On July 17, World Day for International Justice, the International Criminal Court (ICC) in partnership with the Danish government has launched a project that will enable victims of the Lords Resistance Army atrocities in Northern Uganda to constantly follow proceedings at The Hague (70 counts of war crimes and crimes against humanity).

Dopesheet:


CUE: The International Criminal Court in partnership with the Danish Embassy in Kampala has launched a project that will help provide immediate information related to the on-going trial of alleged Brigade Commander of the Lord’s Resistance Army Dominic Ongwen. Ongwen is currently held in The Hague.
SCRIPT:
This project aims at facilitating the Court’s efforts to respond to the information demands of the community affected by the conflict in northern Uganda.
The 210,000 Euro Access to Justice project will run for one year.
23 permanent viewing sights will be set-up in Northern Uganda where victims and affected communities will now have full access to the trial of Dominic Ongwen.

SOUNDBITE 1: Morgens Pederson, Danish ambassador to Uganda (man, English 24 sec)
“The fundamental idea is this project is to enhance outreach of the ICC, what does it mean; it means that the truth is coming forward, that reconciliation has a very important place for the people in Northern Uganda… that is what we are doing, we are bringing it closer to the trial in the Hague”

SOUNDBITE 2: Herman Von Hebel, ICC Registar (man, English, 11 sec)
“The proceedings are in The Hague, its far away but through all these activities that we can do here in particularly in Gulu and in surroundings, we bring justice as close as possible to the victims.”

The Justice project will include community video screening of the trial, visits to The Hague by journalists to attend the trial and radio programs among others.
The local leaders have welcomed the initiative.
SOUNDBITE 3: Onono Onweng, Retired Bishop of Northern Uganda (man, English, 16 sec)
“When I look back at the screening of the court in the community, people were happy. And that is the key in any given process.”
Dominic Ongwen an alleged Brigade Commander within the Lord’s Resistance Army faces trial for 70 counts of war crimes and crimes against humanity.
Since the beginning of proceedings against Ongwen over 180 such video screening related activities have been conducted and the local community is following it closely.

SOUNDBITE 4: Alex Odong Okoya, journalist from Gulu (man, English, 19 sec)
“Every time the screening is done, we as Civil Society take part and in those moments we also interface with the beneficiaries and also get their views.”
However despite this overwhelming interest to follow the proceedings, there has been a limited capacity to sustain this initiative over the span of the trial.
But now with this new project, the Court will be able to conduct more regular screenings that will provide full access to whom it matters the most - the affected community.



SHOTLIST:

WS press conference
CS the signing of the document
MS video journalists
MS Danish ambassador shaking hands with ICC registrar
WS Journalists recording the proceedings
WS the Delegates addressing the media
MS Journalists listening
SOUNDBITE 1: Morgens Pederson, Danish ambassador to Uganda
“The fundamental idea is this project is to enhance outreach of the ICC, what does it mean; it means that the truth is coming forward, that reconciliation has a very important place for the people in Northern Uganda… that is what we are doing, we are bringing it closer to the trial in the Hague
SOUNDBITE 2: Herman Von Hebel, ICC Registrar
“The proceedings are in The Hague, its far away but through all these activities that we can do here in particularly in Gulu and in surroundings, we bring justice as close as possible to the victims.”
(ARCHIVES)
WS Viewing point of the Ongwen trial
MS viewing point of the Ongwen trial
CU viewing Point of the Ongwen trial
MS Onono Onweng, Retired Bishop of Northern Uganda
SOUNDBITE 3: Onono Onweng, Retired Bishop of Northern Uganda
“When I look back at the screening of the court in the community, people were happy. And that is the key in any given process.”
MS people watching Ogwen on the screen
WS People at the viewing center in Northern Uganda
CU An old woman at the viewing center
WS back view of people watching the trial
SOUNDBITE 4: Alex Odong Okoya, journalist from Gulu
“Every time the screening is done, we as Civil Society take part and in those moments we also interface with the beneficiaries and also get their views.”
WS people viewing the Ogwen trail
MS people viewing the Ogwen trail
CU people viewing the Ogwen trail
MS people viewing the Ogwen trail
ES the viewing point in Northern Uganda