The Observer (Kampala)
Simon Musasizi
30 October 2008
Beyond Juba, a transitional justice project of Makerere University Faculty of Law's Refugee Law Project and Human Rights & Peace Centre, brings you the Peace Film Festival this Thursday and Friday at the National Theatre.
Under the theme; Images of Conflict; Imaginings of Peace, the festival will feature a series of films and documentaries on the subject of conflict, peace and reconciliation.
This will be followed by discussions on issues raised in the films.
"The films selected have been chosen for their potential to act as a catalyst for discussion and informed introduction to these debates," said Research and Advocate Officer of the Refuge Law Project, Lyambro Komakech.
The programme of films will reflect a sense of chronology in their scheduling. The festival kicks off today and its focus will be on films about conflict in northern Uganda and Karamoja.
Trapped in Anguish, for example, divulges an informed account of the war in northern Uganda, its humanitarian implications and the process of return and reintegration of former combatants.
Award winning Uganda Rising, which features interviews with Betty Bigombe, Samantha Power, President Museveni and Mahmood Mamdani among others, gives a ground breaking account of the 20-year war in northern Uganda.
Ekisil will give a graphic docu-drama on the culture and values of Karamojong and their struggle to find lasting peace in the region.
"It's hoped that by showing these films consecutively, and discussing them together, parallels may be drawn between the two conflicts. In particular, the screening aims to raise questions about the complicated situation in Karamoja, drawing attention to the increase in military activity in the region, and the clash between the pastoralist and non-pastoralist societies and the extent to which these contribute to a climate of violence and marginalisation," Komakech said.
"It's going to be a curtain raise and will clean cobwebs on those who have not been following issues with Karamoja," he added.
On Friday, the Beyond Juba Project will launch its documentary, What About Us, on urban Internally Displaced Persons (IDPs) and their exclusion from IDP policy.
This will be followed by We didn't know that gives the South African experience on the process of truth telling.
The festival will close with another award winning film, Red Dust that exposes the complexities of truth telling at South Africa's Truth and Reconciliation Commission.
The panellists of the discussions will include members of civil society such as African Leadership Institute's David Pulkol, policy makers, academics and film makers such as Giovanni Dall'Oglio among others.
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