NORTHERN UGANDA NOTES (FEBRUARY 1-29, 2008)

UNCLAS KAMPALA 000360 SIPDIS SENSITIVE SIPDIS DEPARTMENT PASS TO USAID AND OFDA E.O. 12958: N/A TAGS: PHUM PREF ASEC EAID UG SU CG SUBJECT: NORTHERN UGANDA NOTES (FEBRUARY 1-29, 2008) ¶1. (U) Summary: The following Northern Uganda Notes provide information on the situation on the ground and USG activities aimed at meeting Mission 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. - - - - - - - - - - - - - PEACE AND RECONCILIATION - - - - - - - - - - - - - ¶2. (U) The Government of Uganda and Lord's Resistance Army (LRA) signed two final documents on disarmament, demobilization, and reintegration and the implementing protocol on February 29. The parties also agreed to extend the Cessation of Hostilities Agreement until March 28. The date for the ceremonial signing of the Final Peace Agreement was not set, but should occur before March 28. The LRA delegation said it needed to visit the International Criminal Court (ICC) in The Hague to get assurances that a request for a deferment of the arrest warrants from the U.N. Security Council would be honored. ¶3. (U) The overall agreement consists of five sections. The parties agreed on comprehensive solutions to the conflict, which includes special attention to the economic recovery of northern Uganda, positions for northerners in the government, and a fund for reparations for conflict victims. The accountability and reconciliation mechanism includes the creation of a special division of the High Court to handle prosecutions of the most serious crimes. The promotion of truth telling and traditional justice mechanisms as a part of the alternative justice mechanism, and amnesty for eligible individuals also were included. The agreement on cease-fire and on disarmament, demobilization, rehabilitation, reintegration, and reinsertion provide for receiving and resettling former combatants through orderly demobilization. The implementing protocol for the agreement provides for the Government of Uganda to make a request to the U.N. Security Council for a deferment of the ICC arrest warrants after the LRA fully assembles. ¶4. (U) USG Activities: Senior Advisor for Conflict Resolution Tim Shortley traveled to Kampala and then Juba on February 18 to serve as the U.S. observer to the peace talks. P/E Chief participated in Juba from February 26 to March 1. - - - - - - - - SECURITY UPDATE - - - - - - - - ¶5. (SBU) Large numbers of LRA moved into Central African Republic on/about February 15, according to humanitarian organizations. LRA leader Joseph Kony reportedly remained in the Democratic Republic of Congo (DRC). There have been sightings and attacks carried out by various groups, including the LRA, in southern Sudan. Some small groups involved in attack may contain LRA mixed with other armed elements. Armed militias and bandits also have been seen in Eastern and Western Equatoria. ¶6. (SBU) The re-establishment of civilian authority in northern Uganda continues to be a challenge for the judicial system. There are 670 people in Gulu Prison, which has a capacity of 200. Patongo Prison holds 200 prisoners despite its capacity of 74. There were increasing numbers of referrals of offenders from other districts, only one resident High Court Judge, and increasing crime rates. In Lango, judicial officials report a case backlog, due to an increase in the number of defilement cases being handled due to changes in the Sexual Offences Bill amendments. Previously, defilement was a capital offence and cases were only heard at the High Court. ¶7. (U) Across the Acholi sub-region deployment of Special Police Constables (SPCs) continued. As of January, approximately 1680 SPCS were deployed and 2320 others were undergoing training. However, most SPCs remain at the sub-county level and have not yet deployed to the lower, parish level. In Kitgum, lack of housing continued to hamper police deployments. Two hundred units per sub-county are planned. Additionally, training of SPCs remains a concern. SPCs receive one month training compared to nine months for regular police prior to deployment. The International Committee of the Red Cross and the U.N. Office of the High Commissioner of Human Rights are trying to fill this gap with supplemental training on child rights and gender-based violence, and an introduction to human rights. - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - HUMANITARIAN AND ECONOMIC RECOVERY - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - ¶8. (SBU) The USAID Northern Uganda Advisor reports that district governments are now represented at Protection Cluster meetings. The decision to invite government representatives was made collectively by UN agencies and NGOs, and demonstrates a change in the operating environment. Top protection concerns were forced eviction from camps and gender-based violence, which require government action. This request contrasts sharply from the period of time between 2000 and 2005 when human rights abuses by the LRA and UPDF were the top protection issues. ¶9. (SBU) Subject to continued progress on the peace front, most U.N. agencies are planning to phase out humanitarian relief programs to support internally displaced persons in the LRA affected areas of Acholi sub-region by mid-2009, and by the end of 2008 in Lango sub-region where 99.6 percent of the population has left camps. In Acholi sub-region, the estimated camp population has decreased from 1.1 million in December 2005 to 659,459 in May 2007 with 497,155 in transit sites and 44,749 in their villages of origin. ¶10. (U) Guidance on the closure of camps in Acholi sub-region, which languished for several months, has new momentum behind it. The lack of guidance led to mixed messages and frustration among both beneficiaries and service providers. UNHCR with the support of the Resident Humanitarian Coordinator iss trying to reengage the GOU on camp closure guidelines and returns in general. At the field level UNHCR has been engaging NGOs and local government on district specific processes. UNHCR has agreed to return to monthly population movement reports (no new numbers had been released since November 2007). ¶11. (U) UNOCHA reports that a group of 250 children, most of them from Amuru District, were conned of varying amounts of money by a local NGO, Faith for Out Action, which promised them subsidized vocational training. The NGO's project coordinator was arrested in Gulu and the children were returned to their homes by authorities. ¶12. (SBU) Long-standing stress and trauma in northern Uganda has resulted in a high prevalence of mental disorders, according to UNOCHA. Only minimal psychological support for victims is available due to inadequate numbers of professional staff in the field. Only 25 percent of health posts have been filled in Gulu despite a 30 percent increase in salary for all medical staff. ¶13. (U) Severe staff shortages, particularly in return areas, plagued the health sector in general. In Gulu District, UNHCR reports one functioning health center in 26 return sites visited. In three locations, health services were received at the camp and were within the five kilometer national average for health centers. In four locations, health facilities existed, but were not functioning. Out of 91 return areas in Amuru District, UNHCR reports only five were functioning. Staff housing was considered to be one of the most important incentives to recruiting personnel to rural areas. ¶14. (U) USG Activities: On February 20, Centers for Disease Control and USAID Directors traveled with a Congressional staff delegation to Gulu to observe Indoor Residual Spraying funded through the President's Malaria Initiative. ¶15. (U) Thirty-seven district planners, health, education, community development and chief accounting officers, and local non-governmental organizations participated in a train-the-trainer program under USAID's Northern Uganda Malaria, AIDS, and Tuberculosis (NUMAT) program from February 21-22. The training program's objective was to create a cadre of local trainers skilled in coordination and delivery of health services at the local government level within the region. Particular attention was paid to developing strategies to more effectively coordinate HIV/AIDS programs in a post-conflict situation. - - - - - - - - - - - - - - FROM THE MEDIA AND THE WEB - - - - - - - - - - - - - - ¶16. (U) On February 19, Human Rights Watch welcomed the agreement on accountability mechanisms between the Government and LRA. In a press release, HRW Director for International Justice Programs, Richard Dicker, stated "Today's agreement could be a major step toward peace and justice for northern Uganda, but the true test lies in how the agreement is put into practice." HRW also released an in-depth analysis which emphasized that Uganda needed to hold fair, credible trials for those who committed the most serious crimes. "We look to the parties, the mediators, international observers, major donors, U.N. Envoy Chissano, and other relevant U.N. actors to ensure that fair and credible trials take place so that justice and sustainable peace can be achieved." BROWNING