Uganda: how will the victims of ex-warlord Dominic Ongwen be compensated
International justice set this February 28, 2024 at more than 52 million euros the amount of reparations for the victims of Dominic Ongwen, a Ugandan child soldier who became a rebel commander, sentenced to 25 years in prison for war crimes and crimes against humanity.
In 2021 then at the end of 2022 on appeal, Mr. Ongwen was found guilty by the International Criminal Court (ICC), which sits in The Hague (Netherlands), of murder, rape and sexual slavery in northern Uganda in early 2000s.
[File image] Former LRA leader Dominic Ongwen outside the International Criminal Court in The Hague during the confirmation of charges hearing January 21, 2016. REUTERS/Michael Kooren
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The International Criminal Court (ICC) set on February 28, 2024 the amount and nature of reparations for the victims of Dominic Ongwen, a former commander of the Lord's Resistance Army (LRA).
He was convicted in 2022 for war crimes and crimes against humanity.
The ICC provides for the payment of individual aid of 750 euros for each victim as well as collective rehabilitation projects in northern
Uganda
.
Also read: Uganda: the International Criminal Court confirms the conviction of former warlord Dominic Ongwen
The Court recognizes nearly 50,000 people as victims of crimes committed by Dominic Ongwen or under his orders between 2002 and 2005: civilians kidnapped from internally displaced persons camps, women victims of rape or child soldiers.
“
I don’t think Ongwen has the capacity to compensate anyone
”
Each victim is eligible for individual aid of 750 euros.
A reparation that does not convince Sam Okello, Director of the Hope North association, created in 1997 to support child victims of the LRA: “
What is the price of a human being killed?
I don't think Ongwen has the capacity to compensate anyone in the north.
Life is so valuable that no financial compensation can be associated with it.
»
The Court particularly placed emphasis on the collective rehabilitation projects which must be developed with the victims to respond to the moral and physical harm they have suffered and to improve their living conditions.
“
The ICC must be interested in the global reasons why conflicts emerge
,” insists Sam Okello.
The idea is to say: let's create a stronger economy in northern Uganda to prevent unnecessary conflict from happening again.
Let us support Uganda as a country to have a stable society.
It’s a better solution
.”
All the repairs will cost 52 million euros.
The President of the Court indicated that he was counting on States, companies and private individuals to reach this sum.
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