04/03/2010
Last September rioting took place in and around Kampala, the capital of Uganda. Many people were arrested, with a large percentage of these believed to have been innocent bystanders.
BMS World Mission workers, Matthew and Anna Price, tell us of the encouraging work at the Ugandan Christian Lawyers’ Fraternity (UCLF), in ensuring that those arrested were given access to fair representation for their trial.
As you can imagine, it seems many people were rounded up by the police simply because they were in the wrong place and the international donor community has expressed some concern that fair trials are afforded to all those arrested.
Because of UCLF’s expertise in this area, we have now been approached by a Danish donor – DANIDA, to coordinate the response of a number of legal aid providers to ensure all those charged receive representation as they are brought for trial.
This is an excellent opportunity to stand alongside a marginalised group and ensure that justice is done – and seen to be done – in what is a particularly politically charged context.