control. Quality assurance was done by UMAC staff. It was further noted that Pader district, “remains a concern as no needs assessment is yet done due to funding gaps.”^[41]

UMAC tasks multipurpose demining teams to mark suspected hazardous areas within three months of their being identified by targeted needs assessments.^[42]

Mine/ERW Clearance

Four multipurpose demining teams were equipped with metal detectors and large loop detectors.^[43] The program focuses on “land release through quality and risk management and is introducing tolerable risk management.”^[44]

In April 2007 Uganda declared that 13 suspected hazardous areas in Lira district had been demined, pending quality control and quality assurance, and that all affected areas in Kaberamaido district had been cleared and were being used by the community for farming. This had enabled the return of more than 2,000 IDPs in Kaberamaido.^[45] In May 2007 the UPDF also recovered UXO and “about 10 mines” from Palukere in Gulu district.^[46] In June 2007 it was reported that the army “had detonated more than 300 bombs, mines and other explosives from the districts of Gulu and Amuru,” most coming from LRA underground caches in the north.^[47]

Plans to establish two quality control teams in the second half of 2006 were postponed; the first quality control team was due to be trained, equipped and fielded in the second quarter of 2007, with funding from Germany, to be followed by a post-clearance land use survey.^[48]

In April 2007 Uganda announced plans to further increase capacity by deploying two mine detection dog teams for area reduction and quality control.^[49] Plans to introduce Mines Awareness Trust dog teams from Nairobi with Kenyan military handlers were held up by Kenyan authorities as of June 2007.^[50] It was also planned to use mechanical demining equipment to clear the three minefields identified in early 2007 in Kitgum district close to the border with Sudan. To implement these two plans, Uganda sought assistance “through like minded donor States Parties and work with INGO partners.”^[51]

Summary of Efforts to Comply with Article 5

Under Article 5 of the Mine Ban Treaty, Uganda must destroy all antipersonnel mines in mined areas under its jurisdiction or control as soon as possible, but no later than 1 August 2009. Uganda has been slow to initiate a mine action program; mine clearance did not start until 2006. However, momentum increased considerably during the year. At the Standing Committee meetings in April 2007, the UMAC Director declared that: “It is anticipated that by 2009 Uganda shall have adequate capacity to carry out technical surveys, explosive disposal ordnance and clearance capacity to enable the Uganda Mine Action Centre to destroy all anti-personnel mines in the identified mined areas under Uganda’s jurisdiction.” He added that the mine action plan is dependent on “the successful outcome of the peace negotiations and the eventual end of conflict. The prospective end-date of fulfilling obligations in Article 5 is dependent on this factor.”^[52]

Mine Risk Education

Uganda provided information on MRE activities in its 2007 Article 7 report.^[53] Organizations involved in MRE in Uganda during 2006 included the International Service Volunteers Association (Associazione Volontari per il Servizio Internazionale, AVSI), Canadian Physicians for Aid and Relief (CPAR), the local NGO Anti-Mine Network-Rwenzori (AMNET-R) and, since January 2006, World Vision. It was planned that the American Refugee Committee would start MRE for Sudanese refugees in northern Uganda in 2006, but no progress was reported.^[54]

In 2006 MRE reached some 125,000 people in the districts of Gulu, Kitgum, Lira, Pader, Apac and the newly created district of Amuru (formerly within Gulu district), conducted by CPAR (reaching 69,084 people, a significant increase from 50,000 reached in 2005 ), World Vision (25,000) and AVSI (31,340, a significant increase from 19,500 reached in 2005).^[55]

In western Uganda AMNET-R continued MRE on a limited scale due to lack of funding. Previously trained educators continued to pass on awareness messages to the communities. AMNET-R continued to undertake locally recognized marking in combination with MRE.^[56] Reportedly, many people in Rwenzori region have not started using their farm land for fear of landmines; most villages in Kasese district have continued to report suspicious objects to the authorities.^[57] Both AMNET-R and the OPM mine action staff emphasized that more MRE is needed in western Uganda, particularly in Kasese. In 2006 concerns also arose over scrap metal factories established in Mbarara and Kasese; many children in the region were reportedly collecting scrap metal.^[58]

Overall, MRE coverage of contaminated areas in Uganda appears to be inadequate. Less than 75 percent of the affected population has received MRE and 70 percent of casualties reported by the OPM occurred in areas with no MRE. Plans to extend MRE to more districts in 2006 were postponed due to lack of funding.^[59] UNDP reiterated the need for continued or new MRE in three main areas: IDP camps in the north, the northeastern areas to which IDPs are returning, and post-conflict areas in western Uganda, but added that UMAC would also like to provide coverage in the center of the country. In some areas there may be several NGO-trained community-based MRE staff and in other areas none. UNDP reported that NGOs had not adjusted their activities in response to the changing situation with returnees and “decongestion” populations.^[60]

Although mine action coordination meetings including MRE continued in 2006-2007, there was concern that some operators failed to submit monthly MRE reports in compliance with IMSMA, despite their staff having received training on this requirement, and had failed to adapt to the changing situation regarding returnees; some NGO MRE was said to be substandard, and messages were not coordinated between organizations.^[61]

All MRE providers in Uganda follow a similar community-based approach.^[62] MRE activities have been associated with reporting of suspicious devices by local communities, leading to ad hoc clearance operations by UPDF and the police.

Development of national standards began in November 2006 with a first consultative meeting involving all MRE providers and other stakeholders in January 2007.^[63] By July 2007, the national mine action standards had been drafted.^[64]

In mid-2006 UMAC began establishing and training two national MRE teams; it was planned to recruit a national coordinator.^[65] This initiative was said to be in part a response to the lack of coordination with NGOs, whose priorities and mandates at times conflict with those of UMAC. The teams will focus on returning IDPs in the north and west.^[66]

Landmine/ERW Casualties

In 2006 the Office of the Prime Minister reported at least 50 new mine/ERW casualties in Uganda, including 11 people killed and 39 injured. An additional six people were reportedly injured (three females) in Kasese, but these casualties could not be confirmed.^[67] This is an increase from 2005 (40 casualties).^[68] The increase may be due to better reporting of casualties or may be due to the increasing number of returnees. Seventy percent of the casualties occurred in areas where no MRE had been provided. Nearly 30 percent of casualties were children (14), none of whom had received MRE. Males constituted 66 percent (33) of all casualties: 26 were men and seven were boys. Details of activities at the time of the incident and the device causing the incident were not available.^[69]

There may have been more casualties in Uganda in 2006, but there is no comprehensive nationwide data collection mechanism. The International Committee of the Red Cross (ICRC) identified 269 weapon-injured people in Gulu, Kitgum and Pader districts, including 42 mine/ERW casualties, which could not be cross-referenced with the OPM data.^[70]

Casualties continued to be reported in 2007, with six people injured (two men, four women) by 30 June. All the casualties occurred in areas where no MRE is available.^[71]

A Landmine Monitor survey of hospital records in mine-affected districts of Gulu, Kitgum and Kasese did not identify additional mine/ERW casualties in 2006-2007.^[72]

The cumulative number of mine casualties in Uganda is not known. The government reports 900 survivors in northern Uganda and 200 in western Uganda.^[73] Available data from the Ministry of Health, the ICRC and NGOs show that there might have been as many as 2,000 mine/UXO casualties between 1999 and 2004. AVSI identified 1,387 mine/ERW casualties between 1986 and 2006, including 534 killed (39 percent) and 853 injured (61 percent). Antipersonnel mines caused 61 percent of casualties, ERW 17 percent, antivehicle mines 11 percent, cluster submunitions three percent, and unknown devices eight percent. AVSI concluded that, in northern Uganda, mines/ERW caused nearly 20 percent of all injuries. Registration of survivors is planned for the end of 2007 and a more accurate estimate of the number of survivors is expected by mid-2008. ^[74]

Data Collection

National casualty data collection appears to be increasingly efficient. The National Surveillance Network (NSN) under the Ministry of Health is scheduled to record all types of injuries, including mine/ERW causalities.^[75] In 2006 UMAC started to develop the NSN component for mine action in IMSMA, in cooperation with the disability division of the Ministry of Health. Linking mine action data to existing surveillance of hospital data is a priority for the ministry. A link with the Uganda Bureau of Statistics was also made to exchange information.^[76] Indicators to monitor the rehabilitative, social and economic changes in the life of landmine survivors were developed. In February 2007 pilot data collection projects were undertaken in Kasese and Gulu districts and the indicators were field-tested. The results were to be discussed in 2007 with the stakeholders for additional input and the indicators adjusted accordingly. A pilot project in Kasese and Pader was planned for July 2007, with start-up funding from Ireland.^[77] Mine action operators also carried out limited casualty surveillance in some areas, primarily in the northeast.

Officers from relevant ministries received IMSMA training in the second and third quarters of 2006, both in-country and abroad. Officers from AVSI, CPAR, World Vision and Mines Awareness Trust (MAT) were identified as NGO focal points for data collection in August and received IMSMA training in September 2006. However, by June 2007 only MAT was in compliance with UMAC standards for data collection and information provision.^[78]

Accurate information about the number of people with disabilities in Uganda and their living circumstances is lacking. A disability census is planned for 2008. The UNDP Victim Assistance officer sought ways in which the census information could be integrated into the NSN.^[79]

Survivor Assistance

Mine/ERW survivors appear to be a significant proportion of people with disabilities in Uganda, particularly in the north and east, and provision of adequate services for them is a drain on the country’s assistance facilities.^[80] Survivors are often among the poorest groups of society, especially those living in camps, and they suffer more from the limitations of service provision. Recent survey activity has shown a high divorce rate among both male and female survivors, but the “high level of abandonment of women landmine survivors shortly after their mine accidents,” was of particular concern.^[81] Internally displaced landmine survivors are one of the most vulnerable displaced groups and are at risk of losing land when returning home or being left in camps.^[82]

Many governmental and NGO rehabilitation services in Uganda are urban-based and do not reach individuals with disabilities in rural areas. However, the government and several NGOs have made substantial efforts to provide services in or near mine-affected areas and camps for IDPs.^[83]

Uganda has government, private and NGO-operated health facilities; many are private and not free-of-charge. The public health system in the mine-affected areas of northern and western Uganda is ill-equipped to handle mine/ERW casualties. Most health units do not have the capacity to effectively treat trauma cases and there is a lack of qualified staff and emergency transport. In mine-affected areas, only regional hospitals have specialized surgeons to carry out amputations and corrective surgery, but sometimes orthopedic surgeons visit mine-affected regions.^[84]

There are five main orthopedic facilities in Uganda and seven smaller facilities, but only two are in the most mine-affected areas of Gulu and Fort Portal.^[85] The capacities of the orthopedic centers are insufficient to meet the demand. However, transportation, accommodation and links to other services, such as physiotherapy, were said to be greater obstacles than the location of centers. Western Uganda and the Teso Lango area are in the highest need of more rehabilitation facilities. In 2006 a Ministry of Health evaluation recommended strengthening facilities in Mbarara and M’bale which would be more easily accessible for the survivors in Kasese than the Fort Portal center. In some centers the cost of services can also be prohibitive.^[86] Limited physiotherapy and occupational therapy is available, but needs to be expanded and linked to existing centers.^[87]

Psychological support is provided at the rehabilitation center in Gulu and by NGOs. The Ministry of Education and Sports, in cooperation with the Uganda Institute of Special Education, is responsible for access to education.^[88] The government-run District Rehabilitation Office provides community outreach and psychosocial support for war victims in Gulu.^[89] Uganda created a National Landmine Survivors’ Association to develop advocacy groups and associations in the affected districts.^[90] In 2006 psychosocial support was also further developed in some IDP catchment areas.^[91]

Socioeconomic reintegration opportunities are limited for people with disabilities. Government vocational training centers are open to all, but they are not free of charge. The government facilitates job placement and training for people with disabilities; micro-credit programs exist in the north. However, lack of access and knowledge of the available services limit survivor participation.^[92] A national referral system is being set up to address these issues.^[93]

There is a community-based rehabilitation network in 13 districts, coordinated by the National Coordination Committee on Community-Based.^[94]

Uganda has legislation and policies to protect the rights of people with disabilities, but implementation remains weak in rural regions.^[95] In February 2006 the National Policy on Disability in Uganda entered into force.^[96] The Persons with Disability Act was passed in May 2006.^[97] Uganda has a Minister of State for the Elderly and Disability Affairs and a Department for Disabled Persons. Five seats in parliament are reserved for representatives of people with disabilities.^[98] The National Council for Disability coordinates all disability activities. However, there is a lack of funding for initiatives to improve opportunities for people with disabilities.^[99]

On 30 March 2007 Uganda signed the UN Convention on the Rights of Persons with Disabilities and its Optional Protocol which allows the monitoring of the implementation of the Convention. Uganda plans to ratify the convention instruments.^[100]

Progress in Meeting VA24 Survivor Assistance Objectives

Uganda is one of 24 States Parties identified at the First Review Conference in November-December 2004 as having significant numbers of mine survivors and “the greatest responsibility to act, but also the greatest needs and expectations for assistance” in providing adequate services for the care, rehabilitation and reintegration of survivors.^[101]

At the Seventh Meeting of States Parties in September 2006 and at the Standing Committee meetings in April 2007 Uganda’s victim assistance specialists reported plans and progress made towards some of the 2005-2009 objectives presented previously at the Sixth Meeting of States Parties in September 2005.^[102] However, Uganda’s 2007 Article 7 report did not make use of voluntary Form J to provide information on its survivor assistance activities.

Significant progress has been reported on Uganda’s survivor assistance objectives. In April 2007 the new Minister of State for the Elderly and Disability Affairs reported that Uganda was “moving well beyond the identified objectives within a Victim Assistance Action Plan” through development of an integrated approach which “utilizes existing frameworks and involves multiple ministries and disability agencies with support and capacity being built by UNDP and participation from four INGO[s].” Survivor assistance in Uganda is said to be based on an integrated model involving ministries, NGOs and survivors; it relies on national ownership. Awareness-raising efforts have led to “landmine survivors and victim assistance taking center stage.”^[103]

Uganda’s main challenge is that most activities have focused on people in IDP camps with restricted movement. There is a need to prepare survivors for their return by ensuring that they have a role in society, assisting survivors in developing associations, and ensuring that survivors have access to services.^[104]

Uganda received support from the victim assistance specialist of the treaty’s Implementation Support Unit (ISU) in 2006, and has requested further support.^[105]

Although Uganda received twice as much mine action funding in 2006 compared to 2005, survivor assistance programs remained under-funded.^[106] However, the government established a budget line specifically for survivor assistance at the OPM.^[107] Multilateral efforts to secure funding were increasingly successful.^[108]

Survivor Assistance Strategic Framework

The National Mine Action Steering Committee coordinates victim assistance, in cooperation with the OPM, Ministry of Health, Ministry of Gender Labour and Social Development, National Council for Disability, as well as UMAC, the National Union of Disabled Persons of Uganda (NUDIPU) and the Uganda Landmine Survivors’ Association (ULSA). Disability is included in Uganda’s Poverty Eradication Programme. The casualty database will include indicators to monitor the situation of mine/ERW survivors in relation to the Millennium Development Goals.^[109] Draft mine action legislation prepared by the OPM included a victim assistance component, as does the draft National Mine Action Policy.^[110]

Uganda monitors its survivor assistance activities through interministerial cooperation with the OPM and NGOs; monthly mine action coordination meetings are conducted.^[111] The National Coordination Committee on Community-Based Rehabilitation coordinates all key ministries and stakeholders working in this area and is scheduled to become more directly involved in the survivor assistance program.^[112]

At least 2,929 people with disabilities in Uganda received services during 2006, including 834 mine/ERW survivors, 42 survivors who received medical care, 755 who received socioeconomic reintegration and 37 who received transportation assistance. Within this total, ICRC provided medical care to 42 new mine/ERW casualties, trained four doctors and built an operating theater.^[113] AVSI assisted 1,948 people with physical rehabilitation and trained 38 community-based rehabilitation workers.^[114] CPAR provided at least 356 people with micro-credits and vocational training (including 209 mine/UXO survivors) and trained 25 community counseling aids.^[115] World Vision assisted 232 survivors with loans.^[116] The Gulu Landmine Survivors Group provided economic assistance to 282 members.^[117] The Kasese Landmine Survivors Group assisted 15 members with employment opportunities.^[118] The Kasese Amputees Association provided employment opportunities to its 17 members.^[119] AMNET-R provided 37 survivors with transportation support to rehabilitation facilities.^[120]

The Ministry of Defence has its own military hospitals at Mbuya, Gulu and Bombo. The Ugandan People’s Defence Forces have a casualty unit in Mubende, and a smaller unit in Nakasongola. The Uganda Veterans Assistance Board has a medical rehabilitation program for disabled soldiers. On 20 May 2005 refurbishment started on the UPDF Mubende Rehabilitation Centre for disabled soldiers.^[121] Reportedly, refurbishment was still incomplete in June 2007.^[122]

The ICRC continued assistance to seven hospitals in Gulu, Kitgum and Pader districts which serve as referral facilities for a catchment population of some 1.1 million people (80 percent IDPs), and continued assistance to two other government hospitals.^[123] The Anaka Hospital, a referral facility for 80,000 people in Amuru district, received a new operating theater and other material assistance.^[124] In 2007, ICRC began an evaluation of rehabilitation capacity in Uganda.^[125] For other organizations assisting mine survivors and representing people with disabilities in Uganda, see previous editions of Landmine Monitor.^[126]

Funding and Assistance

In 2006 international donations totaling $1,666,251 (€1,326,316) for mine action in Uganda were reported by four countries and the EC, a small decrease from 2005 ($1,763,449 provided by five countries and the European Commission).^[127] Donor countries reporting funding in 2006 were:

• Australia: A$500,000 ($376,750) to UNDP for mine action;^[128]
• Canada: C$796,430 ($702,292) consisting of C$106,377 to AVSI for MRE and victim assistance in northern Uganda, C$194,376 and C$251,953 to CPAR for MRE, and C$243,724 to World Vision for MRE;^[129]
• Germany: €351,038 ($441,009) consisting of €171,038 to UNDP and €180,000 in-kind for secondment of a German expert;^[130]
• UK: £79,310 ($146,200) to UNDP for technical assistance for multipurpose demining teams.^[131]

The UN 2006 Portfolio End-Year Review reported that Uganda received 68 percent ($2,319,766) of funds requested through the appeal process in 2006.^[132] It reported that due to lack of funding in 2006 MRE could not be expanded into more districts and less than 75 percent of the affected population was receiving MRE; victim assistance programs could not be enhanced until further funding became available.^[133]

The 2007 Portfolio of Mine Action Projects includes 19 project appeals for Uganda totaling $8,500,281, of which $589,731 had been funded at the time of publication (November 2006).^[134]

Summary of National Contribution to Mine Action

The Ugandan government opened a national budget line for mine action in mid-2006.^[135] In May 2006 Uganda declared that UGX500 million ($200,000) had been earmarked for fiscal year 2006-2007, but the funds were not released.^[136] In April 2007 it was expected that $300,000 would be allocated in the current financial year.^[137] Three UMAC senior staff, 21 army engineers and 23 police officers have been seconded by the government for mine action; a further 22 army engineers were to be seconded after training at the International Mine Action Training Centre in Nairobi in June 2007.^[138]