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Uganda: Mao Scoffs At ICC for Failure to Recognise Acholi Justice System
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The Monitor (Kampala)
24 July 2008
Posted to the web 23 July 2008
James Eriku
Gulu
Gulu District Chairman Norbert Mao has scoffed at the continued demands by the international community, especially the International Criminal Court, to have the indicted LRA leaders only tried in legally recognisable courts.
Mr Mao said the Acholi traditional justice system commonly known as "Mato-oput" has a measurable degree of bearing on community conflict resolution and peace building compared to the formal justice system that would only split the community further.
He said the Acholi still value and believe that the 'mato-oput' justice system can bail them out of the highly anticipated retributions among the communities in future when the LRA fighters finally return home.
Mr Mao made the remarks at the launch of the Conflict Resolution and Peace Building component of the Gulu District Reconstruction and Peace Team at the district council hall last weekend.
The indictment of LRA's top commanders by the Hague-based ICC for war crimes against humanity has been criticised by many as an impediment to return of peace in the region.
He said the biggest challenge in maintaining peace in the region is to deal with the international opinion about the traditional justice system of the local people.
"The cultural leaders we have in Acholi have a lot of powers in the villages which have been neglected by the outside world to help in conflict resolution and peace building," Mr Mao said.
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He asked ICC to learn to know more about justice systems in different countries.
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