NORTHERN UGANDA: KEEPING MOMENTUM IN THE PEACE

C O N F I D E N T I A L KAMPALA 001197 SIPDIS SIPDIS E.O. 12958: DECL: 07/23/2017 TAGS: PGOV PREF PREL MOPS UG SU SUBJECT: NORTHERN UGANDA: KEEPING MOMENTUM IN THE PEACE PROCESS REF: KAMPALA 1079 Classified by: P/E Chief Kathleen FitzGibbon for reasons 1. 4 (b) and (d). ¶1. (C) Summary: The peace talks between the Government of Uganda and Lord's Resistance Army (LRA) are at another important juncture. Currently, the parties are consulting with the stakeholders on the mechanisms for accountability and reconciliation. We expect the recess to be extended for another month to ensure enough time for both parties to hold these discussions. We continue our interactions with key players at the talks. The international observer team and post concur that we consider making another public statement to keep up the momentum of the process in the wake of agreement on the general principles of accountability and reconciliation. End Summary. ¶2. (C) Ambassador Browning met with the Kenyan High Commissioner to Uganda Pedraph Getugi on July 17. Getugi is a member of the five-person team of international observers from Kenya, Tanzania, Mozambique, South Africa, and Congo pulled together by U.N. Special Envoy for LRA- Affected Areas. He was speaking on behalf of the international observers to request our assistance. ¶3. (C) Getugi said that the peace talks were headed in the right direction. The international observers work closely with the mediator and the parties and are very activist in their approach. They are a tightly coordinated group and have been instrumental in overcoming stumbling blocks, according to Getugi. Most recently, he noted that the team was able to navigate the LRA's delaying tactics to arrive at the general principles on accountability and reconciliation on June 29. The observer team also is able to place events and remarks in context for the LRA delegation to prevent further delays in the talks. Getugi noted that team members have been able to contextualize President Museveni's bellicose statements. He said that the President also had toned down his rhetoric recently. ¶4. (C) A U.S. presence at the negotiation table was unnecessary, according to Getugi, and could draw the Khartoum Government into providing increased support for the LRA. He also noted that the dynamic between the negotiators, on the one hand, and the northern Ugandan traditional and local leaders, on the other, had improved significantly. A level of understanding over roles had been reached that has decreased tensions over representation and issues to be discussed, according to Getugi. He described the LRA fighters as tired and the GOU team as eager to reach a peace deal before the Commonwealth Heads of Government Meeting in Kampala in November. Getugi said that former U.N. Special Representative Olara Otunnu continued to play a negative role, primarily through proxies, at the talks. Getugi warned that some of the LRA negotiators were using the talks to secure future positions in the government or related to the implementation of a peace agreement, which could become an obstacle to progress. ¶5. (SBU) Comment. The mediation team and international observers stress that that our previous press statement issued on February 1 reiterating our support for the mediator and the venue of the talks was critical to getting the parties back at the table. (Reftel) At this juncture, the international observers, as do we, believe it is the right time to demonstrate our public support for the consultations with northern Ugandans to help sustain the momentum of the process. We are preparing a public statement to follow in septel. End Comment. BROWNING