Betty Bigombe has been awarded the Geuzen Medal for 2010
		The Geuzen Medal for 2010 has been awarded to the Ugandan peace seeker Betty Bigombe. Betty Bigombe is world renowned as one of the main negotiators in the conflict between the government of Uganda and the Lord’s Resistance Army (LRA) rebels in the north of the country. The award ceremony took place in Vlaardingen in the Netherlands on 13 March 2010.
Yoka Brandt, director-general for International Cooperation at the Ministry of Foreign Affairs, presented the Geuzenpenning to Betty Bigombe. Yoka Brandt is a former ambassador in Eritrea and Uganda. Mediator at the forefront of the peace negotiations The constant and unresolved conflict between the LRA, a self-proclaimed Christian guerilla group, and the Ugandan government goes back to 1987. Betty Bigombe is best known for her work as chief mediator in the northern Uganda conflict. Betty Bigombe has been at the forefront of the peace negotiations. She is one of the few individuals that have negotiated with the LRA leadership personally.  She has tirelessly played the role of peace advocate and advisor to the warring factions, and been a voice to international community for the people of Northern Uganda in a conflict that has lasted over 20 years, caused death to thousands of people, seen over 80,000 children abducted and turned into child soldiers and displaced about 1.7 million people. She is still a valued advisor for the Sudanese government that nowadays holds the Ugandan peace talks. Geuzenpenning The Geuzenpenning is intended to honour and support present day freedom fighters and human rights activists. It is an initiative of the Stichting Geuzenverzet 1940-1945 (Geuzen Resistance Foundation 1940-1945). The organisation was founded by former Dutch resistance fighters in the Second World War. The Geuzenpenning is awarded to individuals and organisations devoted to fighting for human rights and against dictatorship, discrimination and racism. Previous laureates have included the Colombian politician Ingrid Betancourt and the International Campaign for Tibet. Saturday 13 March: remembrance and presentation Most members of the Geuzen Resistance from the Second World War came from Schiedam, Rotterdam, Maassluis and Vlaardingen. On Saturday 13 March, the Geuzen Resistance was remembered and the Geuzenpenning awarded in Vlaardingen. The remembrance started at Emaus cemetery, with the laying of wreathes and flowers and a minute’s silence at the Geuzengraf. A silent procession then proceeded from the Geuzengraf to the Market Place. There was a remembrance at the Geuzen Monument, followed by the presentation of the Geuzenpenning in the Grote Kerk.