President Assures Charities Of Safety

By L. Nalumansi President Yoweri Museveni has assured non-governmental organisations working in northern Uganda of maximum protection against Lord’s Resistance Army (LRA) rebels.He urged them to continue with their humanitarian services to the victims of the banditry.A statement from the President’s Press Secretary, Mary Okurut, said Museveni gave the assurance yesterday when over 40 NGO representatives working in the North met him at the UPDF 4th Division headquarters in Gulu.The NGOs were represented by the International Red Cross, World Vision, World Food Programme, the Uganda Red Cross, the Norwegian Refugee Council, AVSI, Caritas, the Human Rights Commission, the Peace and Justice Council, Action-Aid, Human Rights Focus, Accord, the United Nations Office for the Coordination of Humanitarian Affairs and the Acholi Religious Leaders Peace Initiative.Museveni said the LRA was desperate after being dislodged from their hide-out in southern Sudan where they had been launching attacks on innocent people.Lt. Gen. Museveni, the UPDF Commander-in-Chief, said LRA bases had been overrun by the UPDF and the rebels had no more strength to carry out attacks.He said plans were underway to consolidate security in the region . He said a 5th UPDF division had been created at Corner Kilak. He said the new division would solely guard displaced people’s camps, schools, roads and other institutions.Other troops from other divisions will concentrate on pursuing the rebels.On the question of holding peace talks with Kony, Museveni said a mass killer like Kony could not be convinced to have meaningful peace talks.He, however, said Kony was free to choose an uninhabited place in Sudan where religious leaders and peace emissaries could meet him.He said the solution to Kony was to “finish them like has been the case with other killers in Uganda.” Gulu Resident District Commissioner Max Omeda and the Gulu LC5 chairman Walter Ochora attended the meeting.Ends