NUGANDAN GOVERNMENT NEGOTIATIONS WITH ALLIED

C O N F I D E N T I A L KAMPALA 000660 SIPDIS E.O. 12958: DECL: 04/11/2018 TAGS: PHUM PREL PGOV UG SUBJECT: NUGANDAN GOVERNMENT NEGOTIATIONS WITH ALLIED DEMOCRATIC FORCES REF: KAMPALA 000540 Classified By: P/E Chief Kathleen FitzGibbon for reasons 1.4 (b) & (d). ¶1. (C) Summary: The Government of Uganda held a second meeting with the leadership of the Allied Democratic Forces (ADF) on May 5-6 in Nairobi, Kenya to begin discussions on the way forward with negotiations. Both parties want to avoid the development of full blown peace talks. The discussions will be developing the terms on which the ADF returns to Uganda. The International Organization for Migration (IOM) continues to play a strong role in support of the Government's efforts. End Summary. ¶2. (C) P/E Chief met with IOM's office director Jeremy Halsam on May 8 to discuss the recent meeting between the ADF and the Government of Uganda. On May 5 and 6, a GOU delegation which included Amnesty Commissioner Justice Peter Onega and several members of the security services met the ADF leadership in Nairobi. The ADF's lead negotiator Col. Panga participated in the face-to-face discussions, while ADF faction leader Jamil did not, but was in the hotel. ¶3. (C) The purpose of the meeting was to plan formal talks for the ADF's return to Uganda. Neither party wants full-blown peace talks, like the Juba process with the Lord's Resistance Army, according to Halsam. The discussions will determine the terms of the ADF's surrender. The terms of reference for their meeting focused on the nomination of negotiating teams. The ADF will have a ten-member team headed by Col. Panga for now. The repatriation of 350 dependents is the first agenda item on talks. It will be the central topic of discussion in the next meeting at the end of May in the Democratic Republic of the Congo (DRC). Congolese officials have been very supportive of the process, according to Halsam. ¶4. (C) The ADF is highly fragmented, according to Halsam. IOM's strategy is to prevent multiple "exit" negotiations. IOM wants to bring temporary cohesion to the ADF leadership, which is spread through the DRC, Kenya, Sudan, and Central African Republic. Halsam hopes the cohesion could hold long enough to get the modalities of the ADF's entire repatriation finished. The ADF's repatriation of dependents would be a demonstration that the group intends on surrendering. IOM has requested the repatriation begin with a tranche of 120 sick, injured, and disabled, as well as women and children. ¶5. (C) IOM has written the UN's Office of the Humanitarian Affairs Coordinator, John Holmes, for support for its role in the process. The UN Mission in Congo (MONUC) believes it should play a lead role, despite its combative history with the ADF. IOM wants the UN to sanction its lead role. Halsam said IOM would use MONUC as a partner. ¶6. (C) Comment: Halsam remains optimistic that the process will continue to move forward if the ADF leaders can negotiate as a cohesive group. We remain concerned that internal wrangling between Ugandan Government entities could slow progress. BROWNING