Don’t interfere in political transition, US tells UPDF
Mar 25, 2005
The US defence attaché in Uganda, Lt. Col. Rick Orth, has advised the Uganda Peoples’ Defence Forces (UPDF) against interfering in Uganda’s political transition.
By VISION REPORTER
The US defence attaché in Uganda, Lt. Col. Rick Orth, has advised the Uganda Peoples’ Defence Forces (UPDF) against interfering in Uganda’s political transition.
“My colleagues in the army have a very crucial role to play in the security of your country and the region. You are key stakeholders. You can unify or cause disunity.
The political transition that Uganda is going through is very sensitive. But the army should stay out of the transition,†Orth said at the closure of a civil/military relations workshop that ended on Thursday.
The course was aimed at developing civil-military relations in post-conflict Uganda with a focus on disarmament, demobilisation and re-integration of former fighters.
It was attended by over 30 UPDF officers, LC5 leaders from Nebbi, Nakapiripirit, Kitgum, Gulu, Apac, Lira, Katakwi, Arua and Bundibugyo, cultural leaders and officials from the Uganda Human Rights Commission and Amnesty Commission.
It was conducted by The Centre for Civil-Military Relations Naval Postgraduate School Monterey in California, USA.
The US ambassador to Uganda, Jimmy Kolker, urged the Ugandan government to arrest and prosecute human rights violators.
“This civil/military relations is a very crucial programme. It has provided the UPDF with professional and technical skills to improve its relations with the civilian population.
But one of our main concerns is that the violators of human rights should be apprehended and prosecuted for their crimes. There has been a problem in Uganda on this matter because the perpetrators are either protected or there is insufficient evidence,†Kolker stressed.
The participants resolved to build trust and confidence between civilians and the army to promote peace, especially in the north where the LRA rebels have devastated the area since 1987.
“We resolve to establish civil/military centres to enhance continuous dialogue. On the disarmament of the Karimojong carrying illegal weapons, we resolve to carry out community sensitisation programmes by meeting stakeholders like the Karachuna (Karimojong youths) with the illegal guns, the military, civil society organisations, civil authority, the ministry of internal affairs and others to help smoothen the disarmament exercise,†the resolutions read out by Lt. Col. Francis Achoka of the UPDF and Cosmas Lam Oryem of Gulu Archdiocese Justice Peace Commission, said.
“We resolve to engage on information dissemination, training and guidance for the media on conflict reporting,†the statement said.
They called for military courts in operational areas to handle human rights violations expeditiously and transparently.
The US defence attaché in Uganda, Lt. Col. Rick Orth, has advised the Uganda Peoples’ Defence Forces (UPDF) against interfering in Uganda’s political transition.
“My colleagues in the army have a very crucial role to play in the security of your country and the region. You are key stakeholders. You can unify or cause disunity.
The political transition that Uganda is going through is very sensitive. But the army should stay out of the transition,†Orth said at the closure of a civil/military relations workshop that ended on Thursday.
The course was aimed at developing civil-military relations in post-conflict Uganda with a focus on disarmament, demobilisation and re-integration of former fighters.
It was attended by over 30 UPDF officers, LC5 leaders from Nebbi, Nakapiripirit, Kitgum, Gulu, Apac, Lira, Katakwi, Arua and Bundibugyo, cultural leaders and officials from the Uganda Human Rights Commission and Amnesty Commission.
It was conducted by The Centre for Civil-Military Relations Naval Postgraduate School Monterey in California, USA.
The US ambassador to Uganda, Jimmy Kolker, urged the Ugandan government to arrest and prosecute human rights violators.
“This civil/military relations is a very crucial programme. It has provided the UPDF with professional and technical skills to improve its relations with the civilian population.
But one of our main concerns is that the violators of human rights should be apprehended and prosecuted for their crimes. There has been a problem in Uganda on this matter because the perpetrators are either protected or there is insufficient evidence,†Kolker stressed.
The participants resolved to build trust and confidence between civilians and the army to promote peace, especially in the north where the LRA rebels have devastated the area since 1987.
“We resolve to establish civil/military centres to enhance continuous dialogue. On the disarmament of the Karimojong carrying illegal weapons, we resolve to carry out community sensitisation programmes by meeting stakeholders like the Karachuna (Karimojong youths) with the illegal guns, the military, civil society organisations, civil authority, the ministry of internal affairs and others to help smoothen the disarmament exercise,†the resolutions read out by Lt. Col. Francis Achoka of the UPDF and Cosmas Lam Oryem of Gulu Archdiocese Justice Peace Commission, said.
“We resolve to engage on information dissemination, training and guidance for the media on conflict reporting,†the statement said.
They called for military courts in operational areas to handle human rights violations expeditiously and transparently.