On 5 July 2014, coordinated attacks in the districts of Bundibugyo, Kasese and Ntoroko in Uganda’s Rwenzori region, resulted in the deaths of over 90 people, the majority civilians, who were either hacked or shot to death. In total there were 13 attacks, including a weighbridge, a number of police stations and a police barracks within the regions, with a significant number of guns being stolen in the process. Though political institutions were targeted, more civilians than security personnel perished during the surprise attacks. This assault came just after the global threat of Islamic terrorism resurfaced once again in Uganda. On 3 July 2014, the US Embassy issued a credible warning of a terrorist attack between the hours of 21h00 and 23h00, specifically targeting Uganda’s international airport in Entebbe, some 20 miles away from the capital, Kampala.

Since September 11th, 2001, terrorism has been a prominent focus of political discourse. Whether one has suffered directly from an attack or not, the majority now live with the constant threat of potential violence. Terms such as ‘militant’, ‘jihadist’ or ‘insurgent’ have become everyday vocabulary in the world media forum. However, long before the global threat of Islamic terrorism became the focal discourse of political leaders today, terrorism in the form of ethnic clashes plagued the developing world, Africa in particular.

The continued onslaught of ethnic clashes and terrorist threats in Uganda

The surprise attacks occurred near the Uganda-DRC border, in the districts of Bundibugyo, Kasese and Ntoroko. Map compiled by ACMMUganda is an ethnically diverse country with more than 37 million people and at least 65 recognised indigenous groups. It has a long standing history of ethnic tension that can be traced back to colonial times, a result of marginalisation, exclusion and increased discrimination of different groups at different times in history that has, more often than not, culminated in violent clashes across the country. In particular, in the 1990’s the Bundibugyo and Kasese districts bared the brunt of the longstanding insurgencies of the National Army for the Liberation of Uganda and the Allied Democratic Forces (NALU-ADF) – a terrorist group that was initially thought to be behind the recent attacks in Western Uganda – with tens of thousands of people believed to have been displaced due to the violence perpetuated by the group. The attacks in the Bundibugyo, Kasese and Ntoroko regions have now been blamed on sectarianism amid growing tensions between rival ethnic groups, competing for the limited resources available in the region and the recent appointment of rival kings.

Ethnic tensions have been long neglected by successive Ugandan governments. Despite some attempts – for instance, the creation of Bundibugyo District was an emergency response from Idi Amin in his attempt to diffuse ethnic tensions between the Bamba, Bakonjo and the Babwisi tribe on the one hand, and their onetime rivals, the Batooro, on the other – marginalised groups without access to resources and lacking in political clout to exert their rights, have suffered disproportionately. This is both in the allocation of resources and social services, as well as in the lack of economic opportunities across Uganda.

Security fears and upheavals

On average, every month or so, an email is sent out from Red24, or another analogous organisation, informing those residing in Uganda of a protest that could turn violent or a potential terrorist attack. This information often arrives with a reminder of the terrorist attacks carried out by Al-Shabaab in Kampala in 2010.

The most recent threat, a day after the US warning of a potential attack at Entebbe airport, was of two Eritrean men dressed as women, arrested at Forest shopping mall in Kampala, apparently armed with explosives. Though this has since been discredited and the wrongly accused alleged assailants, released, this type of information does not fare well with those living and working in Kampala, often forcing many to shun local social events, in fear of an attack. These threats, coupled with regional ethnic tensions in Uganda, do not portray an image of Uganda that is likely to attract foreign direct investment or increase tourism in the region. The tourism industry contributes an estimated US$ 1.7 billion, equivalent to 9% of GDP (2010), to the country’s economy; a contribution that will continue to rise if peace and stability can be ensured.

Insight Box | Terrorist networks prevalent in Uganda

The National Army for the Liberation of Uganda and the Allied Democratic Forces (NALU-ADF) is a terrorist organisation, formed in 1995 by an alliance of a number of armed groups supported by external players (e.g. Mobutu Sese Seko’s Zaire and Hassan al-Turabi’s Sudan). It was created in opposition to Yoweri Museveni’s presidency and to establish an Islamic state in Uganda. Despite its Ugandan origins, the NALU-ADF was never able to fully establish itself in Uganda and is thus based in the hills between eastern DR Congo and Uganda. According to NGO Enough (http://www.enoughproject.org), NALU-ADF has an estimated 1,200 to 15,000 resilient, highly organised and sophisticated fighters who have been able to successfully infiltrate, and thus fully participate, in local economic and security networks, threatening peace and stability in its surrounding areas.

Al Shabaab is a prominent Islamic terrorist organisation primarily focused on waging jihad on ‘enemies of Islam’. On 11 July 2010, Al-Shabaab carried out its first attack outside of Somalia, with 3 coordinated explosions in Kampala during screenings of the 2010 World Cup final; one at a restaurant in Kabalagala and two at a rugby club in Lugogo, killing 74 people and injuring a further 70. The reason cited by Al-Shabaab for targeting Uganda was due to Uganda’s military presence in Somalia as part of an African Union peacekeeping mission that it believes to be anti-Islam. They are also the terrorist organisation behind the Westgate tragedy in Kenya in September 2013 as well as a number of recent attacks in Kenya.

Bringing peace to the fore

In 2000, the government of Uganda provided an amnesty and monetary enticement to the NALU-ADF in Western Uganda to abandon the rebellion, but made no provisions to aid the victims of their atrocities. The ‘Beyond Juba Project’, championed by the Refugee Law project (RLP), the Human Rights and Peace Centre (HURIPEC), and the Faculty of Law (FOL) at Makarere University, aims to rectify victims’ omission in the few instances that government has intervened by generating support for a national reconciliation process. They hope to achieve this via extensive research into conflicts past and new, developing specific proposals for context appropriate transitional justice systems and public awareness campaigns as to how this process can help sustain a peaceful Uganda. As purported by the International Crisis Group when discussing the case of NALU-ADF, it is necessary to weaken these groups’ socio-economic base whilst concurrently offering a demobilisation and reintegration programme for combatants who have committed no war crimes.

In order to come close to combatting the problems raised by both international and domestic atrocities, the problem must be brought to the fore. East African leaders must unite with the rest of Africa’s leaders to engage in discussion on a global platform. For now, most have gotten used to the constant reminders - but luckily, often non-appearance of - terrorist attacks. However, if the threat continues and more atrocities are committed, the damage will certainly be long lasting. The Ugandan government must renew talks regarding the enactment of the 2009 National Reconciliation Bill, which remains in draft form, and work closely with international governments in tackling global terrorist threats. With the lead up to the general election in 2016, there is potential for a rise in intra-regional clashes as different ethnic groups attempt to get their voices heard. Thus, well-founded and realistic action is required by central government and regional leaders to enable an environment where peace and stability can be realised.

This article is extracted from the July 2014 edition of CAI’s Africa Conflict Monthly Monitor (ACMM) –. The essential +-70 page monthly report that dissects conflict developments and trends across the African continent to guide businesses, governments, academics and other stakeholders in Africa’s growth and stability.

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Written by Written by Belinda Baah ⁽¹⁾

Notes:

(1) On the ground in Uganda for ACMM, Belinda Baah is an economist and a political commentator based in Kampala. Belinda is widely published on issues relating to African development, economics and politics. She has been with CAI since 2012. Contact Belinda at conflict.terrorism@consultancyafrica.com. Edited by Dominique Gilbert.