Ugandans visit to Sierra Leone 2008
Conciliation Resources took a group of Ugandans from the war-affected northern region to see how peace in Sierra Leone has fared since war ended there in 2002. They met and shared experiences with government officials, activists, lawyers, traditional leaders, former child soldiers, students, academics and other ordinary citizens. They also travelled to the south of the country to see the work of our partners, the Bo Peace and Reconciliation Movement and their community peace monitors.
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Innocent Aloyo and Grace Arach talked with students Samuel Allen and Richard Mansaray from the peace and conflict studies department at Fourah Bay College in Freetown.
The Ugandans met with Jamesina King, chairperson of Sierra Leone's Human Rights Commission and several other commissioners.
Koribondo's paramount chief is a volunteer peace monitor for the Bo Peace and Reconciliation Movement (BPRM). He welcomed the Ugandans in the town's court 'barri', traditionally used for collecting fines in disputes but now used by their Peace and Reconciliation Committee for resolving disputes without payment.
Ugandan Grach Arach, (right) talking with two of BPRM's women peace monitors about their work. Grace, 23, was abducted by the Lord's Resistance Army in northern Uganda when she was just 11 and escaped after seven years. She now works with other formerly abducted youth with the Gulu-based Information for Youth Empowerment Programme.
On the last day Ugandan government official Timothy Lubanga (right) and Charles Tolit took part in a special radio discussion programme hosted by Abdul Rashid (left) of Talking Drums Studio, which was later broadcast by five local radio stations. They reflected on their impressions and experiences with the Sierra Leoneans they'd met.
Larry Bassie, Chief of Staff of the Office of National Security talked about the challenges encountered in reforming Sierra Leone's security sector.
In the public gallery of Sierra Leone's Special Court in Freetown, the Ugandans watched a witness give testimony against former Liberian dictator Charles Taylor via satellite from the Hague.
Two members of the Bike Riders Development Association leaving Conciliation Resources' office in Bo after a long meeting with the Ugandans. Made up mainly of ex-combatants, it's one of Sierra Leone's largest youth associations and actively campaigns against violence.
In Koribondo, Bo district, Mr Hassan Feika (front right) explained how the Bo Peace and Reconciliation Movement (BPRM), trains and works with local volunteer peace monitors to help resolve and prevent cases of violent conflict in different chiefdoms and communities.
The group of Ugandans included (back left to right) Eric Micky Odong, Charles Tolit, Richard Kidega, Timothy Lubanga, Grace Arach, Boniface Ojok, Innocent Aloyo, Christopher Okidi, (front) Kennedy Tumutgeryeize and Moses Rubangangeyo. Also pictured are Sophia Goinhas and Mohammed from CR's West Africa programme, which hosted the trip.
