CVT documents Northern Uganda war survivor accounts

A new book just put the voices of people who survived Uganda's Lord's Resistance Army war front and center, letting them define what healing actually looks like.

Repairing the Wrongs in Northern Uganda gets released by CVT

• The Center for Victims of Torture dropped the publication in Gulu recently.
• It captures stories from abducted women and kids born during captivity.
• Survivors got to define justice and healing on their own terms.
• CVT worked with Hashtag Uganda and Handle Uganda to gather testimonies.

Beatrice Ladu spent a decade held by the LRA

• Ladu came back with two children born while she was trapped.
• Sharing her experience helped her process years of bottled-up psychological damage.
• Stigma and poverty slammed her after returning to civilian life.
• Her participation in the research became part of her healing journey.

Job Openy was born in LRA captivity 25 years ago

• Openy returned home as a child after the conflict wound down.
• Telling his story helped him link up with others carrying similar burdens.
• He pushed for more targeted support aimed at war-born children specifically.
• His account highlighted the unique struggles kids born in conflict zones face.

The book flags major gaps that survivors still deal with

• Stigma, poverty, and gender-based violence top the list of ongoing challenges.
• Mental health services and reparations remain out of reach for many.
• The LRA conflict dragged on for two decades across Northern Uganda.
• Thousands of abducted women and children still lack adequate support or justice.