REPORT ON ADIT INTERNALLY DISPLACED PERSONS (IDP) CAMP NEAR GULU, UGANDA

Authors: Brent Boekestein (author) and Jim Bisenius

Camp: ADIT Internally Displaced Persons

Date: January 23, 2006

Location: ADIT IDP is located approximately 20 kilometers south of Gulu, Uganda.

Leadership: The camp director is Tony Orach. He is 25 years old and was democratically elected by his peers in November of 2005.

Population: The camp currently has somewhere between 11,200 and 13,000 persons. These numbers were derived from interviews with the last two camp directors. The camp is broken up into six blocks, with block E and block F holding a disproportionately large number of people (5000 – 6000). The government of Uganda often states that the camps are disbanding and people are returning home. In fact, at ADIT, the opposite is true. According to two interviews, the camp has doubled in size over the last 12 months. Many of the new camp residents are coming from nearby Gulu and Patch.

Organizations Involved: There are only two non-governmental organizations involved at ADIT. CESVI has installed three water sources (2 bore wells and 1 spring well) and 12 latrine toilets to serve the 11,200 – 13,000 population. Also, the American Red Cross has recently distributed blankets and building materials. No other NGO’s are involved.

Conditions: Jim Bisenius and this writer visited the ADIT camp on January 23, 2006 for roughly 2.5 hours. A tour of all six blocks was given and various interviews were conducted throughout the course of the tour. At the end of the visit, camp residents were given the opportunity to share their stories and voice their concerns with conditions at the camp. This information is based upon the aforementioned interviews.

Repeatedly, the camp director and all persons interviewed raised grave concern with the water situation at the camp. There are only three sources of water for the entire camp population and it often takes 6 – 8 hours to fetch water from the pump. At each of the three water sources, there were well over 20 people waiting to pump water.

Also, multiple persons raised concern with the lack of latrines at the camp. Currently, there are 12 toilets for the total camp population of 11,200 – 13,000. In block D, residents were digging their own narrow latrines and placing logs over the top to act as support and to cover the hole.

Every person interviewed also took issue with the lack of food. Over and over, this writer heard from people who did not have enough to eat because they had no land to farm on and no job income to purchase food with.

Security is also a major issue at the camp. At the time of this writer’s visit, the Lord’s Resistance Army was less than 1 mile away and the government had provided only 50 – 100 soldiers to protect the camp residents. This writer was told that the LRA was stealing cows, pigs and goats for food and that many of the people in the camp were gravely concerned for their lives. Every single person this writer spoke with was at the camp as a direct result of the rebel activity and subsequent instability in the region. One women waiting in the registration line had just come to the camp because her husband and brother were killed by the LRA and her three children, ages 12, 14, and 16 were abducted.

Other concerns included the lack of school materials and books, building materials, clothing and medical assistance.

Government Involvement: While this writer was visiting the camp, 10 members of the Office of Internal Migrants came to the camp to register and collect date from the camp residents. This writer was informed by residents of the camp that the government regularly came to the camp when NGO’s or visitors were visiting. No government services were being provided to the camp.

Key Needs: IN CLOSING, THE SITUATION AT THE ADIT IDP CAMP IS DIRE. NEW WATER SOURCES, EXPANDED SECURITY AND CONSISTENT FOOD SUPPLIES ARE NEEDED.

Please contact the author through the WWO communication system for further information or clarification.