ICC Issues Arrest Warrant for Joseph Kony

Uganda-CAN Oct 3 points out a New Vision report that says the International Criminal Court (ICC) has issued a warrant of arrest for Lord's Resistance Army (LRA) chief Joseph Kony, according to a senior UN official in Nairobi over the weekend:

UN Under-Secretary General for Political Affairs Ibrahim Gambari said the warrant of arrest was written on Tuesday but had not been publicised by the ICC, a unit of the UN, until now. "We believe he (Kony) is in the eastern Democratic Republic of Congo (DRC) but we cannot say as to whether the UN forces can apprehend him," Gambari revealed when asked whether UN forces were in pursuit of Kony.

The warrant for Kony, wanted for atrocities committed in northern Uganda, comes as Uganda appealed for help to bring rebels based in the Congo to book. "The ICC has issued a warrant for the arrest of Ugandan rebel leader but it has not been publicised. The issue here is where to locate Kony and the capacity of the UN to apprehend him," Gambari said.

Kony's crimes include torture and mutilation, abduction, sexual violence, forced recruitment and the killing of people the LRA considers are supporters of President Yoweri Museveni.

Click on this photo of Jospeh Kony to learn more.

Tags: Congo DR Congo Sudan Africa Khartoum Uganda DRC LRA terrorists

Ugandan troops amass at border of DR Congo

From Michael at Uganda-CAN October 3, 2005:

Thousands of Ugandan troops have begun gathering at the border of the Democratic Republic of the Congo in the West Nile region of Uganda, purportedly in preparation to engage Lord's Resistance Army forces across the border, reports AllAfrica. A contingent of approximately 400 LRA forces crossed into Congo over a week ago, and requests from UN and Congolese officials for the LRA to disarm have been ignored.

Although Uganda's Minister of Defense last week claimed that Uganda would under no circumstances enter the DRC, President Museveni has this week stated that if UN and Congolese troops do not take immediate and aggressive action, Uganda's military would be sent across the border. Uganda played a central role in destabilizing eastern Congo during the civil war that ended in 2004, and many fear that if Ugandan forces cross the border again, more chaos could ensue. Several small armed insurgencies still plague the region today.

Uganda-CAN urges the Government of Uganda and UN to delay attacks on the group until robust efforts have been made to open negotiations with the rebels.

Tags: Congo DR Congo Sudan Africa Khartoum Uganda DRC LRA terrorists

South Sudan: Ugandan's LRA attempting to close road between Juba and Yei?

Further to Uganda Watch post Oct 1 on Uganda's re-opening of road linking southern Sudan, Sudan Activism Blog features a SouthSudan.Net opinion piece by Laku Modi of Greater South Sudan Sep 16.

Note this excerpt:

"Recently, the road between Juba and Yei, which was then closed for nearly 16 years, was officially opened by the South Sudan Government authorities who for the first time tried to normalized the life of its people as part of CPA deal. However, no sooner had people started using the road than the Ugandan rebels attack residences who are living along side Juba-Yei road. Is the latest Lord Resistance Army Rebel of Uganda (LRA) attack on Loka, an attempt to close this road again? It is unbelievable for me to hear the development which was announced less than a week ago being countered by LRA criminals.

Obviously LRA is not acting alone in such operations but with the direction of Sudan Government whose interest is to block South Sudan transport and telecommunication system, trade and commerce, and other development sectors with her African countries counterparts so as to enable them tie South Sudan to depend on North Sudan like in the previous years. By so doing, Sudan government have assumed that they will be able to create a conducive atmosphere to their pipe dreams of making "unity of Sudan attractive". That's why the NIF have embarked on introducing LRA forces ranging from Eastern Equatoria to central Equoteria and now as far as Western Equoteria, a region which LRA didn't know before."

Tags: Sudan Uganda Africa LRA

Uganda reopens road linking southern Sudan

The Sudan People's Liberation Army/Movement (SPLA/M) have reopened the road between Yei in Uganda and Juba in southern Sudan, local press reported. Excerpt from China's Xinhua 13 Sept 2005:

Yei town lies 93 km from the Uganda-Sudan border. The road opens trade opportunities between Uganda and southern Sudan.

Uganda's Foreign Ministry announced on Monday that the 160 km road was reopened last week by Lt. Gen. Abujon, accompanied by Maj.Gen. Peter Cirillo, representative of Bajr El Jabel state, Uganda's consul in Juba Busho Ndinyenka and other SPLA/M commanders and local officials.

The convoy of 20 vehicles was received by a tumultuous crowd of Juba residents, who have paid dearly for commodities transported by air from Khartoum.

"The road is seen as an avenue to get supplies from Uganda more cheaply. Uganda's Foreign Ministry has called upon Ugandan businessmen to take advantage of the road to trade with Sudan, particularly southern Sudan," the report added.

Tags: Uganda Juba Sudan Africa Khartoum

Sudan government troops to join hands with Uganda to force out LRA

From China's People's Daily Online 5 Sep 2005:

The Sudanese government said on Sunday it is working with the Sudan People's Liberation Movement (SPLM) and Ugandan government to remove the Lord's Resistance Army (LRA) from Southern Sudan.

In a press statement, Sudanese Foreign Minister Mustafa Osman Ismail termed the southern Sudan-based LRA as "a terrorist group which would harm Sudan as well as Uganda."

"Contacts are underway between Sudan and Uganda at the level of the presidency and Ministry of Defence to banish any existence of the LRA inside the Sudanese lands," Mustafa said.

LRA rebels have killed over tens of thousands of civilians and displaced over 1.4 million people in their 19-year rebellion in northern Uganda.

Kampala and Khartoum signed an agreement in 2002 to allow the Ugandan government troops to launch cross-border operations against the LRA, which has several bases in southern Sudan.

In the statement, the top Sudanese diplomat pointed out that after the signature of a comprehensive peace agreement between the Sudanese government and SPLM in January, the southern government is responsible for the south's security.

The government of Khartoum, however, has taken the responsibility of protecting Sudan's borders and defending the national security including the south, he added.

Source: Xinhua

Tags: Uganda Juba Sudan Africa Khartoum

Uganda seeks extradition of deputy LRA leader

Uganda is negotiating with Congo and the UN for the extradition of a leader of the notorious rebel Lord's Resistance Army, the foreign minister said on Monday.

Ugandan officials had said on Friday that LRA deputy chief Vincent Otti and 50 other rebels had fled to north-eastern Congo and were seeking asylum.

Full report Sep 26, 2005 (AP/IOL)

Note, the report ends by saying:

The rebel force once had the support of Sudan, which had allowed it to use Sudanese territory as a rear base, because Uganda supported the then rebel Sudan People's Liberation Movement.

Since a peace agreement was signed in January between the former southern Sudanese rebel group and the Sudanese government, Sudanese officials have been discussing with Uganda how to end the northern Uganda rebellion.

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Uganda's peace process is extremely fragile

Sep 26 BBC report DR Congo to deport Ugandan rebels.
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Ugandan Police Deployed in Darfur

Sep 26 report at the Monitor says at least 56 Ugandan police officers have been deployed to Darfur in Southern Sudan [Darfur is in Western Sudan] on a peacekeeping mission.

Tags: Africa Uganda LRA Sudan DR Congo

Congo army says will forcibly disarm Ugandan rebels

MONUC report Sep 26 confirms the Democratic Republic of Congo's army said on Sunday it would forcibly disarm 400 Ugandan rebels who have crossed into the northeast of the country and are refusing to lay down their weapons:

"A regional military commander, General Padiri Bulenda, told Reuters he would have to disarm the Lord's Resistance Army (LRA) rebels in order to prevent thousands of Ugandan soldiers from crossing the border into the Congo to hunt them down."

The report ends by saying:

"Uganda's President Yoweri Museveni has repeatedly warned Congo's fragile transitional government that he would take action against Ugandan rebels in Congo if he felt they were a threat to his country.

A source close to Democratic Republic of Congo President Joseph Kabila called the presence of Ugandan soldiers on Congo's border "a distraction from pressure being applied on Museveni because of his meddling in Congo and attempts to prolong his presidency at home"."

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Museveni to occupy Southern Sudan?

A blogger in America, Menya Kilat, has an interesting theory on connections between Uganda and Southern Sudan and wonders if LRA leader Kony is the red herring to allow Museveni occupy Southern Sudan.

It is a theory I do not share. But, when it comes to African politics, nothing would surprise me.

The US recognises the LRA as a terrorist organisation.

A report today by the BBC says Kony remains with his fighters in southern Sudan and the UN says it has held a meeting with LRA rebels for the first time.

Kony's deputy Vincent Otti is in DR Congo talking to the UN. Uganda says Otti and about 50 fighters left their hideouts in southern Sudan's lawless mountains last week and crossed into the Democratic Republic of Congo (DRC) on Sunday.

[Cross posted to Sudan Watch and Congo Watch]

Tags: Africa Uganda LRA Sudan DR Congo

LRA commander Joseph Kony remains with his fighters in southern Sudan

The UN says it has held a meeting with a group of the Ugandan rebels, the Lord's Resistance Army (LRA), for the first time. Full story (BBC)

Note, the report says LRA commander Joseph Kony remains with his fighters in southern Sudan. Reuters says his time may be running out.

Tags: Africa Uganda LRA Sudan DR Congo

Let's Not Forget the Children of Uganda

Carolyn Davis, editorial writer at The Philadelphia Inquirer, has published an Op/Ed, titled "Let's Not Forget the Children of Uganda," which highlights Uganda-CAN's Prayer and Action Weekend for the Children of Northern Uganda happening now!

She writes, "This weekend is a nationwide 'Prayer and Action Weekend for the Children of Northern Uganda,' an idea conceived in Philadelphia. The Washington-based Uganda Conflict Action Network has mounted a national campaign to get ministers, rabbis, imams and priests to tell their congregations about this war. Stir them with knowledge into asking the United States to lead in bringing it to an end."

Tags: Africa Uganda LRA Sudan DR Congo Philadelphia

Uganda demands immediate withdrawal of HRW report

The Uganda government has demanded that the US based rights group, Human Rights Watch immediately withdraws its report on alleged widespread human rights abuses in northern Uganda.

Sep 24 New Vision article says the controversial 76-page report repeatedly said abuses of civilians by UPDF in northern Uganda were perpetrated with impunity, that no effective accountability structure exists in the camps and that there is a lack of Police presence in the region.

Defence minister Amama Mbabazi said, "The Government of Uganda demands for the immediate withdrawal of the report. Uganda cannot but conclude that Human Rights Watch has abandoned its impartiality and allowed itself to be part of a partisan campaign in the run up to the 2006 elections. Indeed, the American human rights body is acting like a mouthpiece for the political opposition."

Note, the article says Mr Mbabazi also told journalists in Kampala that LRA's number two Vincent Otti and a group of rebels had sought political asylum in the Democratic Republic of Congo. He said Uganda, Congo and Sudan were in talks to end the LRA terror.

Uganda-CAN notes a HRW official in Uganda denied the minister's claims and said they "would stand by the accuracy of the report."

Tags: Africa Uganda LRA Sudan DR Congo Human Rights Watch

Uganda's rebel LRA use torture to instil fear

Uganda's rebel Lord's Resistance Army (LRA) has become synonymous with torture, abductions and killings



BBC photo: The LRA use torture to instil fear

"They tied me and laid me down. They told me not to cry. Not to make any noise. Then one man sat on my chest, men held my arms, legs, and one held my neck".

"Another picked up an axe. First he chopped my left hand, ... read the rest in Uganda's atrocious war by Will Ross, BBC Kitgum Uganda.

Tags: Africa Live 8 BBCUganda LRA Child Soldiers torture abductions killings BBC

Who are the LRA? Q&A: Uganda's northern rebellion

The UN's head of humanitarian affairs, Jan Egeland, has described the situation in northern Uganda as the most neglected humanitarian crisis in the world.

Some 20,000 children have been caught up in a conflict between government forces and a group known as the as the Lord's Resistance Army. More than one million people have fled their homes.



BBC Photo: The rebels are targeting camps for displaced people

Who are the Lord's Resistance Army?

Read BBC's Q&A: Uganda's northern rebellion to find out.

Note, the US recognises the LRA as a terrorist organisation.

Tags: Africa Uganda BBC Child Soldiers torture LRA terrorists terrorist organisation