LRA Mediator: Justice Should be Universal

UNCLAS KHARTOUM 002043

SIPDIS

SIPDIS
SENSITIVE

E.O. 12958: N/A
TAGS: PREL PGOV MOPS UN UG SU
SUBJECT: LRA Mediator: Justice Should be Universal

Ref: Khartoum 2038 and previous


1. (SBU) One of the leading mediators in the Lord's Resistance Army
(LRA) talks believes this process is the only way to avoid real
impunity. He said that for justice to truly be served, all sides,
including the Ugandan Government, must be held accountable for its
actions. Hizkias Assefa, Riek Machar's deputy in the mediation and
the lead full-time, professional mediator, met with the Acting
Consul General (A/CG) on August 28 and expressed largely the same
views as the UN observer team (reftel). However, he also warned
that other solutions, especially a military solution, would send a
message that the Ugandan Government is free to commit human rights
abuses in northern Uganda as long as it remains the strongest and
can win the war. Assefa fears this would only encourage another
group to follow the LRA, just as the LRA followed the rebellions
before it. Impunity, he explained, must go both ways.


2. (SBU) The A/CG pointed out that one of the problems with using
the LRA talks to address larger social issues is that it elevates
the status of LRA leader Joseph Kony, a terrorist with no real
political agenda, and it confuses the issues of the LRA with the
problems in northern Uganda. Assefa said Kony cares about the
social issues, but conceded that it is not Kony's primary concern.
Kony does not really understand the problems, only that there is
marginalization. Assefa said that the increased participation of
civil society, religious leaders, and opposition parties as
observers to the talks, now sanctioned by the Ugandan Government,
should help bridge this gap. The A/CG cautioned that even with
their participation, it will still be difficult to truly address the
root causes of marginalization while the talks are being driven by
an unsophisticated negotiating team speaking for a cult-like
leader.


3. (SBU) Overall, Assefa said he was encouraged by the progress of
the talks. In contrast to what he described as a negative portrayal
in the media, he said the relationship between the two parties at
the table was changing and both sides were showing increased
flexibility. He said that at the beginning the LRA delegation would
make demands and then threaten to walk out if the demands were not
met. On the Ugandan side, they also began as very rigid, and the
meetings were attended by Ugandan generals in full dress uniforms.
These military men would leave their sunglasses on and sit silently
at the back of the room giving stern and disapproving looks. Now,
Assefa said, both sides show flexibility, and the generals come out
of uniform and get engaged in the discussions. The two sides even
occasionally joke together and make conversation. That said, Assefa
went on to describe the talks as the most frustratingly
unpredictable he had ever seen.


4. (U) Bio Date: Assefa is an Ethiopian who is on the faculty of
Eastern Mennonite University in Virginia, where he spends several
months each year teaching intensive courses on conflict resolution.
The rest of the year, he is based in Nairobi and works to mediate
various conflicts in Africa. He has been involved in LRA mediation
efforts for over a decade, in association with Pax Christi. Assefa
was scheduled to travel to Nigeria in September to do some work in
the Niger Delta region, but has been put on hold while these talks
continue.

HUME