| Posted: Mar. 24 2005,17:19 |
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PROGRESS: Has your organization seen
progress toward a culture of peace and nonviolence in your domain of
action and in your constituency during the first half of the Decade? |
The
United Nations Association of Uganda (UNAU) is a non profit making
community organization, duly registered in Uganda as a company limited
by guarantee. The Association is affiliated to the World Federation of
United Nations Associations (WFUNA) with offices in New York, USA, and
Geneva, Switzerland. www.wfuna.org
The UN Association of Uganda
(UNAU) was registered in 1997 as a non-profit, non-government community
organization in support of the Aims, Objectives, Principles and Ideals
of the UN in Uganda as enshrined in the UN Charter.
The UN
Association of Uganda (UNAU) has Category One Consultative Status at
the Economic and Social Council (ECOSOC) of the United Nations as a
member of the World Federation of UN Associations (WFUNA).
1. Progress towards a Culture of Peace and Non-violence: (2001-2005)
i.
Information dissemination to the Ugandan population by way of newspaper
articles, letters to the media, reports and conflict area visits most
especially to the IDP camps.
ii. Networking with other peace activists and conflict resolution CSOs locally and internationally.
iii. Conflict resolution initiatives to highlight the need to solve conflicts peacefully.
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OBSTACLES: What are the most important obstacles that have prevented progress?
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* Lack of adequate literature and IEC materials on peace and conflict resolution, and management to reach all stakeholders.
* Inadequate commitment by the belligerents to have the eighteen year old conflict resolved peacefully.
* Limited resources to fully implement the initiatives aimed at making the peace strategies work towards ending the conflicts.
*
Lack of commitment by the international community to fully support the
efforts towards ending the conflicts in Africa particularly that in
Northern Uganda.
* Limited presence and delayed action by the international community especially of the UN towards conflict resolution.
* Absence of conflict early warning systems and conflict prevention strategies and skills in the conflict ridden areas.
* A near absence of commitment by governments to deal with the governance questions that cause and sustain conflicts.
*
Limited media interest and coverage most especially the International
media towards the armed conflict in northern Uganda and the Darfur
region of Southern Sudan.
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ACTIONS: What actions have been
undertaken by your organization to promote a culture of peace and
nonviolence during the first half of the Decade?
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The
UNA of Uganda has been actively involved in the campaign for a just end
to the conflict in Northern Uganda by undertaking a fact finding
mission in partnership with the UNA-UK that resulted in the production
of a report titled "Northern Uganda's Hidden Tragedy." This
resulted into a joint memorandum with the Uganda Government through the
President's Office and the local area Parliamentarians on a minimum
package of initiatives to contribute to the efforts to peacefully
resolving the conflict.
Secondly, in partnership with a local
NGO- the Advocates Coalition for Development and Environment (ACODE),
UNA-Uganda is promoting an initiative aimed at hosting an International
Peace Conference on the conflict in Northern and Eastern Uganda.
The objectives of the conference are:
*
To mobilize broader national, regional and international support for
peace and build synergies for conflict resolution, peace building and
post-conflict reconstruction in northern Uganda.
* To create a
forum for reconciliation between the LRA and the Ugandan government as
a way of ending the 18 year old violent conflict in northern Uganda and
agree on a roadmap for resolving the LRA rebellion.
* To assist
the government of Uganda and the LRA identify key political
differences, their common interests and develop an agenda and a
timetable for peace negotiations.
* To provide a voice to the
voiceless in this violent conflict especially the children, youths and
women and document these voices for the future generations.
In
addition, in March 2003, during the World Federation of UN Associations
(WFUNA) Academy for a Stronger UN held in Kampala, Uganda, UNA-Uganda
held a Peace Concert the first ever at which relief items were
collected for the victims of the rebellion in northern Uganda. At the
same event, the UNA-UK sponsored a resolution on Iraq calling on the
USA government to abandon its war plans against the country.
UNA-Uganda
has been commemorating the International Day of Peace since 2001 with
several activities organized by the branch networks at the tertiary
institutions and in 2004, the UNAU -Mityana-Mubende branch organized
the celebrations at which relief item s were collected to aid the
victims of the armed conflict in northern Uganda (Photos below).
In
addition, UNA-Uganda has continuously been writing articles and letters
in the local media about the war in northern Uganda e.g. (www.monitor.co.ug) September 2004.
On
the international scene, several articles concerning the conflict in
the southern part of Sudan, the Darfur Region have been published
written by UNA-Uganda in the local media.
Finally, UNA-Uganda
participated in the Youth Specialized Meeting for the Great lakes
Region in preparation for the International Peace Conference for the
GLR held in November 2004 in Dar Es-Salaam.
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ADVICE: What advice would you like to
give to the Secretary-General and the General Assembly to promote a
culture of peace and nonviolence during the second half of the Decade? |
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PARTNERSHIPS: What partnerships and
networks does your organization participate in, thus strengthening the
global movement for a culture of peace? |
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PLANS: What new engagements are
planned by your organization to promote a culture of peace and
nonviolence in the second half of the Decade (2005-2010)? |
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Postal address of organization
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Plot 87, Bukoto Street Kamwokya
P.O. Box 10358
Kampala,Uganda 256
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E-mail address of organization
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unau_ug@yahoo.com
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Website address of organization
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Highest priority action domain of a culture of peace
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Human Rights.
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Second priority action domain of a culture of peace
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Free flow of Information and knowledge
International peace and security.
Sustainable development.
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Highest priority country of action (or international)
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Uganda
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Second priority country of action (or international)
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