VZCZCXYZ0012
RR RUEHWEB
DE RUEHKM #1540/01 2261055
ZNR UUUUU ZZH
R 141055Z AUG 06
FM AMEMBASSY KAMPALA
TO RUEHC/SECSTATE WASHDC 7418
INFO RUEHXR/RWANDA COLLECTIVE
RUEHKH/AMEMBASSY KHARTOUM 0473
UNCLAS KAMPALA 001540
SIPDIS
SENSITIVE
SIPDIS
DEPARTMENT FOR AF, AF/E, DRL, INR, PRM
E.O. 12958: N/A
TAGS: PHUM PREF PREL PGOV UG SU
SUBJECT: NORTHERN UGANDA: GOU PRESENTS CEASE-FIRE PROPOSAL,
ICC INDICTEE KILLED
1. (SBU) Summary: The Government of Uganda formally
presented its position paper on disarmament, amnesty,
repatriation, demobilization, and re-integration of the
Lord's Resistance Army on August 11 at the peace talks in
Juba. Key provisions include the assembly of LRA forces
within 14 days of signing the agreement, establishment of a
Cease-fire Monitoring Team to include a member of the Core
Group, amnesty for all members of the LRA, and the
integration into the military or reintegration into society
of LRA combatants. The GOU accused the LRA of violating its
own self-declared cease-fire, including several incidents
over the past week. Raska Lukwiya, one of the five LRA
leaders indicted by the International Criminal Court, was
reportedly killed on August 12. The GOU has finally been
able to make public its conditions for a cease-fire, which
include amnesty, but Lukwiya's death could have a chilling
effect on the GOU's overtures to the LRA leadership. The LRA
and GOU negotiating teams are scheduled to resume peace talks
August 14. End Summary.
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AMNESTY ON THE TABLE
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2. (SBU) According to the GOU proposal, "all the members of
the LRA shall be granted amnesty in accordance with the
Amnesty Act. It is, however, recognized that the LRA has
problems with the community in Uganda and outside. It is
also recognized that impunity can never be condoned. It will
therefore be necessary for all LRA fighters to go through a
reconciliation process before they can live peacefully in
their communities. The LRA will therefore be required to
accept the wrongs that they have done, ask for forgiveness
and pay reparation. In this case, the Acholi traditional
method of Mato Oput, as an alternative form of justice is
suited to this process. All LRA fighters will therefore be
required to go through the process of Mato Oput and thus,
will have gone through and exhausted the traditional system
of justice and hence addressing the question of impunity. It
is also a fact that the ICC issued international warrants for
the arrest of five leaders of the LRA. On successful
completion of the Peace Talks, under the Rome Statute, the
GOU and the ICC will review the warrants of arrest."
- - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - -
ASSEMBLY, DEMOBILIZATION, AND DISARMAMENT
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3. (SBU) The GOU paper calls for the LRA to assemble within
14 days of the signing of the agreement. The LRA then must
provide information on the strength and disposition of its
forces and give inventories of equipment, arms, and
ammunition, location of landmines to a Cease-fire Monitoring
Group (CMT). The CMT will be composed of the following
representatives: two from the Ugandan Peoples' Defense
Forces, two LRA, two SPLA, one member from the African Union,
one member from the United Nations, and one member of the
Core Group. The CMT will report to the mediator. Cease-fire
violations shall include: hostile propaganda, attacks on the
forces of the other party, obstruction of the CMT, ambushes,
laying landmines, restriction of movement of humanitarian
goods and workers, and any attacks on civilians to include
assault, harassment, rape, maiming, abduction, looting, and
recruitment. For its part, the GOU will not deploy troops
near the LRA's assembly points.
4. (SBU) LRA fighters will be integrated into the UPDF if
they meet military qualifications. Those that wish to go to
school will be assisted to do so. Others will receive
resettlement assistance. The GOU will request help from the
international community to support re-integration.
- - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - -
RASKA LUKWIYA, ICC INDICTEE KILLED
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5. (SBU) Reports surfaced in Kampala that one of the five
ICC LRA indictees, Raska Lukwiya, was reportedly killed on
August 12. Two local government and military sources
confirmed the report of his death to poloff. According to
the UPDF sopkesman, Lukwiya and a group of nine LRA rebels
killed a civilian and a UPDF soldier in an ambush on August
10. The UPDF deployed a unit of soldiers to pursue the band
of rebels and killed Lukwiya in a firefight August 12. The
other nine rebels escaped, but two more were killed in
another firefight August 13. The UPDF remains in pursuit of
the remaining seven rebels. Lukwiya was the LRA Army
Commander who formerly occupied the posts of Brigade General
and Deputy Army Commander. According to the ICC indictment,
he was a key member of "Control Altar", the core LRA
leadership responsible for devising and implementing LRA
strategy, including brutalization of the population and
attacks on IDPs. He was charged with committing crimes
against humanity. A french journalist who spoke with LRA
leadership told the GOU negotiating team August 14 that the
LRA confirmed it will continue participating in peace talks
despite Lukwiya's death. The LRA, however, told the
journalist they intend to ask the mediator for three days of
mourning and that flags be flown at half mast.
6. (SBU) During the past week, another ICC indictee,
Domenic Ongwen had engaged the UPDF in discussions over his
possible surrender, according to a press report. While he
was considering his options, he reportedly was persuaded by
another commander not to surrender until the GOU signed a
cease-fire. He also may have received orders from Kony to
break up the men under his command into smaller units and
move into Congo.
7. (U) Meanwhile, the GOU accused the LRA of violating its
own cease-fire over the past week. On August 10, a LRA unit
led by "Koyello" attacked Ngukedi village, abducting seven
people who had returned to farm their gardens. One of the
abductees escaped and informed the UPDF, which mounted a
rescue operation. The LRA killed two of the villagers and
the others were rescued. The UPDF spokesman said that LRA
rebels have committed at least five attacks since LRA
leadership declared a unilateral ceasefire August 6.
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SPECIAL ENVOY FOR THE GREAT LAKES
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8. (U) In another development on the peace process front,
Ugandan newspapers are reporting that former Mozambican
President Joaquim Chissano's appointment as Special Envoy for
the Great Lakes is imminent. He reportedly visited Kampala
last week to brief President Museveni on his observation of
the Congo elections. His terms of reference include the
implementation of a GOU-LRA peace deal. The press is
speculating that Chissano's own experience with peace and
reconciliation and his preference for "African solutions for
African problems" make him an acceptable choice for the GOU.
- - - -
COMMENT
- - - -
9. (SBU) The LRA's declaration of a unilateral cease-fire
earlier in the week put the GOU a bit on the defensive. The
GOU's outline of cease-fire provisions has put the ball back
into the LRA's court. The Government's promise of amnesty is
now formally on the table and remains the critical element of
an ultimate peace deal. However, the circumstances
surrounding Lukwiya's death cause the LRA's leadership to
doubt the GOU's sincerity. Another loose end to be addressed
is the reconciliation process: our discussions with
non-Acholi leaders in the north indicate that they have not
endorsed the Acholi Mato Oput reconciliation process.
Finally, we note that the provision of Core Group membership
on the Cease-fire Monitoring Group (CMT) may prompt the GOU
to seek the U.S., U.K., Norway, or the Netherlands to
participate more actively in the implementation of the peace
process once a deal is reached. They have not approached
Core Group embassies about CMT membership.
BROWNING