Foreign Envoys Speak Out On Kony

IN THEORY, it sounds an easy job, but in practice it may not be easy for the international community, including the United Nations to simply walk over across Uganda’s border to intervene in a conflict that is more internal than external. Although Uganda is a member of the UN, there are rules that bar the international community from intervening at will.
The Ambassador of the United States of America, Jimmy Kolker explained: “There is nothing in the UN Charter which allows the UN to intervene, either militarily or through a peace keeping force without a request or concurrence from the government of Uganda.”
The Italian Ambassador, Maurizio Teucci also concurred that securing a political or peace keeping role by the UN in the conflict of northern Uganda was complicated because the UN deals with governments (inter-state conflicts).
“In order to have the role of UN, I think it should have a decision of the Security Council. The decision of the Security Council, in my view, cannot be adopted in the Uganda case because this is an internal conflict. And the government of Uganda has the right to say: ‘No, this is an internal matter,’” said Teucci. “I cannot foresee the possibility of the UN playing a role.”
Most people seem to think the UN must come to Uganda as it has done in Democratic Republic of Congo or Liberia. But the diplomats argued that the conflict in northern Uganda might not yet be as disastrous as those of Congo or Liberia to warrant UN peacekeepers.
“Uganda is not split into two parts... the LRA has not got a political manifesto. The LRA doesn’t want to kick the government out of Kampala. But in Liberia and Congo, the rebels are fighting for state power,” said Teucci.
But he admitted that the government of Italy was following the Kony conflict keenly, and would be willing to have Italian organisations to facilitate the peaceful resolution of the insurgency.
The European countries, Teucci disclosed, were not sitting back and watching innocent Ugandans perish in the war. “Recently the European parliament discussed the conflict in the north and they stressed the need to find a political solution.” But he cautioned that the conflict is not an easy one to be underrated.
All the diplomats interviewed hailed the peace initiative by the Acholi religious and traditional leaders. But one of them queried the standpoint of the MPs: “We are yet to see the role of the Acholi Parliamentary Group...they should come out openly and condemn Kony other than just blaming the government all the time. Otherwise I would think they just want to make political gains out of the war.”
Five legislators from three Acholi districts — Gulu, Kitgum and Pader, are on the now-inactive Presidential Peace Team (PPT) which was constituted last year by President Museveni. The MPs are security State Minister Betty Akech (Gulu woman MP), Sports Minister Henry Oryem - Okello (Chua), Norbert Mao (Gulu Municipality MP), Santa Okot (Pader woman MP) and Aswa MP, Reagan Okumu.
The chairman of the PPT, Eriya Kategaya who was by then internal affairs minister and first deputy premier, was dropped in the last cabinet reshuffle in May. Since then, the government has not named Kategaya’s replacement, and the peace team has fallen in a slumber.
“What is very important is to activate the PPT. I know the PPT has never met the rebels, although one of its senior members, Salim Saleh was in Gulu...,” Ambassador Teucci implored. “It is important that the PPT begins to work in the field, on the ground, to try to get in touch with the rebels.”
Kolker says the government must not ignore views from the local community on how to go about solving the rebellion.
“What is most disturbing to me is that neither the government of Uganda nor the Acholi leaders seem to accept the legitimacy of the solution proposed by the other,” Kolker noted.
“The government believes, and the President has said, that any one advocating a peaceful solution is a traitor or soft on terrorism. Whereas the Acholi leaders have said not only should there be no military solution, but its not justified to try a military solution and that the military is part of the problem.”
He added: “I don’t agree with either of those points of view. There is not ultimately going to be a purely military solution...I hope that there would be a dialogue at the top level, among Ugandans, to recognise both of those realities.” Kolker said America has this fiscal year committed $70m for humanitarian help to northern Uganda.
Finn Forsberg. the Charge d’Affairs at the Swedish Embassy, said the international community cannot take the lead in ending the war.
Forsberg said that as long as Uganda “opens up,” Sweden was prepared and would be willing to support peace mediation between Uganda and Kony rebels.
“Of course we have been discussing this in the European heads of missions,” Forsberg said, adding that the EU was trying its best to ensure that peace is achieved in northern Uganda.
Another ambassador who preferred anonymity said: “The war is too complex... we can’t enter it. I believe Ugandans themselves can find the solution. We will just give a helping hand.”
Kolker said, “The solution can’t be something imposed from the outside. But I do think that the international community needs to be active and I hope that the government of Uganda recognises it in the interest of saving lives.”
He urged Uganda and Sudan, whose government has received a bitter tongue from the former for backing the LRA rebels, to be genuine about their renewed relations. “We also encourage Sudan to stop aiding the LRA which is a terrorist movement, and to stop those activities which have led it to be one of the states which is named as supporter of terrorist groups.”
Despite repeated accusations that Sudan still arms Kony, the Sudanese Ambassador in Kampala, Sirajuddin Hamid Yousuf stressed that Kony is no longer a darling of his government. He said Kony neither trusts the government of Sudan nor that of Uganda.
He proposed that the government of Uganda should allow other neutral third party governments like South Africa, China or the European Commission to mediate dialogue with the rebels. “That could provide the necessary guarantee to the LRA, then they can be asked to nominate their negotiating team and a venue can be determined for peace talks,” Sirajuddin said.
If possible, said Teucci, arrangements could be made to give the surrendering rebels money to go and live in exile, or integrate them into the army (UPDF).
Nuncio Christophe’ Pierre, the Pope’s envoy to Uganda, declined to say anything about the role of international community. But he emphasised that the conflict in the north needs joint efforts: “We should all humble ourselves and work together. No single person has the solution,” he said.
From a critical third-party perspective, the diplomats no doubt have valid points.
But neither they nor the common man in northern Uganda have the answer at their fingertips. And yet they all have a living hope — that the ghost which has haunted northern Uganda for seventeen bloody years will one day be brought to its knees.
Ends