The government moved tens of thousands of residents to internally displaced persons camps for their protection, where they were subject to raids by the rebels and also harsh conditions, including disease.

Kitgum District is a constituent part of Acholiland, home to an estimated 1.1 million Acholi, according to the 2002 national census.

The nearest large settlement to the Project is the village of Orom, located in Chua East Country.

At a radius of 323 square kilometers, the Orom-Cross graphite project covers 10 villages in Orom East Sub County in Kitgum District.

During late 2007 and early 2008, as many of the residents of the Internally Displaced Persons (IDP) camps started to return to their home areas following peace talks, an outbreak of Hepatitis E engulfed the community, and soon spread to the entire district.