Labot in Dual Spaces and Land Conflict in Post-Conflict Northern Uganda: A Gender Discourse Analysis

Abstract

This paper seeks to discuss the dual spaces which labot1occupy within the post-war land-conflict setting in Amuru District. From a gendered perspective, this is a critical discussion contesting the dominant discourse that represents women as occupying the dual spaces. This perspective has been accepted by society and women have been supported accordingly. However, labot in these same dual spaces have not been embraced in the same way. Analyses of the narratives and lived experiences of labot challenge the notion that men are less affected than women by land conflicts in post-war areas. Three themes emerged from the narratives: woman as security for land, labot and land conflict, and social navigation to reclaim land. This paper interacts with feminist discourse that tries to explain the relationships and interactions of women within the feminine master-narrative in relation to ownership, access and control over resources. Therefore, the paper argues that labot have crossed into the private space as well and taken on the character of dual spaces.