TITLE:
“This Monument Keeps the Truth for Us... This Place Will Still Speak”: The Role of the Atiak Monument in Survivors’ Healing and Emotional Well-Being in Atiak Subcounty, Northern Uganda
AUTHORS:
Anek Josephine, Laloyo Stella Apecu
KEYWORDS:
Memorials, Healing, Psychosocial Support, Atiak, Uganda
JOURNAL NAME:
Open Access Library Journal,
Vol.13 No.8,
August
26,
2026
ABSTRACT: This study explored the contribution of memorialization to survivors’ healing and emotional well-being in post-conflict Acholi Land, using the Atiak Monument in Atiak Sub-County, Amuru District, as a case study. The objectives were to examine the role of the Atiak Monument in supporting survivors’ healing and recovery, assess the effectiveness of post-conflict recovery initiatives in promoting psychosocial well-being and social reintegration, and explore the contribution of international actors to memorialization efforts in Atiak Sub-County, Amuru District, Uganda. A phenomenological study design was employed, and data were collected from 46 respondents using interview guides. A phenomenological research design was considered appropriate because the research questions sought to understand the lived experiences, perceptions, and meanings that participants attached to the phenomenon under study. The design enabled exploration of participants’ experiences in depth and from their own perspectives. Through this approach, rich insights were generated about how individuals experience and interpret the phenomenon, enabling the study to answer research questions focused on understanding experiences rather than measuring variables or testing relationships. The findings revealed that the Atiak Monument plays a significant role in supporting survivors’ healing by providing a space for remembrance, collective mourning, emotional expression, and community reflection. The study recommends introducing interactive educational and healing-oriented programs at the monument site, involving schools, local organizations, survivors, and community members in activities such as storytelling, dialogue sessions, commemorative events, and history lessons—aimed at fostering remembrance, healing, resilience, and emotional well-being among survivors and future generations.