Kony case stands, says President
The world court will not remove its indictment of LRA chiefs Joseph Kony, his deputy Vincent Otti and other commanders for crimes against humanity, president Yoweri Museveni said yesterday.
By Chris Ocowun
The world court will not remove its indictment of LRA chiefs Joseph Kony, his deputy Vincent Otti and other commanders for crimes against humanity, president Yoweri Museveni said yesterday.
He said the International Criminal Court (ICC) would not drop the charges before peace is restored.
“Even if the Ugandan government and you people from the area say ‘No’, you should remember that Kony killed so many people including a Briton and UN staff in the DR Congo.â€
He said the “terrorists†should take amnesty so the community can cleanse them through the traditional justice system, mato oput. He said thereafter, the Governmnet would plead with the ICC.
Museveni said, “But Kony also killed people who are not Ugandans.â€
Museveni was addressing a meeting at Gulu University hall on Wednesday.
Otti and some northern Uganda leaders have said the ICC is a big stumbling block to attainment of peace in the region.
Kony, Otti, commanders Okot Odhiambo, Dominic Ongwen and Raska Lukwiya are wanted by the ICC for crimes committed in their 20-year-long war against the Government of Uganda.
Museveni said the ICC was helping Uganda resolve the matter.
“ICC is not the one which killed, cut people’s lips, raped young girls and infected them with AIDS. Leaders should stop wasting time on the ICC. If Kony is told this clearly, it will be to his benefit. If he resists, there will be another solution for him.
“These are serious crimes against humanity. In the UPDF, if you kill people, we execute you. LRA rebels have killed so many people and attacked civilians. If they were attacking UPDF, there would be no problem because we are soldiers. But attacking non-combatants is a serious crime. Whatever you say will not change anything,†the jovial Museveni said.
He said the Government expects the rebels to come out before amnesty is given to them as it is impossible to do so while they are in the bush.
He said the rebels can be reintegrated into the community and those who are fit can join the army.
He said the Government also expects the displaced people to return home, and to rehabilitate the north, which he said would be achieved by hunting “the terrorists one by one†or through negotiation.
Museveni said the Government was not hunting for the rebels, otherwise they (LRA) would not be ringing people on their mobile phones.
“Advise them to come out of the bush and stop talking about irrelevant things in Juba. May be I will go there myself on the government team to tell them these things.â€
He said the LRA should not be talking about rehabilitation of the north. “How can a poacher talk about restocking wild game?†he asked.
“They should be hanged for committing many atrocities. But we want a shortcut to peace,†he said.
“We have elected leaders who can talk about rehabilitation but not them (LRA) who have been stopping development. This is childish. They should have been hanged but the Government is willing to forgive them.â€
Museveni said Otti survived the UPDF twice. “I was hunting for him specifically because he is the one who killed people in Atiak. They should take this chance. If you encourage them, they will come because they know the truth,†Museveni told the leaders who are involved in the negotiations in Juba, southern Sudan.
Museveni said there were plans to industrialise the north and to build a sugar factory at Maruzi and a bi-diesel factory in Aswa ranch.
“This area needs to be modernised and it should not be only through crops. We shall also put up small plants like rice haulers and oil mills,†he said.
Museveni agreed with Gulu LC5 chairman Norbert Mao’s call for a communal land trust, saying land belongs to the community.
Museveni said Gulu airport would be rehabilitated and turned into an international airport.
The world court will not remove its indictment of LRA chiefs Joseph Kony, his deputy Vincent Otti and other commanders for crimes against humanity, president Yoweri Museveni said yesterday.
He said the International Criminal Court (ICC) would not drop the charges before peace is restored.
“Even if the Ugandan government and you people from the area say ‘No’, you should remember that Kony killed so many people including a Briton and UN staff in the DR Congo.â€
He said the “terrorists†should take amnesty so the community can cleanse them through the traditional justice system, mato oput. He said thereafter, the Governmnet would plead with the ICC.
Museveni said, “But Kony also killed people who are not Ugandans.â€
Museveni was addressing a meeting at Gulu University hall on Wednesday.
Otti and some northern Uganda leaders have said the ICC is a big stumbling block to attainment of peace in the region.
Kony, Otti, commanders Okot Odhiambo, Dominic Ongwen and Raska Lukwiya are wanted by the ICC for crimes committed in their 20-year-long war against the Government of Uganda.
Museveni said the ICC was helping Uganda resolve the matter.
“ICC is not the one which killed, cut people’s lips, raped young girls and infected them with AIDS. Leaders should stop wasting time on the ICC. If Kony is told this clearly, it will be to his benefit. If he resists, there will be another solution for him.
“These are serious crimes against humanity. In the UPDF, if you kill people, we execute you. LRA rebels have killed so many people and attacked civilians. If they were attacking UPDF, there would be no problem because we are soldiers. But attacking non-combatants is a serious crime. Whatever you say will not change anything,†the jovial Museveni said.
He said the Government expects the rebels to come out before amnesty is given to them as it is impossible to do so while they are in the bush.
He said the rebels can be reintegrated into the community and those who are fit can join the army.
He said the Government also expects the displaced people to return home, and to rehabilitate the north, which he said would be achieved by hunting “the terrorists one by one†or through negotiation.
Museveni said the Government was not hunting for the rebels, otherwise they (LRA) would not be ringing people on their mobile phones.
“Advise them to come out of the bush and stop talking about irrelevant things in Juba. May be I will go there myself on the government team to tell them these things.â€
He said the LRA should not be talking about rehabilitation of the north. “How can a poacher talk about restocking wild game?†he asked.
“They should be hanged for committing many atrocities. But we want a shortcut to peace,†he said.
“We have elected leaders who can talk about rehabilitation but not them (LRA) who have been stopping development. This is childish. They should have been hanged but the Government is willing to forgive them.â€
Museveni said Otti survived the UPDF twice. “I was hunting for him specifically because he is the one who killed people in Atiak. They should take this chance. If you encourage them, they will come because they know the truth,†Museveni told the leaders who are involved in the negotiations in Juba, southern Sudan.
Museveni said there were plans to industrialise the north and to build a sugar factory at Maruzi and a bi-diesel factory in Aswa ranch.
“This area needs to be modernised and it should not be only through crops. We shall also put up small plants like rice haulers and oil mills,†he said.
Museveni agreed with Gulu LC5 chairman Norbert Mao’s call for a communal land trust, saying land belongs to the community.
Museveni said Gulu airport would be rehabilitated and turned into an international airport.