Identifier
Created
Classification
Origin
09KAMPALA243
2009-03-06 05:38:00
UNCLASSIFIED
Embassy Kampala
Cable title:  

NORTHERN UGANDA NOTES (FEBRUARY 1-28, 2009)

Tags:  PHUM PREF ASEC EAID UG SU CG 
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INFO RUEHKH/AMEMBASSY KHARTOUM 0774
RUCNIAD/IGAD COLLECTIVE
RUEHXR/RWANDA COLLECTIVE
RUEHGI/AMEMBASSY BANGUI 0046
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RUEHSA/AMEMBASSY PRETORIA 3538
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UNCLAS SECTION 01 OF 03 KAMPALA 000243 

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 1-28, 2009)

REF: A. KAMPALA 94 B. KAMPALA 118

KAMPALA 00000243 001.2 OF 003


UNCLAS SECTION 01 OF 03 KAMPALA 000243

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 1-28, 2009)

REF: A. KAMPALA 94 B. KAMPALA 118

KAMPALA 00000243 001.2 OF 003



1. 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.

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PEACE AND RECONCILIATION PROCESSES
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2. Joint military operations against the Lord's Resistance Army
(LRA) in northeastern Democratic Republic of Congo (DRC) continued.
Ugandan President Museveni and Congolese President Kabila met on
March 4 on the Uganda-DRC border in Kasese to discuss the extension
of "Operation Lightening Thunder" (OLT). In February, Uganda and
DRC deployed additional forces into the area of operations to cordon
off the LRA and provide additional protection for civilian
populations. MONUC (UN Mission in Congo) provided logistics and
maintenance for Congolese troops. Local populations have been
expressing support for the continuation of the operation, according
to Kampala-based diplomats that traveled to Dungu and Bunia from
February 26-27. There have been no reports of human rights
violations by Ugandan or Congolese troops in OLT, according to
various non-governmental organizations and journalists.


3. On February 27, LRA negotiator David Matsanga urged the Ugandan
government to halt the military operation against the LRA. Matsanga
called for "an urgent and temporary ceasefire" to evaluate the
failures and successes of the military operation in the region. He
proposed a stakeholders' conference. Matsanga claimed that LRA
leader Joseph Kony was committed to peace and alleged the LRA had
captured 76 Ugandan, Congolese, and Sudanese prisoners of war.
(Note: There is no evidence to support this claim. End Note.) The
Government of Uganda (GOU) rejected Matsanga's proposal and
reiterated its position that Kony must assemble at Riwkangba and

sign the Final Peace Agreement (FPA).

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SECURITY UPDATE
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4. In February, Human Rights Watch issued a report entitled "The
Christmas Massacres: LRA Attacks on Civilians in Northern Congo."
The report, based on eyewitness accounts in Doruma, Duru, and
Faradje, detailed the LRA's deadly rampage that HRW claims left some
865 dead and 160 abducted from late December 2008 to early January

2009. (Note: UNOCHA reports a lower number. See below. End Note.)
According to HRW, the LRA also conducted attacks in September 2008
to punish local communities who helped defectors to escape. HRW
reported that UPDF planners had intended on protecting civilians but
were unable to do so when troops meant to provide protection arrived
late due to bad weather and other complications hampered air
transport. According to HRW, MONUC was instructed to give the
situation in North Kivu top priority, which hampered its response to
the area where LRA attacks were occurring. HRW urged enhanced
protection for civilians, operational coordination between

the allied forces and MONUC, increased logistical support from MONUC
for the operation, and additional MONUC forces in the area.


5. We caution readers on the variability of the many estimates of
casualties, abductions, and displaced persons. UNOCHA put the
numbers killed by the LRA at 620 between December 24, 2008, and
January 13, 2009. This is lower than the HRW estimate. Both HRW
and UNOCHA agree that the LRA killed and abducted hundreds of people
throughout 2008. UNOCHA says that between December 2007 and January
2009, 900 civilians were killed and 711 were abducted in DRC and
Central African Republic. This includes two LRA killing and
kidnapping sprees in February-March and from September to November

2008. In southern Sudan, UNOCHA reports 127 LRA-related deaths and
66 abductions throughout 2008 and 2009. Some 130,000 Congolese are
displaced, including 30,000 that were displaced in Dungu during the
September-November 2008 LRA killing spree, according to UNOCHA. But
humanitarian organizations report that it is difficult to get
accurate figures because many Congolese are moving into larger towns
with relatives for added protection. As a result, these individuals
are not necessarily working their fields for food.


6. To date, UNICEF reports 127 Congolese, Ugandan, and Sudanese

KAMPALA 00000243 002.2 OF 003


children have been rescued thanks to OLT. UNICEF's protection
officer reports that many Congolese children who escape are
returning directly to their villages of origin, which has made it
difficult to get accurate numbers. The Ugandan military reports
that the total number of people rescued since OLT began is 346
adults and children.


7. The LRA continued to suffer losses of fighters and equipment as
the UPDF stepped up the pace of its operations. On January 29, the
UPDF freed 119 Congolese abductees, including children, which was
the largest rescue of the operation. On January 30, Major Okello
Opore, an escort to LRA Deputy Okot Odhiambo, died of injuries
suffered in a firefight with the UPDF in Doruma. The joint forces
rescued three Congolese individuals during the skirmish. On
February 16, allied forced captured nine LRA members, mostly female
fighters, in Dungu, and repatriated them to Uganda and southern
Sudan. On February 22, the UPDF killed three LRA rebels and
captured another in a battle that took place northwest of Duru.

- - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - -
HUMANITARIAN ASSISTANCE AND ECONOMIC RECOVERY
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8. On February 4, the Speaker of Parliament, Edward Ssekandi,
ordered fresh consultations with all stakeholders on the Peace
Recovery and Development Plan (PRDP) after northern parliamentarians
rejected Minister for Northern Uganda David Wakikona's PRDP progress
report.


9. Amuru District Chairman, Patrick Okello Oryem said 52% of IDPs
in the LRA affected north had left the main camps to resettle in
their homes. Kitgum's District Chairman, Komakech John Ogwok,
reports that 70% of the people in his district have returned to
their homes. This was the result of the improvement of the security
situation in the region and the increasing presence of government
institutions in the villages, including police and local council
officials.


10. USG Activities: The Livelihoods and Enterprises for
Agricultural Development (LEAD) program is a key initiative
targeting economic development throughout Uganda, including a
dedicated presence and activities in northern Uganda. LEAD is
active in a number of PRDP districts and is beginning activities in
key LRA-conflict affected districts including Gulu, Amuru, Kitgum,
and Pader. LEAD is unique among current donor projects in the
agricultural sector in the north because whereas many donor
interventions focus on food security and providing seeds and
implements to returnees to restart subsistence agriculture in their
villages. LEAD focuses on enhancing farm-to-market opportunities
and rebuilding commercial agriculture in the north.


11. USAID's Office of Transition Initiatives (USAID/OTI) completed
the handover of a block of administrative offices for Purongo
Sub-County, Amuru District to the Local Council Chairman. The Amuru
County District Chairman attended along with other leaders from the
district and county levels. The event created a great deal of
excitement in the new district and featured local dancers and
musicians.


12. USAID/OTI completed the rehabilitation of eleven soccer pitches
at primary schools in each of the sub-counties in Gulu District.
The U.S. Government donated nets, uniforms, and soccer balls to the
counties. The pitches will contribute to the normalization of life
for returnees, and provide opportunities for communities to come
together for the first time since the war began. It also provides
an outlet for young people, many still suffering from the trauma of
the conflict.


13. USAID/OTI approved several grants in February, including one
providing support for the Acholi Cultural Organization, Ker Kwaro,
to carry out cleansing ceremonies for return populations across
Kitgum district. The USG also supported a Ugandan Football
Association-sponsored soccer competition for the north in Gulu, and
an activity assisting the upgrading of Opit internally-displaced
persons (IDP) camp in Gulu District to town status.

- - - - - - - - - - - - - -
FROM THE MEDIA AND THE WEB
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14. Media reports in February 2009 primarily called for the GOU and
the international community to restore the social fabric and provide
support for people in the North, who have returned to their homes
after many years in IDP camps. On February 9, Gulu District

KAMPALA 00000243 003.2 OF 003


Chairman Norbert Mao's weekly column in the government-owned New
Vision criticized the slow progress on implementation of the PRDP in
an article entitled, "Has the Government moved a vote of no
confidence in itself?" Mao comments that "the ordinary people,
who, after years in the IDP camps have decided to go back to their
homes, may not know what the PRDP is, but the one thing they know is
that the government has pledged to restore social harmony and to
support them to rebuild their lives. This explains the concern
following the announcement by the government that the implementation
of the PRDP has been suspended" (ref B). Mao likened the
announcement from the Minister's office that the PRDP process needed
"to be redone" to a government voting "no confidence" in itself.


15. In the article, Mao cited the September 26, 2008, letter from
seven U.S. Senators to President Museveni urging the implementation
of northern recovery plans. He also cited the United States
Ambassador to the United Nations, Susan Rice, who in her maiden
speech to the UN Security Council on January 29, stated that the
U.S. is determined to ensure "that peace building and post-conflict
assistance consolidates peace durably once conflict ends."


16. Invisible Children, a San Diego-based non-governmental
organization, is planning a worldwide campaign entitled "Kony Must
Be Stopped. Our Children Must Be Rescued." Events will kick off in
Uganda in March and culminate in rallies in several cities
throughout the world on April 24. Any funds raised will be used to
continue rebuilding northern Ugandan educational facilities and help
residents overcome the trauma of the conflict.
BROWNING