ICC’s Strong Stand: $56 Million Compensation Ordered for Uganda Victims

In a historic decision, International Criminal Court (ICC) judges ruled on Wednesday that nearly 50,000 victims of Ugandan militia commander Dominic Ongwen should receive over 52 million euros ($56 million) in compensation. Ongwen, once a child soldier who later became a top commander of the notorious Lord’s Resistance Army (LRA) rebels, was convicted in 2021 on 60 counts of war crimes and crimes against humanity, including rape, murder, and child abduction. The ICC judges stated that Ongwen did not have the financial resources to pay the compensation himself, and they turned to the tribunal’s Trust Fund for Victims to assist in covering the costs.

The reparations will be distributed as a symbolic individual payment of 750 euros per victim, along with collective reparations such as rehabilitation programs and memorial sites. This marks a significant step in addressing the aftermath of the atrocities committed by the LRA under the leadership of fugitive warlord Joseph Kony. The LRA terrorized Uganda for nearly two decades, engaging in brutal acts against civilians, including abductions, killings, and the use of child soldiers.

Louis Lakor, a 29-year-old Ugandan whom the LRA kidnaped as a child, expressed the inherent challenges of compensating victims, stating that reparations can only be symbolic. Lakor, whose parents were murdered by the rebels and who was forced to kill his sister, emphasized the emotional and psychological wounds that cannot be healed with monetary compensation. He questioned how one could compensate those who suffered invisible wounds, such as children born in captivity or those who lost their parents to violence.

The total number of victims is estimated to be close to 50,000, encompassing those affected by attacks on refugee camps and individuals, particularly women and children, who were abducted and coerced into becoming child soldiers or sex slaves. The ICC judges’ calculation of 52.4 million euros for reparations represents the most significant amount ordered by the court in a single case. As the ICC seeks to address the extensive human rights violations perpetrated by the LRA, this ruling underscores the challenges of providing meaningful reparations in the face of such horrific crimes.