NORTHERN UGANDA NOTES (May 19-June 2, 2007)

UNCLAS SECTION 01 OF 03 KAMPALA 000964

SIPDIS

SENSITIVE

SIPDIS

DEPARTMENT PASS TO USAID AND OFDA

E.O. 12958: N/A
TAGS: PHUM PREF PREL MOPS ASEC CASC EAID UG SU
SUBJECT: NORTHERN UGANDA NOTES (May 19-June 2, 2007)


1. (U) Summary: The following Northern Uganda Notes
provides information on the situation on the ground and USG
activities aimed at meeting MissionQs objectives in
northern Uganda. These objectives include promoting
regional stability through peace and security, good
governance, access to social services, economic growth, and
humanitarian assistance. Post appreciates feedback from
consumers on the utility of this product and any gaps in
information that need to be filled. End Summary.

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PEACE AND RECONCILIATION PROCESSES
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2. (U) Vincent Otti, the Lord's Resistance Army (LRA)
second-in-command re-stated the rebel group's demand that
the International Criminal Court (ICC) lift the warrants
for the arrest of its top leaders before any disarmament
and demobilization occurs. Otti made the remarks during a
visit by Sky TV reporters, who spent three days with the
LRA leadership at Garamba National Park. The footage aired
on May 25. Otti stated that "we cannot go back to Uganda
without lifting these indictments." Otti claimed that the
GOU had the power to get the indictments dropped. He
threatened that the LRA "has enough to capture power. We
were seven, now we are thousands. Everybody in Uganda
wants change, but they cannot do anything without the
barrel of a gun." Otti also said that the LRA "can fight"
if the indictments were not lifted.


3. (U) On May 27, President Museveni condemned Otti's
remarks as an assault on the peace process. On May 30,
government negotiators said that remarks made by LRA's
second-in-command, Vincent Otti, would not deter the GOU
from achieving its goals at the negotiations. The GOU
stated that its objectives were reaching an agreement that
will bring lasting peace to Northern Uganda and Southern
Sudan; ensuring that there is no impunity and there is
justice for the victims; satisfying the traditional norms
of the affected communities; and ensuring that the
legitimate concerns and respect for international laws,
including the ICC are adequately addressed.


5. (U) The peace talks resumed on May 31. A workshop on
accountability issues kicked off the meetings. Acholi
traditional leader, Rwot Acana, presented a paper on
traditional reconciliation and accountability mechanisms.


6. (U) USG Activities: Political/Economic Chief attended
a briefing by the Government of Uganda negotiating team on
May 30.


7. (SBU) Cynthia Brady, Conflict Specialist in USAIDQs
Office of Conflict Mitigation and Management, visited
Uganda from May 9-30 to help the Mission design a new,
community-based peace and reconciliation activity for the
conflict-affected areas of northern Uganda. Within the
framework of the Government of UgandaQs Peace, Recovery and
Development Plan for Northern Uganda and based on lessons
learned from evaluations of the Northern Uganda Peace
Initiative and the Community Resilience and Dialogue
activity, the new program includes components for (1)
peace-building and reconciliation, (2) economic security
and social inclusion, and (3) access to justice. A
solicitation is planned for later this summer.

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SECURITY UPDATE
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8. (SBU) According to U.N. Office for the Coordination of
Humanitarian Affairs (OCHA) in Juba, the Cessation of
Hostilities Monitoring Team (CHMT) was working out proposed
assembly routes after the LRA rejected the Ugandan Peoples'
Defense Forces (UPDF) and Sudan Peoples' Liberation Army
(SPLA) proposed routes announced on May 8. The CHMT
announced the routes and reported that various LRA groups
have crossed the Nile and were moving to Garamba National
Park.


9. (SBU) On May 19, a group of 75 alleged LRA attacked
villages north of Laihya, Central Equatoria State, Southern
Sudan, which is 25 miles west of Juba. One of the homes

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looted belonged to the Southern Sudanese Minister of
Information, Samson Kwaje, who is also a member of the
mediating team. On May 22, the LRA attacked the village of
Fore, 80 miles west of Juba. Two SPLA soldiers were killed
during an LRA attack on May 23 near the same village. The
LRA group with commander Thomas Kwoyello was believed to be
responsible for these attacks. Reportedly, Kwoyello's
group subsequently sustained serious losses at the hands of
a southern Sudanese militia group.


10. (U) In LRA-affected northern Uganda, the general
security situation remained calm in Lango, Teso and Acholi
regions. In Kaabong, Karamoja, a WFP truck was attacked
and one staff person killed, reportedly by Karamojong. WFP
temporarily suspended operations. Otuke county, Lira
District and portions of eastern Pader District continue to
be affected by Karamajong attacks.

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HUMANITARIAN ASSISTANCE AND ECONOMIC RECOVERY
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11. (U) In Lira District, there was a fairly high degree
of movement from Abia, Aliwang and Adwari where there are
now less then 1,000 internally displaced persons (IDPs) in
the three camps. Many IDPs were maintaining some minimal
contact with their huts in the camp although they do not
stay there permanently. For example, 80 percent of the
huts in these three camps were locked with no sign of
residents around, but clearly not abandoned. Over the past
month there has been increased movement of IDPs originating
from Pader District moving from southern Lira into camps in
northern Lira (closer to Pader). IDPs in these did not
report land access as a problem. More than 80 percent of
the IDPS still living in the camps are accessing their
original land for cultivation.


12. (U) In Acholi districts, there were no significant
changes in the pattern of movement. The majority of IDPs
moving out of the camps were settling in new sites.
Approximately 50,000 IDPs moved to transit sites in April,
increasing the number of IDPs in transit from 271,000 to
321,000. There was some evidence that the number of IDPs
moving back to their homes is increasing from approximately
1 percent in March to roughly 5 percent in May. (Complete
numbers for May are not yet available.) Similar to the
situation in Lango, approximately 80 percent of the
population was accessing land for cultivation. Land under
cultivation also continues to increase. In Gulu and Amuru
districts the amount of land under cultivation per
household was up from 3 acres in June 2006 to 4.4 acres in
May 2007.


13. (U) IDPs continue to cite lack of safe water sources,
lack of grass for thatching (next season for dry grass is
October),fear to return before peace agreement is signed,
lack of farm implements and tools, and fear of unexploded
ordnance at return sites as factors hindering returns.


14. (SBU) Coordination and U.N. cluster management issues
continue. Overwhelmed by its cluster coordination
responsibilities, UNICEF tried to pass responsibility for
Gender-Based Violence (GBV) to U.N. Fund for Population
Activities (UNFPA) with two weeks notice. UNFPA is barely
operational. UNFPA might be a good place for GBV to be
covered in the long run, but currently, UNFPA does not have
the capacity to take a leadership role. UNICEF agreed to
continue in its coordination role until a better solution
was found. The other alternative is UNHCR, but it has its
hands full, and has only just begun addressing camp
management in an organized manner.


15. (SBU) UNHCR began rolling out the new camp management
guidelines in northern Uganda. Emphasis is being placed on
using the camp management coordination structure to begin
planning for camp closure. This should help facilitate the
shift away from camp leadership to the Local Councilor (LC)
system. Currently, these two tracks run in parallel. Only
Lango has a clear process for degazzetting camps, but over
the past week Pader District officials began drafting
procedures for camp closure. UNHCR plans to extend the
process underway in Pader to other districts in Acholiland.


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16. (SBU) Land continues to be a key protection issue.
While land disputes were not inhibiting IDP returns, there
is no functioning legal structure to handle disputes.
Without legal guidelines or remedies, the potential for the
further marginalization of vulnerable groups, such as
female-headed households and child mothers continues to
exist. Districts are exploring ways to tackle this
matter, but often vulnerable groups are not included in the
discussion.

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IN THE MEDIA AND THE WEB
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17. (U) The May 25 Daily Monitor published an QOpen Letter
to the LRAQ by Olara Otuunu, former U.N. Undersecretary for
Children and Armed Conflict and Acholi critic of the GOU.
Otuunu accuses the LRA and President Museveni of a smear
campaign to intimidate him. The accusation followed press
reports in late April which quoted LRA negotiator David
Nyekorach Matsanga as saying that the rebels had requested
the removal of the LRA from the list of international
terrorist organizations, so that Otuunu and others could
participate in the peace process without being labeled as
terrorists. Otuunu denies ever being a member or supporter
of the LRA. He does claim a Qlong standing relationship
(covert and overt) between the Museveni regime and the LRA
leadership.Q He also calls for the immediate dismantling of
all QconcentrationQ camps in the North.


18. (U) The Daily Monitor published an editorial on May 30
that was strongly supportive of President MuseveniQs sharp
reaction to Vincent OttiQs comments on Sky TV that the LRA
would resume war if the ICC indictments were not dropped.
Under the headline QPresident Museveni Right About the
LRA,Q the Monitor called the LRA position Qexasperating.Q
The paper noted that QAll people of goodwill have against
their moral conscience chosen peace and sacrificed justice
in the name of ending Q the conflict.Q It added that QIf
the rebels do not see the wisdom in the Juba process, then
as the President correctly puts it, they will surely
perish.Q


19. (U) The Uganda Conflict Action Network posted a
statement to its website announcing that the new U.S.-based
Resolve Uganda NGO is committed to Qpressuring U.S.
political officialsQ to engage more publicly and
Qadvocating for increased international engagement and
renewed investment in the ongoing peace process.Q The
statement quotes Resolve Uganda Executive Director Michael
Poffenberger: QResolve Uganda is working with members of
the U.S. Senate and House of Representatives to press
President Bush to send a senior-level diplomat to Juba. "By
sending a senior diplomat to Juba, the U.S. could bring
much-needed attention to the talks, and be available to
help at the discretion of the mediator. We are not at all
advocating for a U.S. takeover of the negotiations, but
think that the U.S. should be doing more to see that the
African leadership has all the resources and respect it
needs to bring the parties to an agreement."


20. (U) Philadelphia Inquirer Editorial Board writer
Carolyn Davis will be coming to Uganda on June 5,
accompanying a 16-year-old northern Ugandan burn victim who
received treatment in the U.S. (the LRA set fire to her
familyQs home while she was in it). The Inquirer plans to
do a series of articles and website posts about Jennifer
AnyayoQs journey home to Uganda, and Davis will be
QbloggingQ about it.
CHRITTON