Identifier
Created
Classification
Origin
06KHARTOUM2599
2006-11-01 15:01:00
CONFIDENTIAL
Embassy Khartoum
Cable title:  

SUDAN/UGANDA: RENEWAL OF CESSATION OF HOSTILITIES

Tags:  PREL MARR KPKO SU CG UG 
pdf how-to read a cable
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O 011501Z NOV 06
FM AMEMBASSY KHARTOUM
TO RUEHC/SECSTATE WASHDC IMMEDIATE 5107
INFO RUCNIAD/IGAD COLLECTIVE PRIORITY
RHMFISS/CJTF HOA PRIORITY
C O N F I D E N T I A L SECTION 01 OF 04 KHARTOUM 002599 

SIPDIS

SIPDIS

E.O. 12958: DECL: 11/01/2016
TAGS: PREL MARR KPKO SU CG UG
SUBJECT: SUDAN/UGANDA: RENEWAL OF CESSATION OF HOSTILITIES
AGREEMENT WITH LORD'S RESISTANCE ARMY

REF: KHARTOUM 02564

Classified By: CDA E. Whitaker, Reason: Section 1.4 (b) and (d)

C O N F I D E N T I A L SECTION 01 OF 04 KHARTOUM 002599

SIPDIS

SIPDIS

E.O. 12958: DECL: 11/01/2016
TAGS: PREL MARR KPKO SU CG UG
SUBJECT: SUDAN/UGANDA: RENEWAL OF CESSATION OF HOSTILITIES
AGREEMENT WITH LORD'S RESISTANCE ARMY

REF: KHARTOUM 02564

Classified By: CDA E. Whitaker, Reason: Section 1.4 (b) and (d)


1. (C) Summary: Representatives of the Government of Uganda
(GoU),the Lord's Resistance Army (LRA),and the Government
of Southern Sudan (GoSS) renewed their Cessation of
Hostilities Agreement (CHA) in Juba on November 1 after a
night of intensive negotiations. The full text of the new
agreement is reprinted in para 8. End Summary.

--------------
LRA Assembles; UPDF Stands Down
--------------


2. (C) The agreement requires the LRA to gather within seven
days at an assembly point east of the Nile River, or within
28 days at a second assembly point west of the Nile at border
between Sudan and the DRC. The GoSS is required to provide
"logistical and service support" at both locations. In
practical terms, this means food, shelter, and water.


3. (C) Earlier in the negotiations (reftel) GoSS VP Riek
Machar had tabled a proposal that would require the Uganda
People's Defense Forces (UPDF) to withdraw from most of the
area east of the Nile. According to two sources present,
Ugandan negotiators pushed back hard against this provision.
In the end, the parties agreed on a vaguer formulation that
requires the GoSS to "ensure security in the general area
east of Nimule-Juba road to the satisfaction of the parties."


--------------
Defining the Assembly Areas
--------------


4. (C) In exchange, the GoU agreed to accept the larger
assembly areas proposed by the LRA delegation. At the
eastern assembly point of Owiny-Kibul, the LRA is required to
assemble within fifteen kilometers of the administrative
headquarters. At the Ri-Kwangba assembly point in the west,
the LRA must gather within 15 kilometers of the
administrative headquarters. There is a further 15-kilometer
buffer zone around both assembly areas on which neither party
is permitted to operate.

--------------
Other Provisions
--------------


5. (C) The Ugandan delegation also won agreement that "there

shall be no supply of food and/or service support to the LRA
outside an assembly area." The GoSS has admitted providing
food to the LRA outside assembly areas, to the consternation
of Ugandan government representatives.


6. (C) Failure to assemble is a violation of the agreement.
So are "any attacks, threats or acts of violence" by any
party, and any rearmament by the LRA within southern Sudan.
The GoSS is obliged to ensure that the LRA does not "acquire,
recover or replenish arms and ammunitions within its
territory." The parties also promise to make "special
arrangements" for the security of members of the joint
SPLA-UPDF-LRA Cessation of Hostilities Monitoring Team
(CHMT),and members of the LRA Delegation to the peace talks,
assuring them safe passage should the peace talks fail.

--------------
Comment
--------------


7. (C) The renewed Cessation of Hostilities agreement is an
important step forward. The critical test -- which for one
of the two assembly points will come within a week ) is
whether the LRA actually assemble in the agreed locations.
End Comment.

--------------
Text of Agreement
--------------


8. (C) The text of the agreement is as follows:

(Begin text)

CESSATION OF HOSTILITIES AGREEMENT
BETWEEN THE GOVERNMENT OF THE REPUBLIC OF UGANDA AND THE
LORD'S RESISTANCE ARMY/MOVEMENT
JUBA, SUDAN

ADDENDUM 1

KHARTOUM 00002599 002 OF 004



Preamble:

WHEREAS:

a. The Government of the Republic of Uganda (GOU) and the
Lord,s Resistance Army/Movement (LRA/M) (hereinafter
referred to as "the Parties") signed a Cessation of
Hostilities Agreement (the Agreement) on the 26 August 2006,
under which the Parties agreed to cease all hostile military
and other actions and propaganda aimed at each other, that
may undermine the Peace Talks;

b. Some difficulties have been experienced in the
implementation of the Agreement, necessitating review of the
Agreement;

c. The Parties, in accordance with Articles 8 and 11 of the
Agreement, have agreed to review and have reviewed the said
Agreement.

Now therefore the Parties agree as follows:


1. Recommitment of the Parties

a) This Addendum shall form part of the Agreement, and the
Parties hereby recommit themselves to implementing the terms
of the Agreement and the Addendum.

b) In case of any conflict and/or inconsistency between this
Addendum and the Agreement the provisions of this Addendum
shall prevail to the extent of such conflict or inconsistency.


2. Violations

Pursuant to Article 1 of the Agreement, the following shall
constitute violations of the Agreement and shall be deemed to
be actions that may undermine the Peace Talks:

a) Any attacks, threats or acts of violence directed against
the other Party and/or civilians and/or any other person or
persons by either Party or both Parties.

b) Subject to the provisions of section 4 (e) below, failure
by the LRA to assemble or to remain in the designated
Assembly Areas.

c) Removal of food and/or service support from the Assembly
Areas.

d) Obstruction of the activities of the Cessation of
Hostilities Monitoring Team (CHMT).

e) Acquisition, recovery or replenishment of arms,
ammunition or other military equipment by the LRA within
Southern Sudan.

f) Other acts investigated by the CHMT and/or determined by
the Mediator to be violations of the Agreement.


3. Determination on Hostile Propaganda

a) The Mediator shall, on receipt of any complaint arising
from Article 2 of the Agreement, refer the matter to the
CHMT, if the complaint is not made by the CHMT, determine
whether the complaint discloses any act(s) or omission(s)
that undermine(s) the standing of a party by the other.

b) Upon receiving a report of such determination the
Mediator shall convene a meeting of both Parties to discuss
how such a violation can be handled.


4. Additional Obligations of the Government of Southern Sudan

a) During the subsistence of the Agreement, the Government
of Southern Sudan shall ensure that the LRA does not acquire,
recover or replenish arms and ammunitions within its
territory.

b) Save in the most exceptional circumstances as shall be
determined by the CHMT, and with the consent of the Mediator,
there shall be no supply of food and/or service support to
the LRA outside an Assembly Area.

c) The Government of Southern Sudan shall ensure security in
the general area East of Nimule ) Juba Road to the
satisfaction of the Parties.

d) Special arrangements shall be made for the personal
security and protection of the property of the members of the
CHMT and the LRA delegation, and in the event that the Peace

KHARTOUM 00002599 003 OF 004


Talks fail, they shall be guaranteed safe passage or escorted
to safety.

e) The Government of Southern Sudan shall ensure adequate
security, logistical and service support to the LRA Assembly
Areas and such security, logistical and service support shall
be confirmed by the Mediator and/or verified by the CHMT.

f) The Mediator shall provide to the Parties and the CHMT
maps delineating the Assembly Areas described in section 5 of
this Addendum.


5. Assembly Areas

a) During the subsistence of the Agreement the LRA in
Southern Sudan shall assemble its forces within 15 (fifteen)
kilometers radius from the administrative headquarters of
Owiny-Ki-Bul and 10 (ten) kilometers radius from the
administrative headquarters of Ri-Kwangba within the Sudan.

b) The forces of the Parties shall remain as far apart as 15
(fifteen) kilometers of the specified perimeters of the
Assembly Area at Owiny-Ki-Bul.

c) Except with the express permission of the Mediator, and
with notification of the CHMT, nobody shall visit the LRA
Assembly Areas.


6. Monitoring

a) Every effort shall be made to ensure that the African
Union or any other body acceptable to the Parties appoints
military or other personnel to assist in the implementation
of the Agreement.

b) Notwithstanding the provisions of Article 9 (a) iii of
the Agreement, the CHMT shall be deemed to be and to have
been validly constituted whenever the Team Leader and two
representatives of each Party are present.

c) The status of subsections (a) and (b) of this section
shall be reviewed not later than December 1, 2006.

d) The members of the CHMT shall enjoy full protection of
both Parties.


7. Assembling

a) The LRA east of the Nile, within Southern Sudan, shall
complete assembling in Owiny-Ki-Bul within one week after the
signature of this Addendum and after section 4 (e) has been
complied with.

b) The Mediator shall provide logistical and service support
at Ri-Kwangba within two weeks after the signature of this
Addendum.

c) After the provision of the logistical and service support
at Ri-Kwangba, the LRA shall within two weeks complete
assembling of their forces.

d) Within one week of the assembly of the LRA within
Owiny-Ki-Bul, the LRA shall provide all relevant information
to the Mediator concerning members of the LRA who may still
be in Uganda.

e) The Mediator, the CHMT and the LRA shall ensure that the
LRA forces remaining in Uganda relocate to Owiny-Ki-Bul
within two weeks.


8. Review of Implementation

The implementation of the Agreement shall be reviewed at
least once a month and the Agreement shall lapse upon the
signing of a formal ceasefire agreement between the Parties.

In witness whereof, the duly authorized representatives of
the Parties have signed this Addendum at Juba on the 1st day
of November 2006

/signed/

Hon. Ruhakana Rugunda (Dr)
Minister of Internal Affairs and
Head of GoU Delegation

Mr. Martin Ojul
Leader of the LRA/M Delegation

Witnessed by:


KHARTOUM 00002599 004 OF 004


H.E. Lt. General Riek Machar Teny-Dhurgon (PhD)
Vice President, Government of Southern Sudan
and Mediator of the Peace Talks

(End text)
EWHITAKER