Peace Process

From the media and internet

March 1-April 18, 2008

Various press statements indicate divisions with the LRA and among its supporters in the diaspora.  On April 10, a press statement claimed that Mr. Alex and Mr. Bill were now speaking for Kony.   On April 17, The Daily Monitor reported that Dr. James Obita had been named the new spokesman for Kony.  David Mastanga disputed Obita's appointment and said that he had been named the Chief Advisor to the new consultative team headed by Oloya. 

Matsanga issued a press statement on April 15 alleging that internal divisions within the LRA, greed, and bad advice led to the failure of Kony to sign the FPA.  Matsanga alleges that Kony killed his deputy, Major General Okot Odhiambo and Major General Ceasar Acel-lam.  Matsanga stated the Kony killed his previous deputy Vincent Otti because he was involved in an arms deal with a South African and that funds given to Otti never reached Kony.  He stated that disputes over money and tribalism created divisions within the LRA negotiating team.

Resolve Uganda issued a press release entitled "With Caution and Creativity, Hope Remains For Imminent End to Uganda's 22-Year War" on April 14.  According to Resolve Uganda's Research Director, Peter Quaranto, "it seems likely that Kony was apprehensive about signing an agreement without clearer guarantees for his own personal security."  Quaranto recommended that "sustained international involvement and outside-the-box creative thinking is needed to keep dialoguing directly with Kony and induce him to come out of the bush.  Given the volatile region and risks for escalated violence, renewed military operations by the Ugandan army must remain a last resort.  "Ultimately, peace in northern Uganda doesn't have to depend on the actions of Joseph Kony.  If the Ugandan government pledges to uphold the commitments it made during the negotiations process to help redevelop war-affected areas and make amends for the crimes committee during the war, peace can still be achieved."

Michael Poffenberger, Resolve Uganda's Executive Director stated that "we can't lose sight of the fact that this peace agreement is also about restoring the Ugandan government's relationship with the people of northern Uganda who have endured the brutal consequences of this war."

February 1-29, 2008
On February 19, Human Rights Watch welcomed the agreement on accountability mechanisms between the Government and LRA.  In a press release, HRW Director for International Justice Programs, Richard Dicker, stated "Today's agreement could be a major step toward peace and justice for northern Uganda, but the true test lies in how the agreement is put into practice."  HRW also released an in-depth analysis which emphasized that Uganda needed to hold fair, credible trials for those who committed the most serious crimes.  "We look to the parties, the mediators, international observers, major donors, U.N. Envoy Chissano, and other relevant U.N. actors to ensure that fair and credible trials take place so that justice and sustainable peace can be achieved."

January 1-31, 2008
The Civil Society Organizations for Peace in Northern Uganda (CSOPNU) ran an announcement in the Saturday New Vision on January 25 calling for a speedy resumption of the peace talks at Juba, arguing that continued delay threatens to derail the process and prolong suffering in Northern Uganda.

The Sunday Monitor on January 27 carried an editorial entitled "No So Innocent Bystanders to Juba Talks" by Adrian Bradbury and Peter Quaranto of GuluWalk and Resolve Uganda.  Bradbury and Quaranto compare what they describe "as the international community's response or lack thereof surrounding the faltering Juba peace process.  The diplomatic corps, hampered by fatigue and impatience, has adopted a wait-and-see approach as events unfold."  The authors praise the role of Riek Machar, the Southern Sudanese mediator for keeping the process in motion despite domestic issues in Sudan and describe U.N. Special Envoy for LRA-Affected Areas Joachim Chissano as a crucial intermediary, but state that "his position too remains only part-time."

On January 29, the following U.S. Statement on the Resumption of the Peace Talks in Juba was released from the Department:

The United States welcomes the resumption of the peace talks in Juba, South Sudan, between the Government of Uganda and the Lord's Resistance Army aimed at ending the 22 year conflict.

Assistant Secretary for African Affairs, Jendayi Frazer, has asked her Senior Advisor for Conflict Resolution, Tim Shortley, to be present in Juba on January 30 to work with the mediator and parties on moving the peace process forward.  The United States supports the peace talks, and maintains that the process cannot be open-ended.  We urge the parties to work expeditiously on an agreement mechanism on accountability and reconciliation.

The United States will work with the Government of Uganda and the international community to provide robust support for reconstruction and recovery efforts in Northern Uganda.

December 1-31, 2007

"Museveni Blasts Kony for Killing Otti" was the New Vision's December 21 headline.  During his visit to northern Uganda, Museveni publicly criticized Kony for killing Otti.  "He killed Otti.  Who is he?  Those that he is killing are Ugandans.  Otti and the rest should have been killed by the law of Uganda but not Kony.  What right do you have to kill others?"  Museveni also stated, "Kony wants to come from the bush alive but he killed Otti.  When he comes, what will he tell the people?"  "What I know is that the two quarreled over some USD 600,000 from donors."  Museveni described Kony as an illiterate who would be defeated through peaceful or other means.

Museveni cautioned Rwot Acana from using the word "irreversible" to describe the peace talks because he (Museveni) follows "what Kony is thinking."  “The peace is reversible because Kony is weak and that is why he has fled to Garamba."  Museveni said that he was convinced Kony could be defeated militarily, but he was persuaded by northern leaders to accept the peace process. 

November 3- 30, 2007

"Kony Eats Otti's Penis," headlined the tabloid newspaper "Saturday Red Pepper" on 17 November.  The article cited unnamed intelligence sources, who claimed to have obtained information from sources close to Kony, regarding Otti's alleged post-execution fate.  According to these reports, a Gulu-based "witchdoctor" was brought to Garamba, accompanied by a white goat suitable for sacrifice.  In Garamba, rituals were undertaken with Otti's body parts (and the goat's) with the intent of containing Otti’s ghost.  Kony, as executioner, has reason to fear retribution by Otti's reincarnated spirit.

The "Red Pepper" specializes in sensationalist stories, and often (usually) pushes the boundaries of accepted journalistic practice.  However, the paper does have sources in the Ugandan security/military establishment.  Kony's history of using ritual and claims of contact with spirit mediums also lends some credence to the story.

On November 19, "The East African" headlined "Exile for Kony the Best Option for Peace in Northern Uganda," citing an October 29 report by the Enough Project, "What To Do With Joseph Kony?" The Enough Project report, authored by John Prendergast, said that "the time to strike a deal was now."  The report presents three options for dealing with Kony. The first would have Kony agreeing to return to Uganda, where he would face serious domestic justice mechanisms meeting local needs and international standards.  The second option would be asylum in a third country, and the third option would be his arrest.

"A credible military option, involving regional states, the UN missions in Sudan and Congo, and governments willing to offer equipment and personnel, combined with a sustained, high-level diplomatic push directed at Kony, might provide the essential ingredient and leverage to get the job done," according to the report.  The report also recommended that the State Department remove Kony from its Terrorist List if Kony signed a peace agreement.

October 20- November 2, 2007

Ugandan newspapers provided coverage of President Bush’s meeting with President Museveni.  The New Vision headlined "Museveni, Bush Discuss LRA War."  Gordon Johndrow, spokesperson for the NSC, was quoted saying "The President (Bush) believes the situation in northern Uganda needs to be resolved sooner rather than later."

A joint GOU-LRA press conference—a first in Uganda—was held November 1 in Kampala.  The visiting LRA delegation, led by Martin Ojul, attorney Ayena Odongo, James Obita and Santa Okot, met with reporters and diplomats, including DPAO, for two hours.  Ojul stated that the LRA was "not for war, but for peace."  Ojul said that he had visited Kony and all the LRA high command eight days ago in Garamba.  He denied reports that there had been a split between LRA leaders Kony and Otti.  "Joseph and Vincent" do not want to go back to war.  He also denied reports that food aid for the LRA was being sold, claiming instead that the food supplied was currently insufficient. Ojul said that no civilians were being held against their will in Garamba.

Regarding the Peace Process, Ojul said that the process was "at the point of no return" to a final agreement.  "The peace process will not fail at the insistence of the LRA," he added.  The LRA delegation will be meeting with Ugandans as part of the consultation process.  "What will you tell the parents of the Aboke girls?" a reporter asked a reference to a particularly notorious mass LRA abduction at a Catholic Secondary School.  Ojul failed to apologize or accept responsibility. "Yes, we are aware these things happened," he said, suggesting that incidents happen in wartime.  Being "stuck in the past" would not help with nation-building, noted Ojul, nor help with the process of accountability and reconciliation.

On the issue of the ICC indictments, Ojul and Odongo said that the LRA was not afraid of the ICC.  The LRA sees the ICC as an encumbrance to the peace process, but that the ICC warrants would "die a natural death," a view not shared by GOU Minister of Internal Affairs Rugunda.  The use of traditional justice was discussed, with the LRA delegates supporting traditional measures.

On October 25, Major Felix Kulayigye spokesman for the Uganda People's Defense Force (UPDF) wrote an op-ed article reminding the public that a firm stance has to be taken in response to the LRA.  He stated that the comments by A/S Frazer, the Belgian Prime Minister, and the Arusha Agreement between Uganda and the DRC were reminders to the LRA that they must find a resolution within a reasonable amount of time.  Moreover, Kulayigye cited earlier events in which the LRA broke away from peace talks and went on a rampage in northern Uganda as a rationale to remain vigilant.  Kulayigye asserted that the UPDF could manage the LRA if it left the Juba talks.

On October 29, the Daily Monitor reported that accusations of sexual abuse and exploitation of workers rights were revealed in the Human Rights Focus report, "Fostering the Transition in Acholiland: From War to Peace, from Camps to Home."  HRF a Gulu based well respected human rights NGO contends that Acholi employees of NGO's who were interviewed in Gulu town were being intimidated in order to receive work.  It reported that several international religious non-governmental organizations have been requiring workers to convert and attend religious services in order to keep their jobs.  The report did not list any specific organizations but some, such as World Vision, stepped forward and denied the allegations.

October 6 - 19, 2007

The Government of Uganda has spent USD 1.7 billion combating Kony and rebel forces in the north, according to the International Action Network on Small Arms (IANSA), Oxfam, and Saferworld.  The security advocacy group published this estimate in a recently released report entitled "Africa’s Missing Billions."  The report asserts that the war in the north subsumed almost half of Uganda's military expenditure and has disrupted overall economic productivity.  However, the report did note that Uganda has fared better than some of its neighbors, including Burundi and Rwanda, in terms of the costs of internal conflict.  The report received wide coverage in the local dailies.

The October 19 edition of the government-owned “New Vision” newspaper led with the headline “Kony, Otti Fight.” The article described an altercation between the LRA leaders over the peace process and the USD 600,000 demanded for carrying out public consultations.  The article describes a several day long fire-fight between factions, resulting in Otti and his followers being “put under some kind of house arrest,” according to an unnamed source. There was no independent verification of violence between the factions, but the defection of the LRA’s operations officer may reveal more about the alleged fighting.

September 22 - October 5, 2007

12. (U) PAS Kampala debriefed Sam Gummah, Director of the Uganda Radio Network (UNR), who recently returned from several weeks conducting radio training in northern Uganda.  The project was funded through a U.S. allocation to UNESCO.  UNR conducted training programs for radio journalists and managers in Koboko (west Nile), Gulu, Kitgum and Moroto (Karamoja region) Districts. Radio is the major means of mass communication in northern Uganda. In Koboko, near the DRC and Sudan borders, URN staff trained radio station employees in news gathering and reporting skills, resulting in the first local news programming at the station. The reporters were charged with giving a voice to the community, who promptly began exposing (albeit minor) corruption amongst local officials.  In Gulu, URN worked with “Radio King,” a new station, to set up interview shows and do public interests programming. The work was effective—within days, the Resident District Coordinator, Walter Ochora, was calling for the station’s closure  while a competitor station had started a similar format. In Karamoja, where travel required a military escort, URN found conditions the most challenging, but still managed to get journalist-trainees into the field.

 UNR provided training—usually their first-ever training—to eighty-two station employees. The program resulted in station managers developing a greater appreciation for broadcasting local news, and making the station employees more conscious of their community.

The East African newspaper reported on comments by LRA spokesman Godfrey Ayoo, who blamed delays in the peace talks on the Government of Uganda. Responding to recent comments by A/S Frazer, Ayoo said “It is unfortunate that the US is rallying regional governments to fight the LRA, when we are not involved in the ceasefire violations. We know the US has always branded us as terrorists. This attitude should change, with the US looking for a better way to assist in the talks.” He added that should the US attack the LRA, it should be prepared to face the same humiliation experienced in 1992 in Somalia.  “This would mean all our forces outside Uganda will go back to the country and repel the attackers. It will be the mother of all wars. We’ll move our forces to Kampala and dislodge Museveni’s dictatorship.”

 Reflecting continued interest in the human dimensions of conflict and peace in the north, a team from “Glamour” magazine was in Gulu earlier in the week.  The magazine is honoring a group of former child soldiers in Uganda, who have started “Empowering Hands,” a peer support group that helps children get re-acclimated once they return to their villages. “Empowering Hands” is supported by UNICEF. The five women who started this group will be honored as “Women of the Year” at an event on November 5, 2007, at Lincoln Center in NYC. 

September 8 - 21, 2007

The New Vision reported that fear among returned IDP's is increasing as a direct result of LRA threats to reignite the war if its bases in Congo are attacked.  Lira's Resident District Commissioner held an emergency security meeting to assuage concerns among local residents.  In response Ruhakana Rugunda, Chief Government negotiator stated that the GOU was committed to peace and is supporting the formation of a new force made up of police, local law enforcement officers, militia, and the military to guarantee peace and security in northern Uganda. 

On September 14, the International Crisis Group released a new briefing paper on northern Uganda.  The ICG reports that "Recent developments create an opening to deal with core issues but have not altered the parties' questionable desire to do so."  The IGC recognized that the LRA was getting more from the process — an opportunity to regroup and to improve its image — than it was giving.

The ICG called for a comprehensive justice framework requiring prosecution of LRA and army commanders with the greatest responsibility for crimes, reconciliation of ordinary rebels, and truth-telling and compensation for victims.  ICG acknowledged the possibility of safe-haven for the LRA leaders indicted by the International Criminal Court, but "only as an absolute last resort and with international endorsement."  The ICG called for donors and mediators to continue to close opportunities for those who seek to prolong the process indefinitely, including through monitoring of food and other aid to prevent the LRA from rebuilding its strength.  The briefing called for an extension of the mandate of the Cessation of Hostilities Monitoring team so it could operate in the DRC, should the LRA continue to refuse to assemble in Sudan, and for the Sudan Peoples' Liberation Army (SPLA) to bolster forces on the DRC border to limit LRA mobility.  It stated further that, "a clear message must be sent to Kampala that unilateral military action in Congo is unacceptable."  The ICG also called for a "two - track strategy" of negotiating away the security threat while dealing with long-term redevelopment in northern Uganda as the best approach to ending the conflict.

Resolve Uganda issued a statement on September 13, "welcoming the increased efforts of the United States government to contribute to a lasting resolution of the twenty-one year crisis…"  Resolve noted the recent visit to the region by A/S Frazer and the appointment of Timothy Shortley as Senior Advisor on Conflict Resolution.  Resolve urged the U.S. to "devote increased diplomacy and resources in support of the negotiations process."  Specifically, Resolve called for the USG to publicly announce that its policy was to respect and uphold any agreement reached in Juba, to take every possible precaution against new military operations before "all reasonable peaceful options" have been exhausted, and "refrain from making pubic threats of military operations against the LRA while a viable negotiations process was taking place."

In excerpts from her new book, "Turning War into Peace: An Insider's Story," printed in the East African newspaper, former member of parliament and government minister, Betty Bigombe, accused corrupt officers in the former National Resistance Army of fueling the LRA war.  Bigombe's accusations arise from her experiences as chief mediator from 1993- 2004 for the GOU during the previously failed LRA peace talks.  The East African article cited corrupt practices such as the misquoting of personnel numbers and equipment needs, illegal acquisition and sale of oil, vandalizing of army trucks, and the sale of rations and uniforms to the SPLA.  UPDF Spokesman Felix Kulayigye refused to confirm or deny allegations until the UPDF received a copy of the book and investigated its accusations.

August 25 -September 7, 2007

Vincent Otti, the LRA's second-in-command, lashed out against the ICC during a recent telephone interview with the Daily Monitor.  Otti declared that the ICC aims to squash opposition to bad governments.  Moreover, he accused the ICC of a double standard because the court does not prosecute current presidents who participate in criminal activity.  Otti argued that this quasi-immunity also applies to the former National Resistance Army (NRA), which brought Museveni to power, and UPDF commanders.

A/S Frazer's visit to Uganda received extensive press coverage.  A/S Frazer expressed U.S. support for the ongoing peace talks in Juba, but warned that the negotiations would not be open-ended. “Make peace quickly or we’ll be coming after you, US tells Kony,” headlined the Nairobi based “The East African.” The same paper also said that “Marines will hunt down LRA rebels if talks fail.” Walter Ochora, Gulu Resident District Commission, is quoted as saying “We did not push for that position in our meeting with Dr. Frazer… The U.S. government supports the peace talks, but they don’t want endless talks.” Ochora also noted that the Assistant Secretary had committed U.S. support for recovery in the north, saying that, “The government of the U.S. is going to support the resettlement programme fully. This programme is very expensive, it is going to cost about $500 million, but she assured us that her government will support this programme substantially.” The government-controlled “New Vision” newspaper led with the more restrained, “U.S. Wants Deadline for Talks.”

August 12 - August 24, 2007

On August 10 Ambassador Browning met with Ben Keesey, CEO of Invisible Children, Inc., and other representatives from the non-profit organization. IC used the meeting to update the Ambassador on their activities and to describe their efforts to provide to their audiences timely information on conditions in northern Uganda. IC representatives visiting U.S. college campuses, for example, are instructed to update audiences on the current night commuter statistics. The Invisible Children website's "News and Press" Section runs the State Department's August 16 statement in support of the Juba peace talks. The website also reprints a letter from A/S Bergner to Senator Feingold, describing the appointment of Timothy Shortley as Senior Advisor Conflict in Africa. The website, updated on August 17, editorializes that "this is (sic) most significant visible progress in U.S. policy toward the crisis in a long time, and a direct result in (sic) the efforts of IC and our partners in Washington, D.C."

July 29- August 11, 2007

Conditions in the IDP camps continue to be followed by the media. The July 31 Daily Monitor newspaper reported on a Makerere University Refugee Law Project (RLP) report, “Rapid Assessment of Population Movement in Gulu and Pader.” The report noted that in Lango most of the population has moved to decongestion sites, but that this is not the case in Gulu and Kitgum. The newspaper quoted from the report, noting that the GOU “has tended to present the return process in Lango as representative of returns throughout the whole of northern Uganda, and as ‘evidence’ that the humanitarian situation has dramatically improved.”   The RLP’s director noted further that while there has not been forcible displacement of people, cuts in food rations are having that effect, and that the ration cuts are a result of a perception by donors that the conflict has ended.

The same paper carries an article, “Food Shortage Fueling Prostitution in IDP Camps.” Citing a speech by the director general of the Uganda AIDS Commission, it is noted that young women were turning to prostitution in order to get food. He added that HIV/AIDS prevalence was found to be higher in areas affected by conflict.

The media also provides coverage of the LRAs search for USD 2 million to fund a consultation process. In the July 31 New Vision the LRA’s spokesman, Martin Ojul, lashed out at the Permanent Secretary of the Ministry of the Interior for saying that the demands for cash were “unreasonable and unrealistic, aimed at delaying the peace process.”  Ojul accused the PM of making “reckless and malicious political statements calculated at maligning...the integrity of the LRA.”  While denying that the cash was a precondition for continuing the talks, Ojul insisted that the funds were needed to fund stakeholders’ conferences and visits to countries that had experienced similar conflict resolution processes.

July 15-28, 2007

Michael Gerson's opinion piece in the Washington Post entitled "The Price of Peace in Uganda" appeared on July 25.  Gerson stated that "some in Congress are calling for the appointment of an American Special Envoy to push for a final agreement.  Such appointments have been useful in other cases.  Here, African mediators from Mozambique, southern Sudan, and the African Union want to take the lead - and they have more urgent needs than getting an envoy."  Gerson argues that a peace settlement requires resourses to assist demobilized ex-combatants and abductees.  He also stated that military pressure must continue because "the more secure and confident the LRA becomes, the less likely it is to disband."  Gerson advocates for more action by MONUC against the LRA and the sharing of intelligence between the U.S. and MONUC.  He also states that the treatment for Kony might become an obstacle to a peace agreement.  Gerson states that many of Kony's victims "seem to prefer peace to a grand reckoning" for the LRA leader.

Three production members from “Dan Rather Reports,” a news program hosted by Dan Rather on HDNetwork, arrived in Uganda on July 22 and are filming at Camp Kasenyi July 23-27.  The purpose of filming is to cover/interview U.S. service members training of Uganda People’s Defense Force (UPDF) soldiers in antiterrorism tactics, techniques and procedures.  This coverage has been approved by CJTF-HOA commanders, U.S. Embassy in Kampala officials, Ugandan military, and U.S. European Command (UECOM) public affairs. 

The first journalism training workshop organized by Internews Network for Ugandan journalists is taking place July 23-29 in Gulu.  Fourteen Ugandan journalists from Gulu, Koboko, Kitgum, Apac, Lira, and Kampala are participating in the training.  The workshop is entitled: “THE JUBA PEACE TALKS:  FROM THE CONFERENCE HALL TO THE COMMUNITY.”  The training program is the first one of a series taking place with USAID funding.

July 1-14, 2007

Human Rights Watch issued a statement on July 9 welcoming the provision for trials in the June 29 agreement between Uganda and the LRA, but cautioning that adequate penalties are needed. "If national courts handed down a slap-on-the-wrist sentence in the event of convictions for the most serious crimes … such trials would be tainted even if they were otherwise fair and credible," commented Richard Dicker, International Justice Program Director at Human Rights Watch. 

Human Rights Watch also pointed out that although the International Criminal Court favors national trials, "a case can be returned to the ICC if it does not meet benchmarks for national prosecution."  The ICC issued arrest warrants for LRA leaders for crimes against humanity and war crimes in 2005.

June 17-June 30, 2007

The opening of the USAID office in Gulu received widespread coverage from the Ugandan media. Both national daily newspapers covered the story, as did regional and national broadcast media.

The Ugandan media also provided coverage of allegations made by Gulu District Chairperson Norbert Mao that substandard seeds and farm implements had been distributed to people resettling out of IDP camps.  The Honorable Tarsis Kabwegyere, Minister for Relief and Disaster Preparedness, accused an unknown group of distributing the substandard implements.

June 3-16, 2007

On June 4, Chris Magezi, Uganda Peoples Defense Forces, replied to Olara Otunnu's editorial "Open letter to the LRA."  Magezi accused Otunnu of failing to protect northern Uganda children when he was the U.N. Under Secretary General for Children and Armed Conflict.  Magezi defended the UPDF's role in northern Uganda, "It does not make sense to them that the current peace process and stability in northern Uganda has been due to the courage and hard work of the army in the face of terror, neither does the rescue of up to 20,000 children by the UPDF from LRA captivity since 2002."  Magezi explained that the UPDF could not apply maximum force to the LRA because of the presence of children among the combatants.

May 18-June 2, 2007

The May 25 Daily Monitor published an “Open Letter to the LRA” by Olara Otuunu, former U.N. Undersecretary for Children and Armed Conflict and Acholi critic of the GOU. Otuunu accuses the LRA and President Museveni of a smear campaign to intimidate him. The accusation followed press reports in late April which quoted LRA negotiator David Nyekorach Matsanga as saying that the rebels had requested the removal of the LRA from the list of international terrorist organizations, so that Otuunu and others could participate in the peace process without being labeled as terrorists. Otuunu denies ever being a member or supporter of the LRA. He does claim a “long standing relationship (covert and overt) between the Museveni regime and the LRA leadership.” He also calls for the immediate dismantling of all “concentration” camps in the North.

The Daily Monitor published an editorial on May 30 that was strongly supportive of President Museveni’s sharp reaction to Vincent Otti’s comments on Sky TV that the LRA would resume war if the ICC indictments were not dropped.  Under the headline “President Museveni Right About the LRA,” the Monitor called the LRA position “exasperating.”  The paper noted that “All people of goodwill have against their moral conscience chosen peace and sacrificed justice in the name of ending … the conflict.”  It added that “If the rebels do not see the wisdom in the Juba process, then as the President correctly puts it, they will surely perish.”

The Uganda Conflict Action Network posted a statement to its website announcing that the new U.S.-based Resolve Uganda NGO is committed to “pressuring U.S. political officials” to engage more publicly and “advocating for increased international engagement and renewed investment in the ongoing peace process.”  The statement quotes Resolve Uganda Executive Director Michael Poffenberger: “Resolve Uganda is working with members of the U.S. Senate and House of Representatives to press President Bush to send a senior-level diplomat to Juba. "By sending a senior diplomat to Juba, the U.S. could bring much-needed attention to the talks, and be available to help at the discretion of the mediator. We are not at all advocating for a U.S. takeover of the negotiations, but think that the U.S. should be doing more to see that the African leadership has all the resources and respect it needs to bring the parties to an agreement."

Philadelphia Inquirer Editorial Board writer Carolyn Davis will be coming to Uganda on June 5, accompanying a 16-year-old northern Ugandan burn victim who received treatment in the U.S. (the LRA set fire to her family’s home while she was in it). The Inquirer plans to do a series of articles and website posts about Jennifer Anyayo’s journey home to Uganda, and Davis will be “blogging” about it.

May 1-May 17, 2007

During his recent visit to Uganda, Deputy Assistant Secretary Swan participated in an on-the-record roundtable discussion on May 8 with journalists from The New Vision, The Daily Monitor, The EastAfrican, The Weekly Observer and Uganda Radio Network.  While the journalists were primarily focused on the UPDF’s deployment in Somalia, and Ugandan democratization and human rights practices, they also asked about U.S. support for the Juba talks and our position on the ICC indictments of four LRA leaders.  Swan replied: “With respect to the negotiations in Juba with the LRA, in general, we very much support the African-led mediation in Juba, which also benefits obviously from the support of former president Chissano and now from the presence of other African observer countries that are represented in Juba.  We think that this process needs to go forward and we endorse that process.  We also think that it is important that commitments that have been made as part of the process be respected – in this case, notably, the requirement that the LRA proceed to the assembly point at Ri-Kwangba before June 30, so we are very eager to see that happen.” 

Swan continued, "With respect to the International Criminal Court (ICC), clearly this is something that is going to have to be worked out between the government of Uganda and the ICC in terms of determining a way forward.  The U.S. priority in this situation is for peace.  We, as you know, are not signatories to the ICC charter – the Rome Charter – but we believe very strongly that there needs to be justice and accountability for those who committed abuses in northern Uganda.”

The full transcript of the press roundtable is available on the U.S. Mission Website (http://kampala.usembassy.gov/).

April 7-April 30, 2007

The Uganda Conflict Action Network (Uganda CAN) founders Michael Poffenberger and Peter Quaranto are planning to launch a new organization, Resolve Uganda, “to build public pressure for the necessary political leadership.”  In an April 19 newsletter, Poffenberger and Quaranto wrote to listserve recipients, “we know that the neglect we see from our leaders will be overcome only when enough people who care unite their resolve to achieve change.”  They drew a comparison between the tragedy of the shootings at Virginia Tech and continued suffering in northern Uganda, quoting poet Nikki Giovanni’s memorial service remark that “No one deserves a tragedy.”  Quaranto’s op-ed piece, “A Second Chance for Peace in Uganda,” was published by the New Vision on April 16.  Hailing the restart of the Juba talks on April 26, Quaranto argued that one of the lessons learned from the first round of talks was that lack of involvement of “several influential actors, including the United States government” had “perpetrated” mistrust between the government of Uganda and the LRA.  According to Quaranto “greater regional and international engagement not only would bring leverage but also build confidence.” 

Meanwhile, Human Rights Watch on April 25 released a statement from New York welcoming the resumption of the Juba talks, but emphasizing that “the negotiations must seek an outcome that also ensures fair and credible prosecutions for the most serious crimes in northern Uganda.”  The statement quotes HRW’s International Justice Program Director, Richard Dicker, as stating that “Impunity would only help fuel future abuses in Uganda.  By painting the ICC as an obstacle to peace, the LRA leaders have been trying to turn reality upside down.”  According to the HRW statement, the UN Security Council could postpone the ICC’s investigation or prosecution for 12 months under article 16 of the ICC statute, but HRW believes such a move would be a mistake.  “In the absence of credible alternatives at the national level, a deferral would shield LRA leadership from prosecution, perhaps indefinitely if renewed.  It could also open the door to dangerous interference by the Security Council in the judicial operations of the ICC.”

March 24-April 6, 2007

The work of the Combined Joint Task Force-Horn of Africa (CJTF-HOA) was highlighted in the major daily newspapers over the past week.  On April 3, the Daily Monitor featured a photograph of CJTF-HOA personnel performing a water quality test at one of the repaired boreholes in Pader District.  CJTF-HOA plans to repair 50 more boreholes in northern Lira and southern Pader districts.  Resident District Commissioner for Pader, Santos Okot Lapolo, while praising the work of the CJTF-HOA team, requested continued support, and not to be left "in the middle of the road."  The article also noted that the team gave out clothes and shoes to patients at the Awere Health Centre and that the team's mission was humanitarian in nature.

March 10-23, 2007

International Crisis Group and the Center for American Progress launched their "ENOUGH" campaign on March 14 to "galvanize public and political leaders to effectively confront mass violence against innocent civilians" in Darfur, northern Uganda, and eastern Congo.  The campaign includes reports, analysis, and policy recommendations aimed at decision-makers, activists, and the public.  The press release stated that ENOUGH would benefit from ICG's experts on the ground to produce a series of policy papers focused on what the international community, particularly the United States, could do to prevent mass atrocities and genocide.  According to ENOUGH's co-founder Gayle Smith, the group's strategy is to promote durable peace efforts, provide protection for the innocent victims of mass atrocities, and punish the perpetrators to break the cycle of impunity.  

February 27-March 9, 2007

International Crisis Group’s John Prendergast and actor Ryan Gosling published an opinion piece “At War in the Fields of the Lord:  The Best Chance for Peace in Uganda” which was posted on the ABC News Online website.  In the op-ed, Prendergast and Gosling state that, “although the U.S. government hasn’t paid much attention to this conflict, ordinary Americans have.  When they learn what is going on, their reactions are swift and compassionate.”  They also suggest that neither U.S. troops nor billions in aid dollars are needed: “Dispatching a senior American diplomat – with the blessing of the White House – to work all the issues necessary to end the conflict” would be sufficient to give both sides the confidence and motivation necessary to pursue peace.  

February 10-26, 2007

Uganda Conflict Action Network (Uganda-CAN) is mobilizing a telephone-call campaign on March 1 to place pressure on Congress for the U.S. Government to take a more active role in the peace process.  Uganda-CAN also published an editorial in the Government-run New Vision newspaper on February 13.  UGANDA-CAN states that the “current intractability of the situation can also be blamed on the international community, which has retained a largely passive position.  The current impasse highlights the critical need for external confidence-building, inducements, sanctions and technical assistance to rejuvenate the peace process.   Among other actions, the international community could strengthen the Cessation of Hostilities Monitoring Team, inject accountability into the process, assist the mediator, sanction “spoilers” in the LRA external wing, and bolster security for the displaced.  Generic statements from the diplomatic community do not go far enough; only serious action will bring regional stability in not only Uganda, but also Sudan and the Democratic Republic of Congo.”

On February 14, a Government of South Sudan press release issued after a meeting between the President of South Sudan and Ugandan Interior Minister Rugunda stated that there was considerable support for the GOSS’s continued mediation role from the international community.  The press release also said that this support “included specific support from the Government of the United States of America for the continuation of the Juba peace process.”  The statement praises Kenya and South Africa for showing solidarity with the Juba process.

January 13-26, 2007

Northern Ugandans became alarmed after a January 16th radio appearance by four former LRA rebels who said that LRA leaders Kony and Otti gave orders to attack civilians and vehicles.  The former rebels escaped the LRA on November 19, 2006.  They said that the LRA walked to Owiny Ki-bul without incident and stayed about 10 miles away from the assembly site.  The LRA leadership ordered them to ferry the food at the site to their location.  The group departed the area on September 17.  They described the movements of key rebel commanders and said that after October, the LRA leadership was not interested in the peace talks and directed the LRA to conduct ambushes.  

Save the Children UK issued a press release dated January 22 headlined “Millions of Children at Risk in Uganda.”  The text asserts that if the Juba talks fail, “children, particularly in the north of the country, will once again live in fear of the physical, emotional and sexual violence that dominated the 20-year conflict.”  Without providing sources, Save the Children states that an estimated 1,500 children are still in the LRA ranks, and at least 10,000 children who have been the “principle victims” of the LRA conflict “remain unaccounted for.”  Valter Tinderholt, the new Program Director for Save the Children’s Uganda operation is quoted saying, “The UN, African Union, neighboring states and the wider international community – including Britain - who this tax year will have given 70 million pounds of aid to Uganda – must speak with a united voice to push for the resumption of talks....Both the LRA and Ugandan government face challenges, but these can be overcome with external assistance and pressure.”  The press release was picked up in a story published by Reuters on January 24.

December 23, 2006-January 12, 2007

The issue of land tenure became a hot media issue during late December.  The newspapers reported on threats by some Acholi parliamentarians that investors and other land-grabbers, including the Government, would be "speared" if they took Acholi land.  The media backlash saw the parliamentarians accused of using the media to incite violence by accusing the Government and investors of "land grabbing" in northern Uganda.  For IDPs, the fear of losing their land to outsiders is a highly charged issue.  The Government advised northern politicians not to politicize sensitive issues or incite further violence. 

On a final note, members of the LRA filled the radio waves with Christmas greetings to friends and family.  Kony and Otti urged northern Ugandans not to lose hope on the talks.

December 9-22, 2006

The New Vision ran an “exclusive” front page article on December 10, “Kony Financier in Kampala,” purporting that Jongomoi Okidi-Olal had been staying at the Kampala Serena Hotel for two weeks.  The article, sourced to New Vision reporter Emmy Allio, states that Okidi previously had been put on a wanted list by Uganda for soliciting funds and logistical support in the U.S. and Europe for the LRA.  The article further claims that Okidi had been “at the center of a row between Uganda and the U.S. government” and that “earlier this year, Uganda asked the Bush Administration and the UN to arrest him and hand him over to the International Criminal Court.”  However, UPDF Captain Paddy Ankunda, is quoted as saying that, “For the moment, the LRA and their backers in foreign capitals are enjoying temporary amnesty under the terms of the Cessation of Hostilities Agreement.” 

November 25-December 8, 2006

In a front page article on December 5, the government-owned New Vision newspaper highlighted division between the Acholi Parliamentary Group and the Acholi Cultural Leader Rwot David Onen Acana II (who participated in the recent Voluntary Visitor program for northern Uganda leaders).  The Rwot reportedly criticized Acholi MPs who boycotted a sensitization workshop on land rights organized by the Ministry of Lands, Housing and Urban Development in Gulu: “The issue of land is a matter of life and death.  It should not be mixed with politics.  There is nowhere you can discuss land issues better than here.  The government should come out with a clear position on Acholi land.  We should not look at those opposition MPs who are making noise about our land like fools.”

The New Vision’s new Executive Editor, the Belgian journalist and author of “Aboke Girls” Els de Temmerman, was given an exclusive interview with Kony’s mother, Nora Anek, whose picture and comments were featured on the New Vision front page on December 6.  The 83-year-old Anek is quoted as saying that she looks forward to seeing her son soon in Congo, and that she will advise him to get in contact with President Museveni and “agree on bringing peace.”  Anek is further quoted: “There are people who are trying to sabotage the talks, people who are trying to make sure the peace process does not succeed.… I will advise him [Kony] to listen instead to the voices of people, including mine, who are telling him to stop fighting so that this war can end.”  Anek also said she is grateful to President Museveni for “looking after” her and her family ever since Kony went into the bush.

November 11-24, 2006

Tensions over northern Ugandan land ownership and rights issues are increasingly hitting the Ugandan press.  The Acholi parliamentary group was at pains to restrain comments by Arua MP Odonga Otto who was quoted in both the Daily Monitor and New Vision on November 17 as threatening to mobilize local groups to “spear” any investor who “dared to step on Acholi land.”  Otto further was quoted as saying, “Yes I am inciting violence because I want our people to protect their land.  Those Indians who are going around with cotton should come back to Kampala on hearing this warning.”  Otto was likely referring to a public-private partnership recently agreed between USAID and Dunavant Uganda Ltd. to provide agricultural inputs to northern farmers and to assist them with finding buyers for their produce.  At the launch of the USAID-Dunavant partnership on November 18, Ambassador Browning’s remarks pointedly noted that any land cultivated under the partnership program would not be owned, leased or rented by Dunavant.  The Ambassador’s comment that the U.S. takes the land issues very seriously was included in a Monitor article on November 20, which also quoted Aswa MP Reagan Okumu as backtracking from MP Otto’s stance: “We regret statements made by some of our colleagues that any investor who goes to the north will be speared.  This was unfortunate and against our stand to lure many investors to northern Uganda on terms acceptable to us.”  

October 28-November 10, 2006

A USG-sponsored survey of 1,479 Ugandans conducted from September 21-27, in Uganda found that Ugandans want the Government to continue with the peace efforts and not return to a military solution to the LRA conflict.  The survey highlighted the distrust of the Government in Acholiland where two-thirds of the respondents said that if an accord were reached, the most likely violator would be the Government, not the LRA.  A majority of Acholi polled indicated that the February re-election of President Museveni was "not free and fair."  Based on these findings, the survey's author suggested that the Government should build confidence in Acholiland to establish a durable peace.  The absence of a peace deal was the most frequently mentioned reason by those IDPs who assess the situation to be unsafe to return.

Uganda Conflict Action Network posted an entry on their website November 6 under the headline, “What Interests is US Govt Afraid of Hurting by Supporting Juba Peace Talks?”  The two paragraph comment says that despite the State Department press statement welcoming the renewal of the Cessation of Hostilities Agreement, the U.S. commitment to a peaceful resolution of the conflict has been called into question by a “continued failure to publicly support the peace talks in Juba.”  The article posits a number of reasons for “State Department and White House silence” including that the U.S. could “hurt its foreign military sales to Uganda.”
 
USG Activities:  Five of the seven northern Ugandan leaders who participated in a Voluntary Visitor trip to Washington, New York and Boston from September 25 through October 6 discussed their experience with Mission officers, including Ambassador Browning on November 2.  The group was very appreciative of the opportunity to present their views to a wide range of USG officials, NGO, civil society and academic representatives.  They indicated that at least some of their American interlocutors were quite skeptical of the viability of traditional reconciliation processes for settlement of the northern Uganda conflict.  Some members of the group made explicit appeals for more active U.S. involvement in peace negotiations and more development assistance, while acknowledging that current U.S. humanitarian assistance was substantial and essential.

October 14-27, 2006

Reports on the “Peace Within Reach” two-day NGO lobbying effort that took place in Washington on October 9-10 were published in Christianity Today, The Hill, the advocate.com and other smaller papers during the week of October 16.  The report quoted Acholi Paramount Chief Rwot Acana, who traveled to the States under the State Department’s Voluntary Visitor program.  Rwot Acana was reported to have told the conference that failure to intervene “would be a disservice to humanity.”

Dennis Ojwee, the Gulu Bureau Chief of the government-owned New Vision newspaper, was a part of the same voluntary visitor program as Rwot Acana.  Ojwee’s account of his trip to the States – in which a group of seven northern Ugandans met with U.S. officials, academics, and NGO representatives in Washington, Boston and New York – was published in the New Vision on Sunday, October 15, under the headline “U.S. Doubts Acholi Justice.”  He noted that most of the group’s U.S. interlocutors found the Acholi traditional reconciliation and justice methods to be difficult to understand.

October 1-15, 2006

Northern Uganda featured prominently in two separate media controversies.  On October 2, a State House press release entitled "USA Support Uganda/LRA Talks" and a New Vision story on October 3 headlined "America to Support Government on Talks" mischaracterized a meeting between President Museveni and former U.S. Senator John Edwards.  On October 3, the Monitor headline was "Museveni Asks U.S. to Back Plan B Against LRA".  In an interview the same day, a Monitor reporter told LRA leader Vincent Otti about the U.S.'s reported support for Museveni's Plan B.  This provoked Otti to respond "I don't bother about America.  Even if it was the whole world.  I will get bothered when I die; even the same Americans can be killed by the bullets we have here and it will not take me a week to get back into Uganda to fight if Museveni is serious with his Plan B against us." The headline in the next day’s Monitor read, “Otti threatens US” and carried pictures of Otti and President Bush.

Another media flap occurred when the Government's New Vision newspaper ran a headline declaring that the "LRA War in North Resumes" on October 4, which misinterpreted the Ugandan military's announced closing of safe passage routes for the LRA.  The next day, the paper backtracked, explaining that the closure only meant that the UPDF was resuming its normal operations in northern Uganda. One apparent outcome of the gaffes, as well as other reported disagreements between Museveni and the New Vision, was that Managing Director William Pike resigned.

September 16-30, 2006

On September 16 and 17, BBC and Reuters reported that LRA leaders Joseph Kony and Vincent Otti had assembled.  These press reports were false.  The source of the information was the LRA delegation to the Juba talks.  Subsequent reports cited Southern Sudanese General Deng, the head of the Cessation of Hostilities Monitoring Team.  Kony and Otti have said that they will not assemble unless the ICC indictments are lifted.  In addition, press reports also highlighted the "missing of the deadline" to assemble on September 19.  The GOU says it will not take any step that will jeopardize the talks, including worrying about deadlines or lodging complaints that Kony and Otti are not assembled. 

In response to a New York Times article that discussed amnesty for the LRA leadership, Amnesty International argued that the ICC indictments pressured the LRA leadership to the negotiating table and urged that readers push for the "prompt arrest of the LRA leadership.  Only in that way will peace, security, and justice be met in Uganda".

USG Activities:  The Embassy's Public Diplomacy section sponsored a Voluntary Visitors program in the U.S. for seven northern Ugandan leaders.  The group departed on September 22 for appointments in Washington, New York, and Boston.  The group consists of northern parliamentarians, a law professor representing youth groups, a military civil affairs officer, the Acholi Paramount Chief and cultural leader, a resident district commissioner, and a journalist.  The group's objective is to share views on their experiences in northern Uganda with U.S. Government officials, Congress, and non-governmental organizations.

September 1-15, 2006

A significant amount of international press coverage of the issues of peace and justice came out of U.N. Undersecretary for Humanitarian Affairs Jan Egeland's visit to northern Uganda.  In a briefing of donors on September 10, Egeland said that the "UN cannot be part of any impunity deal".  Egeland noted the strong support of northern Ugandans for the use of local reconciliation and justice mechanisms in dealing with the LRA.  He told IRIN that "those who have been indicted should face justice.  But what is more important now is that we should concentrate on ending the war.  Justice can be served in many ways.  It is up to the prosecutor to decide whether we resort to traditional justice or stick to the ICC indictments".

On September 13, the International Crisis Group issued a report entitled "Peace in Northern Uganda?" suggesting that a more systematic and internationally supported approach is needed to shepherd the talks forward.  According to the paper, the Government of South Sudan's priority is to get the LRA out of Sudan, not to supervise a difficult Ugandan national reconciliation for which it lacks the capacity and resources.  According to the ICG, the peace talks should proceed in two phases: one focusing on technical issues necessary to end the immediate conflict (assembly, disarmament, demobilization, and reintegration) and one that creates a more inclusive discussion on the political and structural issues that have fueled the cycle of conflict.  The ICG report states that the ICC indictments were important in getting the LRA to the table but are now an obstacle to the peace process.

August 19-31, 2006

Local and international press coverage of questions surrounding the International Criminal Court indictments of the top LRA leaders are beginning to delve into the complexity of the issue and the differences of views.  The UNDP’s news service, IRIN, published an August 29 report based on interviews of people in northern Uganda headlined, “Widespread Support for Forgiveness.”  The article quotes the Amnesty Commission Chairman and the Gulu Resident District Commissioner voicing support for traditional justice mechanisms.  The Christian Science Monitor carried an article on August 24 headlined, “When International Justice and Internal Peace are at Odds.”  Meanwhile, UN Secretary General Kofi Annan’s statement (also on August 29) – through his press spokesman -- welcoming the GOU-LRA cessation of hostilities agreement and offering UN support for resolution has not attracted much press coverage yet.  The International Security Network reports that the cessation of hostilities is an important first step, but that the process might be tense over the next few weeks as Kony considers his own fate.