UNRF II rebels face Govt with huge demands
Oct 22, 2002
Al-hajji Major General Ali Bamuze seems to be a likable man as he sits among his subjects. Behind him is his guard. He is involved in an animated conversation with one of his men. He clasps his hands, smiles for a moment, and says: “We have come for pea
By Joshua Kato
Al-hajji Major General Ali Bamuze seems to be a likable man as he sits among his subjects. Behind him is his guard. He is involved in an animated conversation with one of his men. He clasps his hands, smiles for a moment, and says: “We have come for peace.â€
Bamuze has been a soldier most of his life. He has been a government soldier and a rebel. After the fall of the Amin government where Bamuze served as an officer, he and a group of others moved to the West-Nile region and began an atrocious war.
“We went to the bush because government failed to protect the human rights of our people.
Children were burnt alive, women were raped, property was destroyed, everything was forced to fall apart in West-Nile. We could not sit back and watch these atrocities,†Bamuze ranted.
A slow speaker, Bamuze comes from the Aringa tribe of West-Nile. As a player in the political and military activities of Uganda, he describes Uganda’s present situation: “Uganda is at crossroads, facing growing military and political opposition,†he said.
The war raged through the 1980s, against Obote and Okello governments. After the National Resistance Army came to power, the Uganda National Rescue Front (UNRF ll) had peace talks with the Government and signed an agreement. However, the process of implementing the clauses of the agreement was bungled up.
“As UNRF awaited completion of this programme, most of our officers were arrested and detained,†Bamuze said.
Major General John Onah, Lt. Colonel Tabu, Major General Rajab Rembe and Major Alidriga were arrested and detained in Luzira. All of them were supposed to take seats in the NRA government as per the agreement. Also arrested was Brigadier Moses Ali, who later joined the Government after leaving prison.
“After this kind of frustration, a section of the UNRF decided to go back to the bush, and this was the birth of UNRF II,†Bamuze said. Between the late 80s and 1998, UNRF was fighting the Government and in 1999, called for peace talks.
Although they mention their success in battle against the UPDF in this period in their Peace Agenda, the UNRF II was drawn to the peace table after suffering many desertions of their men to the government side. The surrender rate was averaging five rebels a day in 1998. The rebel force that was estimated to be 4,000 dropped to 2,000 by the beginning of 1999.
A defeat by the UPDF at Kajo-Keji did not help matters.
Subsequently, a peace initiative was launched by the Aringa Obongi Peace Initiative Committee (AROPIC). Bamuze accepted it.
He says he is tired of the war and so are his commanders and the elders. They want peace talks with the Government. “I am no longer interested in rebellion. Whoever wants to kill me should do so here at home,†Bamuze said. On June 15, this year, the UNRF II signed a cease fire agreement with the Government in Yumbe. This gave them a chance to leave their bush hide outs and settle at Bidi bidi and other areas of Yumbe district, among the civilian population.
On October 16, Bamuze and his entourage were in Kampala to talk peace. They had a draft 29 page document that had their demands for the peace talks. “We are here to talk peace. We also hope that the Uganda government does not resort to actions it took in 1988, by arresting the then UNRF members of the military council,†he said. The document is full of demands, some of them refereed to as “very outrageous.†UNRF II demanded that the Government calls for national dialogue, involving all political parties in the country, religious leaders and cultural leaders.
“We believe that this is a precursor to total stability and lasting peace in Uganda,†the document said. This includes removing articles 70 sub-section 23 and 269-270 of the 1995 constitution, that seem to impede the functioning of political parties.
They demanded that Government allows all political dissidents in exile to return, without any conditions and that a blanket amnesty be given to Milton Obote And Idi Amin.
The list of includes colonels Kizza Besigye, Samsom Mande, Kyakabale and others. They also demand that government pursues peace talks with all armed fighting groups.
The reconstruction of West-Nile is also included in the demands. “As seen earlier, West-Nile was left out in the major reconstruction programme launched by the NRM government,†the document reads.
Under road construction, the document calls for the tarmacking and upgrading of all roads in West-Nile. They also demand that all towns in West-Nile be lighted up.
The document also demands the electrification of the entire West-Nile region. This includes the linking of the region to the main power grid at Jinja, and the construction of at least seven smaller dams at Nyagak, Olewa, Kochi, Ora, Aca, Omogo and Enyau.
The document also demands that all schools and education institutions in West-Nile region be rehabilitated immediately and new ones constructed in Yumbe.
Major hospitals should be established at the southern part of Arua district in Madi Okollo. This is in addition to the creation of other smaller health centres throughout West-Nile region. Other reconstruction demands include the upgrading of Arua Air-field into an International Airport.
On top of demanding that their soldiers be allowed to join the UPDF irrespective of age or education levels, the UNRF II also demands to have two positions on the UPDF high command, one position in each of the UPDF administrative structures, one position in each of the UPDF command structures and positions in all intelligence organisations.
They also demanded that the UNRF II soldiers absorbed into the UPDF be deployed for at least five years in West-Nile and asked for hefty packages including houses for the officers. Free education up to university level for four children of each of their officers. They demanded that Moses Ali’s rank of General should be reinstated.
Both the UNRF II and the Government hope that the talks will succeed. The warm embrace, in a cordial atmosphere at the ministry of internal affairs during the hand over of the draft peace agenda should not turn out to be deceptive.
However, both parties concede that these are still draft demands.
The UNRF II does not give a time frame for the talks. Asked what he will do if the talks do not succeed, Bamuze answered: “We shall see that when we reach the bridge. For now, our mind is set on the talks, as does the Government,†he said.
Nusura Tiperu, female Member of Parliament for Yumbe, and one of the facillitators of the talks is equally optimistic.
“As far as we have come, there seems to be good progress between the two parties. I am sure if it all goes on like this, we shall finally see peace,†she said. Aringa county Member of Parliament, Othman Alonga, is equally optimistic. “These are proposed demands that will be subject to discussion by both sides. I have a feeling we shall have a common ground, we have come all this far, we shall go further,†he said. Minis-ter of Internal affairs Eriya Kategaya, a facillitator of the talks said he is still examining the proposal. Although Government is still studying the demands, analysts pointed out that some of the demands seem to be outrageous.
Ofwono Opondo in-charge of information at the Movement Secretariat said: “Some of the dema-nds are very unrealistic.â€
Thomas Okoth Nyalulu, the RDC of Yumbe is unhappy with the UNRF II. He wonders why they are pretending to talk peace, when they are actually recruiting. “By giving government such big demands, I don’t think these people are genuinely talking peace. We have information that they are currently recruiting children from the district.â€
Kakooza Mutale, the Presidential assistant on political affairs was disappointed by the rebels.
“Bamuze has disappointed me. It is now clear that after spending all this time in the bush, he has learnt nothing about the politics of this country,†Mutale said.
He said the Government has no powers to compel exiles to return home.
“To return home is a choice. I think returnees like Bamuze need to spend time to study and update themselves on the current political and social.
Al-hajji Major General Ali Bamuze seems to be a likable man as he sits among his subjects. Behind him is his guard. He is involved in an animated conversation with one of his men. He clasps his hands, smiles for a moment, and says: “We have come for peace.â€
Bamuze has been a soldier most of his life. He has been a government soldier and a rebel. After the fall of the Amin government where Bamuze served as an officer, he and a group of others moved to the West-Nile region and began an atrocious war.
“We went to the bush because government failed to protect the human rights of our people.
Children were burnt alive, women were raped, property was destroyed, everything was forced to fall apart in West-Nile. We could not sit back and watch these atrocities,†Bamuze ranted.
A slow speaker, Bamuze comes from the Aringa tribe of West-Nile. As a player in the political and military activities of Uganda, he describes Uganda’s present situation: “Uganda is at crossroads, facing growing military and political opposition,†he said.
The war raged through the 1980s, against Obote and Okello governments. After the National Resistance Army came to power, the Uganda National Rescue Front (UNRF ll) had peace talks with the Government and signed an agreement. However, the process of implementing the clauses of the agreement was bungled up.
“As UNRF awaited completion of this programme, most of our officers were arrested and detained,†Bamuze said.
Major General John Onah, Lt. Colonel Tabu, Major General Rajab Rembe and Major Alidriga were arrested and detained in Luzira. All of them were supposed to take seats in the NRA government as per the agreement. Also arrested was Brigadier Moses Ali, who later joined the Government after leaving prison.
“After this kind of frustration, a section of the UNRF decided to go back to the bush, and this was the birth of UNRF II,†Bamuze said. Between the late 80s and 1998, UNRF was fighting the Government and in 1999, called for peace talks.
Although they mention their success in battle against the UPDF in this period in their Peace Agenda, the UNRF II was drawn to the peace table after suffering many desertions of their men to the government side. The surrender rate was averaging five rebels a day in 1998. The rebel force that was estimated to be 4,000 dropped to 2,000 by the beginning of 1999.
A defeat by the UPDF at Kajo-Keji did not help matters.
Subsequently, a peace initiative was launched by the Aringa Obongi Peace Initiative Committee (AROPIC). Bamuze accepted it.
He says he is tired of the war and so are his commanders and the elders. They want peace talks with the Government. “I am no longer interested in rebellion. Whoever wants to kill me should do so here at home,†Bamuze said. On June 15, this year, the UNRF II signed a cease fire agreement with the Government in Yumbe. This gave them a chance to leave their bush hide outs and settle at Bidi bidi and other areas of Yumbe district, among the civilian population.
On October 16, Bamuze and his entourage were in Kampala to talk peace. They had a draft 29 page document that had their demands for the peace talks. “We are here to talk peace. We also hope that the Uganda government does not resort to actions it took in 1988, by arresting the then UNRF members of the military council,†he said. The document is full of demands, some of them refereed to as “very outrageous.†UNRF II demanded that the Government calls for national dialogue, involving all political parties in the country, religious leaders and cultural leaders.
“We believe that this is a precursor to total stability and lasting peace in Uganda,†the document said. This includes removing articles 70 sub-section 23 and 269-270 of the 1995 constitution, that seem to impede the functioning of political parties.
They demanded that Government allows all political dissidents in exile to return, without any conditions and that a blanket amnesty be given to Milton Obote And Idi Amin.
The list of includes colonels Kizza Besigye, Samsom Mande, Kyakabale and others. They also demand that government pursues peace talks with all armed fighting groups.
The reconstruction of West-Nile is also included in the demands. “As seen earlier, West-Nile was left out in the major reconstruction programme launched by the NRM government,†the document reads.
Under road construction, the document calls for the tarmacking and upgrading of all roads in West-Nile. They also demand that all towns in West-Nile be lighted up.
The document also demands the electrification of the entire West-Nile region. This includes the linking of the region to the main power grid at Jinja, and the construction of at least seven smaller dams at Nyagak, Olewa, Kochi, Ora, Aca, Omogo and Enyau.
The document also demands that all schools and education institutions in West-Nile region be rehabilitated immediately and new ones constructed in Yumbe.
Major hospitals should be established at the southern part of Arua district in Madi Okollo. This is in addition to the creation of other smaller health centres throughout West-Nile region. Other reconstruction demands include the upgrading of Arua Air-field into an International Airport.
On top of demanding that their soldiers be allowed to join the UPDF irrespective of age or education levels, the UNRF II also demands to have two positions on the UPDF high command, one position in each of the UPDF administrative structures, one position in each of the UPDF command structures and positions in all intelligence organisations.
They also demanded that the UNRF II soldiers absorbed into the UPDF be deployed for at least five years in West-Nile and asked for hefty packages including houses for the officers. Free education up to university level for four children of each of their officers. They demanded that Moses Ali’s rank of General should be reinstated.
Both the UNRF II and the Government hope that the talks will succeed. The warm embrace, in a cordial atmosphere at the ministry of internal affairs during the hand over of the draft peace agenda should not turn out to be deceptive.
However, both parties concede that these are still draft demands.
The UNRF II does not give a time frame for the talks. Asked what he will do if the talks do not succeed, Bamuze answered: “We shall see that when we reach the bridge. For now, our mind is set on the talks, as does the Government,†he said.
Nusura Tiperu, female Member of Parliament for Yumbe, and one of the facillitators of the talks is equally optimistic.
“As far as we have come, there seems to be good progress between the two parties. I am sure if it all goes on like this, we shall finally see peace,†she said. Aringa county Member of Parliament, Othman Alonga, is equally optimistic. “These are proposed demands that will be subject to discussion by both sides. I have a feeling we shall have a common ground, we have come all this far, we shall go further,†he said. Minis-ter of Internal affairs Eriya Kategaya, a facillitator of the talks said he is still examining the proposal. Although Government is still studying the demands, analysts pointed out that some of the demands seem to be outrageous.
Ofwono Opondo in-charge of information at the Movement Secretariat said: “Some of the dema-nds are very unrealistic.â€
Thomas Okoth Nyalulu, the RDC of Yumbe is unhappy with the UNRF II. He wonders why they are pretending to talk peace, when they are actually recruiting. “By giving government such big demands, I don’t think these people are genuinely talking peace. We have information that they are currently recruiting children from the district.â€
Kakooza Mutale, the Presidential assistant on political affairs was disappointed by the rebels.
“Bamuze has disappointed me. It is now clear that after spending all this time in the bush, he has learnt nothing about the politics of this country,†Mutale said.
He said the Government has no powers to compel exiles to return home.
“To return home is a choice. I think returnees like Bamuze need to spend time to study and update themselves on the current political and social.