NORTHERN UGANDA: LRA DELEGATION MEETING DATE SLIPS

UNCLAS SECTION 01 OF 02 KAMPALA 001163 SENSITIVE SIPDIS E.O. 12958: N/A TAGS: PGOV PREF PREL MOPS CG UG SU SUBJECT: NORTHERN UGANDA: LRA DELEGATION MEETING DATE SLIPS ¶1. (SBU) Summary: UN Special Envoy Joachim Chissano remains optimistic, despite the uncertainties, that Lord's Resistance Army (LRA) leader Joseph Kony will show up for a meeting with his own LRA delegation on August 24. Chissano requested a date change from August 20/21 so that he could attend. He said that Kony's direct communication with Chissano and the Government of Southern Sudan mediator Riek Machar was a positive sign, even though Kony has not committed to attending the meeting. Chissano rebuffed some of the LRA demands for the meeting, which included food for 1,000-2,000 combatants and a change of venue. He arranged for the presence of experts on legal issues and Disarmament, Demobilization, and Reintegration (DDR). In Gulu, local government officials, traditional and religious leaders, and internally displaced persons (IDPs) oppose Dr. David Matsanga as the LRA's lead negotiator, but Chissano said he had to work with whomever Kony appointed. End Summary. - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - NEW DATE FOR LRA DELEGATION MEETING - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - ¶2. (SBU) On August 18, UN Special Envoy for LRA-Affected Areas Joachim Chissano briefed Kampala-based diplomats about the prospects for LRA leader Joseph Kony's meeting with the LRA delegation to discuss the Final Peace Agreement (FPA). (Note: In June, Kony said he needed to meet with the LRA delegation to discuss the details of the FPA after he failed to show up twice for meetings with the mediator and northern Ugandan officials in April and May. Plans for Kony to meet with his delegation to discuss the agreement gained momentum in July. End Note.) During his visit to the region, Chissano traveled to Kampala, Gulu, and Nairobi. A conflict in Chissano's schedule prompted the latest change in the date for the LRA delegation meeting, which has been moved to August 24 from August 20/21. Kony told Chissano that he did not want a large meeting, but asked that Chissano, Machar, and the five African observers, attend. Chissano told Kony that he needed to call Machar to rebuild confidence in the process and to make the necessary logistics arrangements. Kony-Machar contact was re-established after Matsanga and Chissano visited Machar in Juba in July. Kony rejected the food Machar sent on July 17 for fear it was poisoned. ¶3. (SBU) Kony's direct contact with Chissano's office and Machar 
was encouraging, according to Chissano. Kony called Chissano during LRA lead negotiator David Matsanga's visit to Maputo in June. Kony confirmed that Matsanga was his delegation leader and told Chissano that he wanted to "finish everything" after he clarified certain issues. Kony initially wanted a venue outside Sudan. Chissano argued that the meeting could not take place outside southern Sudan because other countries had signed the Rome Statute and would be obligated to arrest Kony and turn him over to the International Criminal Court (ICC). ¶4. (SBU) Kony reportedly expressed concern about the future for his soldiers under the FPA. Chissano advised him that the peace agreement was the opportunity to discuss disarmament and demobilization with the Government of Uganda (GOU). Chissano told Kony that if he does not sign, he would have no credibility at all. He assured Kony that it was not dangerous for him to go to Riwangba to meet with his delegation, particularly after the U.S., European Union, Canada, and Norway had participated in negotiating the FPA. (Note: Kony is wary of meetings in which he does not control the time or venue because he allegedly believes he will be vulnerable to attack from unknown hit squads. End Note.) Chissano also told Kony that he and the other three ICC indictees would face trial in Uganda and that the legal aspects of the agreement "were no joke." Kony asked that the Government get the warrants lifted before the meeting. Chissano said that the GOU could not do that because UNSC members have insisted upon a signature before considering a suspension of the ICC warrants. (Note: Lifting and suspending the warrants are two different things. The FPA draft requires the GOU to request a one-year (renewable for a second year) suspension of the warrants from the UN Security Council (UNSC) while the mechanisms for a national trial are put in place. End Note.) - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - CHISSANO HANGS TOUGH ON LRA CONDITIONS - - - - - - - - - - - - - -- - - - - - ¶5. (SBU) During an August 17 meeting with Chissano in Nairobi, Matsanga listed Kony's conditions for the meeting. First, Kony insisted that food for 1,000-2,000 people be delivered prior to the meeting. According to Chissano, Matsanga claimed Kony was coming with a large number of combatants, but was not clear on why and how many would accompany the LRA Chairman. Chissano warned Matsanga that Kony did not need to bring a large number of combatants in order to sign the agreement and that a request for that amount of food would raise questions about the LRA's true intentions. KAMPALA 00001163 002 OF 002 Matsanga told Chissano that the large amount of food was needed because the combatants would remain in the assembly area after the signing. Chissano countered that the LRA was not obliged to assemble immediately and that the donors would provide assistance later for the LRA assembly. Chissano said that there would be a period of time needed for the GOU to approach the UNSC. ¶6. (SBU) Chissano also said that he advised Matsanga that a request for a large amount of food was a "poor tactic" because it sent the signal that the LRA was using the process to re-supply. He advised that Kony needed to accept what donors were offering. Donor food was set to arrive in Nabanga for onward delivery to Rikwangba on August 19/20. Now that the date of the meeting had slipped, donors are trying to delay the arrival of the food until the day of the meeting on August 24. Canadian Consul told P/E Chief that donors contributed food for 60 fighters for four days only. ¶7. (SBU) According to Chissano, Matsanga's second issue was that Kony and his senior commanders did not understand the DDR process, including what would be offered, and how it would be implemented. Chissano suggested to Machar that he bring a DDR expert to the meeting. Machar agreed. (Comment: Senior LRA commanders have expressed confusion over the difference between DDR and the amnesty processes to post contacts. End Comment.) ¶8. (SBU) Third, Matsanga said that Kony wanted clarification about how the Special Division of the High Court related to the ICC and traditional cleansing ceremonies, such as "mato oput." Chissano arranged for Machar to bring Barney Afako, the agreement's drafter and an expert on all three mechanisms, to Kony's meeting with his delegation. - - - - - - GULU VISIT - - - - - - ¶9. (SBU) In Gulu, Chissano heard unanimous opposition to Matsanga from local, traditional, and religious leaders. Matsanga hails from eastern Uganda, not Acholiland. In addition, Matsanga's Ugandan Government ties also raised concerns in the north. Despite this local opposition, Chissano said that Kony had selected Matsanga, so the facilitator and mediator had to work with him. Gulu District Chairman Norbert Mao told P/E Chief on August 18 that Chissano's radio appearance on Mega FM and visit to a camp for internally displaced persons were reassuring for the local population. Their concerns centered around the need for water, education, health services, hand tools, and seeds in the return areas. Chissano heard that it was important for the Acholi religious leaders to be involved in the process. After the visit, Matsanga told Chissano that Kony asked that Bishops Onono, Ochola, and Odama and possibly a few other local officials be invited to Rikwangba. - - - - COMMENT - - - - ¶10. (SBU) Kony has not directly confirmed his intention to attend the August 24 meeting, but Chissano remains optimistic that Kony will show up because the LRA leader had requested it and remained in contact with his office. Nonetheless, Chissano would not be surprised if Kony did not show up. Alternatively, if he showed up, he may set another date for signing the FPA and establish new conditions to be met. Chissano remains concerned, as do we, that the composition of Kony's delegation remains in flux and questions about Matsanga's legitimacy linger. BROWNING