Dominic Ongwen Trial Monitoring Update: May 15, 2018

Former child abductees face ‘cen’ and need cleansing: Psychologist tells court

“Former child abductees face serious effects and a significant number develop post-traumatic stress disorders.” Prof. Michael Gibbs Wessels a Psychologist and Professor of Clinical Population and Family Health at Columbia University (USA) told court during the trial hearings of Dominic Ongwen. Prof. Gibbs is also a psycho-social and child protection practitioner who worked in Uganda for 10 years(1998-2008).

“Education was my hope; my future and I have lost it.” Prof. Gibbs quoted in open court how a former abductee expressed her feelings about being abducted:He also stated that there is a likelihood of intergenerational transmission of trauma which will likely affect the families of children who were affected for generations.

Prof. Gibbs told the court that former LRA child abductees still face the burden of stigma, burden of being born out of wedlock, being a rebel child,inability to interact properly, engaging in unruly behavior, inability to create and maintain lasting relationships and feelings of guilt which in turn escalates to depression and trauma.

Prof. Gibbs further added that formerly abducted children also face what can be termed as ‘cen. ‘Cen’is an Acholi word used to describe a super natural manifestation, haunting a perpetrator. He recommended cultural rituals be done to break this psyche mentality.

In so saying, Prof. Gibbs was referring to cultural rituals like “Nyono tong gweno” (Stepping on the egg) that the Acholi believe in to remove the ‘cen’ and pacify the victims.He also noted that the resilient nature of Acholi children doesn’t mean they don’t need support urging that rituals have to be part of the healing process. “That is what people in Acholi land want- to remove the ‘cen’ It is much better than imposing western treatment,” he concluded.

The Agency for Cooperation and Research in Development (ACORD) is a Pan African organization working for social justice in Africa with a specific focus on peaceful communities, sustainable livelihoods and healthy lives.  The Foundation for Justice and Development (FJDI) works with children, youth, women and communities to promote justice, development and economic recovery in northern Uganda. ACORD and FJDI are monitoring the trial of Dominic Ongwen with support from the European Commission, under a project titled, “Promoting Justice and Accountability for Conflict Affected Communities in Northern Uganda and West-Nile Regions of Uganda.

Dominic Ongwen Trial Monitoring Update: May 14, 2018

Psychiatric report reveals lifelong post trauma stress disorders among victims of sexual violence

On May 14, 2018, Mr.  Daryn Scott Reicherteran, a Professor of Psychiatry and Director of Human Rights in Trauma Mental Health Laboratory at Stanford University presented his report on the effects of sexual violence on survivors. The report revealed that victims of sexual violence suffer lifelong post trauma stress disorder (PTSD), and the effects extend to their families, children and their ability to operate in a social setting. In the report, he also stated that it is very rare for a survivor of rape to not have a long-term trauma effects and that almost no survivor of rape has complete wellness at any point in life. Prof. Daryn who is also a cross-cultural trauma-mental health expert was testifying in the trial of Dominic Ongwen at the ICC sitting in The Hague.

Ongwen has been charged with 70 counts of war crimes and crimes against humanity for his alleged role in attacks on four camps for internally displaced people (IDP) between July 2002 and December 2005. He has pleaded not guilty to all counts.

Prof. Daryn told the court that Sexual violence affects victims at all stages of growth and that a child born of rape may not be accepted by the mother or the community, and other traits such as hard times completing school, lack of trust in self and in others, propensity to have love experience, and inability to recall events while in a court room, because they find it stressful to recount such events in front of strangers. He further told court that having flashbacks of bad events can affect the mental state that may compel survivors to develop syndromes such as avoiding important events in the society. Prof. Daryn further lamented that, “reintegration in family is a problem in most settings especially if the rape results in pregnancy, even harder in Northern Uganda basing on interviews with survivors and experts working in the region.” He also told court that, “if there are no resources/improvement in treatment facilities, it can be an aggravating factor of mental stress to victims. Treatment avenues should be provided whether at an early stage or later stage,” he said. In summary Prof. Daryn said survivors of sexual violence have more timid instabilities than expressed and that bad mental health state is a big thing to be addressed at all stages in this trial.

The Agency for Cooperation and Research in Development (ACORD) is a Pan African organization working for social justice in Africa with a specific focus on peaceful communities, sustainable livelihoods and healthy lives.  The Foundation for Justice and Development (FJDI) works with children, youth, women and communities to promote justice, development and economic recovery in northern Uganda. ACORD and FJDI are monitoring the trial of Dominic Ongwen with support from the European Commission, under a project titled, “Promoting Justice and Accountability for Conflict Affected Communities in Northern Uganda and West-Nile Regions of Uganda.