Amnesty as a panacea to conflict.

Abstract

Peacebuilding is a process of trying to restore cordial normal relations between people or groups of people especially after a conflict. It requires the reconciliation of differences, apology and forgiveness of past harm and the establishment of a co-operative relationship between groups after the conflict. Peacebuilding is a foundation for sustainable peace but this foundation needs a lot of resources including time as well as the support of all stakeholders in a country to have a common vision for the future if they are to achieve sustainable peace. This paper aimed to determine the limitations faced by amnesty seekers in Uganda and the prospects thereof to end conflicts and wars peacefully and the attainment of sustainable peace. The paper is based on a larger study that was conducted to assess the contribution of amnesty in ending conflicts and wars. This study was guided by the desire to end conflicts and wars through the use of amnesty. The study adopted both quantitative and qualitative study design. A questionnaire was used to collect data from one thousand respondents spread throughout the five districts in Uganda that were sampled; each district from Uganda’s five regions. In addition, one-on-one interviews were held with several key informants like reporters, Resident District Commissioners of the sampled districts, staff of NGos that were involved in the receiving of reporters, some sections of the security apparatus, lawyers and religious leaders. The results showed that peacebuilding through peaceful means like granting of amnesty can easily encourage peacebuilding and the achievement of sustainable peace in a country. The findings are beneficial to academicians, policy makers, NGO’s, peace negotiators and politicians as far as they will be painting a green picture in the use of peacebuilding mechanisms like amnesty to build peace if conflicts and wars are to end and sustainable peace is acheived. The mission behind this study was to establish the limitations faced by amnesty seekers in Uganda and what could be done to remove such limitations so that amnesty seekers in and outside Uganda can easily access amnesty.