Reference :
V-P-UG-E-00371
Date :
20/08/2013
Caption :
North Uganda, Palabeck Gem Subcounty, Kamama. School-children lean on the bonnet of an ICRC vehicle.
Confidentiality level :
public
Publication restrictions :
publication without restrictions
Description :
In the 1990's, many children from this area were abducted as they walked to school, worked in the fields or even from their home.
Between 1986 and 2006, up to an estimated 75,000 people were abducted in northern Uganda. In 2013, the fate of several thousands remains unknown; the ICRC estimates that there may be more than 12,000 people still missing. Their families have lived for years with this uncertainty, unable to honour their death, and hanging on to the hope that one day, their family members may return. The emotional distress this has caused has led to many feeling isolated, unable to talk about their situation with other members of the community and suffering discrimination from those who believe they are involved with the abductors.
The ICRC launched a holistic programme in Palabek Gem Subcounty identifying, and subsequently bringing together, families of the missing. The ICRC formed support groups for these families and trained "accompaniers" to facilitate discussion on learning how to cope with their grief and finding a way to move forward. This culminated in a remembrance ceremony for the missing in the village of Kamama on August 21, 2013, bringing together over 500 members of the community, to help bring affected families closer to the wider community.
ICRC website/photo gallery, 28/08/2013
Original material :
digital
Resolution :
4256x2832
Orientation :
landscape
Colour/B&W :
colour
