Walking Through Memories, Planting Seeds of Peace

The question “Is war over?” greeted participants as they stepped into the National Memory and Peace Documentation Centre in Kitgum. Painted boldly on a mural, it framed the start of a four-day learning exchange on Transitional Justice that brought together survivors, civil society organisations, cultural and religious leaders, and legal and psychosocial experts from Uganda and South Sudan.

From Kitgum, the journey moved to Madi Opei, where the group visited the massacre site. Standing on the grounds where lives were brutally taken, survivors shared their painful memories. Their stories were raw reminders of the cost of conflict and the weight carried by families and children born of war.

The exchange then shifted to Gulu, where participants visited Ker Kal Kwaro Acholi to engage with the Paramount Chief, other Acholi chiefs, and retired Bishops Oneno Onweng and John Baptist Odama. In these interactions, leaders emphasised the enduring role of tradition, faith, and dialogue in healing broken communities.

The final stop was at the Lukodi Massacre Site, where participants met directly with survivors and community members. Here, grief and resilience stood side by side. Survivors spoke of stigma, lost rights, and trauma passed from one generation to the next. Yet, they also spoke of hope, of justice, memory, and reconciliation as tools for reclaiming dignity.

For South Sudan, which continues to wrestle with questions of justice and healing, the lessons were invaluable: place survivors at the centre of Transitional Justice, invest in psychosocial care, recognise the rights of children born of war, and integrate traditional and formal justice systems.

For northern Uganda, the exchange was also deeply personal. It connected the struggles of the past to the present challenges of youth and families, especially those who end up on the streets. By linking memories of war, land, and identity with today’s realities, Hashtag Gulu and its partners are shaping interventions that not only meet immediate needs but also address the roots of marginalisation.

This was more than a conference. It was a journey across landscapes of memory: Kitgum, Madi Opei, Gulu, and Lukodi. Each step affirms that while scars remain, communities can walk together toward peace.