Human rights group Amnesty International today accused the Ugandan judicial system of failing to act against the widespread rape and sexual abuse of women in the north of the country.
In a report entitled Uganda: Doubly Traumatised, Amnesty said that women victims of violence in northern Uganda face "insurmountable difficulties in trying to ensure that perpetrators are brought to justice." It added that government officials and military officers were among those responsible for the abuse.
"The utter lack of justice faced by women and girls who are the victims of sexual violence requires the immediate attention of the Ugandan government and the international community," said Godfrey Odongo, Amnesty International's researcher in Kampala.
Both the rebel Lord's Resistance Army (LRA) and the Ugandan military have been accused of widespread sexual violence during the 20-year civil war in northern Uganda. The government and LRA are currently engaged in peace talks in Juba, Sudan, but Amnesty said the violence against women continues.
Amnesty International interviewed victims of violence committed by both sides in the conflict.
One woman said a government soldier had raped her, leaving her "devastated" and HIV positive. Seeking justice is "scary and intimidating," she added.
Among those committing sexual crimes against women are LRA members who recently deserted the movement, Amnesty International warned.
Highlighting the difficulty of reporting cases, the group said police officers are few and far between, and often inexperienced. Once at a police station, it is difficult for a woman to get a medical examination – an important step in implicating a perpetrator.
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Victims are often charged for the examinations, and they and their families are sometimes required to pay an illegal "photocopying fee" to make copies of forms. Victims are usually too poor to afford to pay these costs.
Moreover, victims also sometimes have to pay for lunch for police officers, or to feed a jailed suspect, Amnesty International contends.
"The justice system in northern Uganda ignores, denies, and tacitly condones violence against women and girls and protects suspected perpetrators," the report stated.
It said the result was a complete loss of hope in the system. "The vast majority of cases of violence against women are not reported because most victims have lost hope in getting any kind of justice," said Odongo.
