VZCZCXRO3886
RR RUEHGI RUEHRN RUEHROV
DE RUEHKM #1558 3371307
ZNR UUUUU ZZH
R 021307Z DEC 08
FM AMEMBASSY KAMPALA
TO RUEHC/SECSTATE WASHDC 0950
INFO RUEHKH/AMEMBASSY KHARTOUM 0755
RUCNIAD/IGAD COLLECTIVE
RUEHXR/RWANDA COLLECTIVE
RUEHTO/AMEMBASSY MAPUTO 0511
RUEHSA/AMEMBASSY PRETORIA 3511
UNCLAS KAMPALA 001558
SENSITIVE
SIPDIS
E.O. 12958: N/A
TAGS: PGOV PREF PREL MOPS CG UG SU
SUBJECT: NORTHERN UGANDA: GOU PULLS OUT OF JUBA PEACE PROCESS
REF: KAMPALA 1552
1. (SBU) Summary: The Juba Peace Process has ended after Lord's
Resistance Army (LRA) leader Joseph Kony refused to sign the Final
Peace Agreement (FPA) on November 30. On December 1, Government of
Southern Sudan (GOSS) Mediator Riek Machar, UN Special Envoy for
LRA-Affected Areas Joachim Chissano, and the delegations from the
LRA and the Government of Uganda (GOU) took stock of the peace
process. Uganda's delegation leader, Minister of Internal Affairs
Ruhukana Rugunda, said that it was clear that Kony was not
interested in peace and that the GOU would no longer participate in
the current peace process. Rugunda kept the door open for LRA
delegation leader David Matsanga to come to Kampala for discussions
at any time. Chissano may brief the UN Security Council (UNSC)
on/about December 16. He will not recommend that his mandate, which
expires on December 31, be extended. End Summary.
2. (SBU) GOSS Mediator Riek Machar called a meeting with UN Special
Envoy Chissano, the GOU delegation, and LRA delegation leader, Dr.
David Matsanga, on December 1. Machar acknowledged that Kony's lack
of interest in the peace agreement made it difficult to continue the
process, but offered suggestions for keeping the channels of
communication open, including the possibility of another meeting on
December 28, a unilateral Ugandan Government signature on the FPA,
and partial implementation of the agreement (reftel).
3. (SBU) Rugunda told Machar that the GOU was not interested in
continuing the current process given Kony's failure to sign the
peace deal, according to Warner Ten Kate, the head of Chissano's
Kampala Office. Rugunda added that the GOU would keep the door open
for discussions with the LRA and offered to host Matsanga at any
time. Machar stated that he would report the outcome of the latest
attempt to meet Kony and the GOU's desire not to pursue more
meetings to GOSS President Salva Kiir. Machar speculated that Kiir
would then put an end to his role as mediator of the process.
4. (SBU) Ten Kate reported to P/E Chief on December 2 that Chissano
was not surprised that the GOU had decided to end the current
process. Chissano reportedly believes that without military
pressure on Kony, he would not sign the peace deal, according to Ten
Kate. Chissano flew back to Uganda with Rugunda and planned to meet
President Museveni on December 2. Chissano hopes to brief the UNSC
on December 16 and deliver his final report. Ten Kate stated that
Chissano will not seek a renewal of his mandate, which expires on
December 31.
5. (SBU) Comment: In Uganda, the initial public reaction has been
decidedly against Kony for failing to sign the peace deal, with many
northerners calling for Uganda's "Plan B", a military option against
the LRA. The Government, which appears to be conducting policy on a
day-by-day basis, has not thoroughly thought through the
implications of the end of the Juba phase of the process, with the
exception of proposing consultations with other regional leaders.
BROWNING