TWO University of York academics are helping the Ugandan government respond to the challenges left by years of civil unrest.

Dr Sultan Barakat and Dr Richard Jones, of the university's Post-War Reconstruction and Development Unit, have teamed up with Dr William Lume, of the Centre for Inter-African Relations, in London, to examine new ways in which the Ugandan government can respond to conflicts.

The unit, which specialises in training professionals to manage and plan reconstruction after war and other emergencies, has given assistance to Uganda in supporting thousands of people displaced by instability in the north and north-east of the country.

In January, the team began recording what previous development and conflict prevention programmes had achieved.

Using feedback from donors, local and international NGOs, government departments and civil society organisations, the academics developed a programme to enhance the African government's capacity to respond to the conflict.

Dr Barakat said: "Over the years, tens of thousands have died and many children been abducted and forced to take part in violence and butchery.

"The population of the northern part of the country lives with a persistent low-level fear, extensive displacement and economic migration."

Dr Jones said: "Although Uganda is often hailed by the international community as a good example of progress in development, a significant part of the country is still beset by conflict.

"In the north (Acholi, Lango, Pader and Gulu) the Lords Resistance Army (LRA)

rebellion has claimed thousands of lives since it began 17 years ago.

"The LRA commits serious human rights abuses against civilians in villages and remote areas. A common strategy is to abduct children and brutalise them into fighting. To date over 20,000 children and adults have been seized.

"The second main area of fighting is the drought-prone north eastern district of Karamoja, populated by ethnic groups, collectively known as the Karimojong, who have traditionally been cattle keepers.

"One section of the heavily-armed Karimojong will raid cattle from another and, in the ensuing battle, many people are killed, property destroyed, and their livelihoods disrupted.

"The cycle of raids, deaths, counter raiding, revenge and further deaths has displaced over 10,000 people in this region.

"The region has suffered from a lack of effective central and local government, inconsistent law enforcement; the failure of the social and

economic elite to improve the situation; proliferation of small arms and the social and political isolation of Karamoja by successive governments."

Dr Barakat said: "In the short-term, our priority was to help the government address the needs of the internally displaced, restore

livelihoods and carry out training to help prevent future conflict.

"In the long-term, the priority is to improve the way both the government and non-governmental bodies deal with conflict and disasters and to

promote positive socio-economic development for the whole of Uganda."

Updated: 10:14 Friday, October 29, 2004