UGANDA/DRC: OPERATION RUDIA II UPDATE

S E C R E T SECTION 01 OF 02 KAMPALA 000454

NOFORN
SIPDIS

E.O. 12958: DECL: 05/04/19
TAGS: PGOV PREL PHUM MOPS MARR UG CG SU
SUBJECT: UGANDA/DRC: OPERATION RUDIA II UPDATE

Classified By: P/E Chief Kathleen FitzGibbon for reasons 1.4 (b) and (d
).


1. (SBU) Summary: This cable is a periodic update on the
regional military operation against the Lord's Resistance
Army (LRA) known as Operation Rudia II. This report is not
meant to provide an overarching narrative or polished
analysis of OLT, but rather offers spot information gleaned
in Uganda only, from credible U.S. Mission sources here. We
recognize the regional scope of Rudia II and the fact that
our sources may be limited in their knowledge and perspective
on the operation. End Summary.

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MILITARY SITUATION
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2. (S NF) The Ugandan People,s Defense Forces (UPDF)
continues to make deliberate and steady progress against LRA
targets, particularly the leadership group. Since March 15,
when the mission was transformed to Rudia II, the UPDF has
rescued 16 abductees, killed 32 LRA fighters, and captured
two combatants. DATT learned that the Congolese military has
given the UPDF permission to operate against the group led by
LRA Lt. Col. Charles Arop, which is located southwest of
Faradje.


3. (C) The UPDF cleared CARITAS, a Catholic charity, of
involvement in the incident where the Sudan People,s
Liberation Army (SPLA) seized thirteen trucks of food bound
for Doruma, Democratic Republic of Congo (DRC). The
investigation revealed that the trucks were carrying false
documentation which implicated CARITAS. The trucks were
commissioned by a Kampala-based Belgian businessman. UPDF
Army Spokesman Felix Kulayigye said that the businessman was
detained in Yambio, southern Sudan, but was bailed out by Els
De Temmerman, a Belgian national and editor of the New Vision
newspaper. The businessman has returned to Uganda and
remains under investigation.

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POLITICAL ENVIRONMENT
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4. (C) On April 24, Government of Southern Sudan Vice
President Riek Machar stopped over in Uganda and proposed a
conference to do a "post mortem" on the joint military action
against the LRA. Minister of State for International
Relations Henry Okello Oryem reported that the Government of
Uganda (GOU) declined on the grounds that the operation is
ongoing. Oryem said that the GOU remains suspicious of
Machar's intentions. It appears LRA spokesman David
Matsanga, who is having little success in stopping the
military operation, is urging Machar to re-insert himself
into the defunct peace process.


5. (C) Sudan's Presidential Advisor on Foreign Affairs,
Mustafa Ousman Ismail, discussed the LRA when he visited
Uganda on April 17 to meet with President Museveni, according
to Oryem. Ismail's primary purpose was to talk about the
International Criminal Court indictment against Sudanese
President Omar Bashir. P/E Chief learned that during the
meeting, Mustafa assured Museveni that Bashir had ended
Khartoum's support for the LRA. (Note: Ugandan officials
reported that at the African Union Summit in January, Bashir
told Museveni that Khartoum was no longer aiding the LRA.
End Note.) Mustafa reportedly told Museveni that there are
disgruntled Sudanese military and intelligence officials that
could be aiding their former LRA contacts, according to
Museveni's newly appointed Minister of State for Information,
Communications, and Technology, Aggrey Awori. Museveni
tasked Awori to serve as the go-between with Mustafa on LRA
and ICC indictment issues. (Comment: P/E Chief was initially
surprised at Awori's involvement, but later saw Awori
accompanying Mustafa at a football match on April 17. Awori
explained to P/E Chief that Museveni by-passes institutional
channels to conduct personal diplomacy through people he
trusts. We will follow up with Awori for more details. End
Comment.)

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HUMANITARIAN ISSUES
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6. (C) The UPDF worked with non-governmental organizations
(NGOs) to clarify the process of returning abductees and
combatants from DRC. On April 9, Megan Rock, Protection
Officer from the International Committee of the Red Cross
(ICRC) told P/E Chief that since the transfer of command of
the joint military operation on March 15, the process through

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which ex-combatants, escapees, and others returned home from
the LRA had become "chaotic." She said that when the UPDF
had its headquarters in Dungu, the process through which NGOs
provided assistance to the ex-combatants and former abductees
was clear-cut and well-known. Once the Ugandan military
pulled its headquarters out of Dungu, there was no clear
system in place. As a result, NGOs found that ex-combatants
and abductees were being returned to Uganda (including
non-Ugandans) through West Nile, Gulu, and Kampala, making it
difficult for the returnees to receive assistance. DATT
raised these concerns with Lt.Gen. Wamala, the Commander of
UPDF Land Forces. He informed us that the UPDF would meet
with the NGOs to address their concerns.


7. (C) On April 23, the UDPF, the Chieftaincy of Military
Intelligence, the Amnesty Commission, and relevant
non-governmental and international organizations (UNICEF,
International Organization for Migration (IOM),Save the
Children, and ICRC) met to map out a clearer return process
and the roles of each of the players. Rock reported that the
UPDF would hand over ex-combatants and abductees to the
Amnesty Commission, which would then notify the relevant
organization (UNICEF for children, IOM for adults). The
returnees would receive medical screening and services,
family tracing, and other immediate assistance. Any
Congolese that made it to Uganda would also be assisted and
repatriated. The non-governmental organizations were
satisfied with the arrangement. The UPDF named a
point-of-contact to coordinate the returnees.

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OTHER
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8. (U) Gulu University sponsored a "Juba Peace Talks:
Lessons Learnt Workshop" from April 23-24 to identify lessons
that could be applied to future engagement with the
stakeholders in the LRA peace process. The conference was
well-attended by local politicians, religious and traditional
leaders, donors, people from the Diaspora, NGOs, and the
media. The Danish Ambassador noted that Kony and the
remnants of his forces must be dealt with on a regional
basis, with the partners stressing the need to protect
civilian populations in DRC and pressing forward on northern
Uganda's recovery efforts. Some participants complained that
the Acholi Diaspora was "mislabeled" as obstacles to the
peace process. UPDF Spokesman Major Felix Kulayigye, who
also gave a presentation, cautioned that to the government,
the conference appeared to be an attempt to make the case for
a re-opening of the peace talks.








HOOVER