The move by the NRM military dictatorship to disown statements made by "Security State Minister" Betty Akech and UPDF Army spokesman Bantariza's regarding EU envoy, Sigurd Illing, can only be view as a back peddling attempt on the part of the NRM dictatorship to try and smoothen the already deteriorating "relationship" between the EU and the NRM military dictatorship.
The fact of the matter is that this two individuals, Betty Akech and Army Spokesman, Bantariza are prominent officials in the NRM military dictatorships. ..and therefore statements uttered by the two, can be in fact must be interpreted as the official position of the NRM Military dictatorship.
The NRM cannot and must not, "back peddle" ( so to say) on statements made by two of it's most prominet officials, particularly after having sense that the statements by the two officials have done irreparable damage in as far as the relationship between the EU and the Dictatorship is concerned.
Matek
Govt Disowns Akech, Bantariza Remarks made against EU Envoy
Print This Page
Visit�The�Publisher's�Site
New Vision (Kampala)March 12, 2004
Posted to the web March 12, 2004
Richard Mutumba
Kampala
STATE minister for international cooperation Maj. Tom Butime has said remarks made by the security state minister, Betty Akech and army spokesman Maj. Shaban Bantariza against EU envoy Sigurd Illing were not the official position of the government.Addressing the Government press briefing last week, Akech said, "We are very surprised at the role of donors in Uganda. They are entering every part of our house.
They leave the sitting room, go to the bedrooms and every other room. Yet they have a channel called the ministry of foreign affairs where they can voice their discontent."
This followed revelations that the EU envoy had written a letter to LRA rebel leader Joseph Kony about the possibility of talks with government.Butime yesterday said the Cabinet would meet next week to discuss how to improve communication among government officials."The attack on the EU envoy was unfortunate and uncoordinated. It should not happen again," Butime said.
Butime said it was Lt. Gen. Salim Saleh who asked Illing to write the letter to Kony to facilitate the peace process.The army had said Illing's letter to Kony was found on the body of the former LRA chief Tolbert Yardin Nyeko.
"The lie can be maintained only for such time as the State can shield the people from the political, economic and/or military consequences of the lie. It thus becomes vitally important for the State to use all of its powers to repress dissent, for the truth is the mortal enemy of the lie, and thus by extension, the truth becomes the greatest enemy of the state."
- Dr. Joseph M. Goebbels - Hitler's propaganda minister
