Two new IOM assessments of internally displaced communities in
northern and northeastern Uganda have begun in order to better
understand their situation and their needs.

A 20-year conflict in northern Uganda between government forces
and the Lords Resistance Army has left more than 1.7 million people
displaced and forced to live in vulnerable, overcrowded camps with
poor facilities and exposure to violence and abuse.

One of the assessments will take place in Masindi, a district in
northern Uganda that for 10 years has been hosting internally
displaced people (IDP) from the neighbouring districts of Acholi
and Teso, two of the most heavily affected by the conflict.
However, with no systematic data collection or accurate
information, there is no clear picture of the IDP situation in
Masindi.

The assessment, funded by UNHCR and being carried out in close
collaboration with the Ugandan government and other partners, will
not only provide updated information on IDPs in the two districts
but will also assess who intends to return to former homes and what
their return, relocation and reintegration needs would be. The
information will be used by the government and humanitarian actors
to better plan for the potential return, relocation and
reintegration of the IDPs.

IOM is also carrying out an assessment of IDPs in the Teso Lango
region of northeastern Uganda, where a slightly improved security
situation in the latter part of 2005 has led to some IDPs
spontaneously moving back to their home communities, to rural camps
nearby or to preferred new locations.

The assessment, funded by the Swedish government and UNICEF,
will profile those who have remained displaced and those who have
returned to their homes in order to support the programme planning
for voluntary return and reintegration as well as that of
resettlement and integration of IDPs by the government and other
players.

The information will also be used to improve the situation for
remaining IDPs and will provide key information on IDP settlements
and return areas.

For more information, please contact:

Kamel Irani

Chief of Mission

IOM Kampala

Tel: + 256 41 346 720

Email: "mailto:kirani@iom.int" target="_blank" title=
"">kirani@iom.int