Based on the statements below, one highly doubts Museveni's sincerity when he issues
statements that he is now interested in peace talks with "Kony"
Matek
We Are Sure of Final Victory Soon
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The Monitor (Kampala)
OPINION
April 16, 2004
Posted to the web April 16, 2004
Yoweri K. Museveni
Kampala
Greetings to the people of Uganda. I am addressing you, again, about the residual
terrorism in the north central part of our country (Acholi-northern Lango areas).
I call it 'residual terrorism' because, as you know, at one time, Sudan had sponsored
terrorism in the northwest of Uganda (West Nile), northeast (Teso) and west
(Kasese-Kabarole-Bundibugyo areas - operating out of DR Congo).
Earlier on, we had had terrorist activities in the east (Tororo-Busia) emanating from
Kenya.
The army (the UPDF) and the people of Uganda have defeated all these terrorist
campaigns.
The only one that is still continuing is the one of Kony - the so-called Lord's
Resistance Army (LRA) that has been supported by the same Sudan until about six months
ago.
Recently, there were indications, again, that certain Sudanese elements had contacts
with Kony again.
In spite of the obstructions from the donors in relation to our defence budget (they
insisted that it should not exceed 1.9% of GDP), the army has fought a valiant
struggle leading to the defeat of the Allied Democratic Forces (ADF) on the Congo
border, Juma Oris' West Nile Bank Front in the part of Sudan opposite West Nile, Force
Obote Back Again (FOBA) operating from Kenya, etc.
All these groups, as you know, originated from the dictatorship of Amin and Obote.
Their criminal and, potentially, genocidal frames of mind and methods are nothing new.
This is exactly what they were doing in the Luwero Triangle (1981-'86) where there are
70,000 skulls preserved in 30 mass graves; or what was happening during Amin's time
when 500,000 were killed extra-judicially (between 1971-'79).
What they are trying to do in the Acholi-Lango area now, is what they were doing in
the whole country at one time.
As you know, in April 2002, our army entered Sudan and uprooted Kony from the Kit
Valley and the Imatong Hills which he had turned into permanent bases from which he
sprang to kill people in Uganda and, then, go back to his safe location (southern
Sudan).
After dislodging Kony and forcing him to release a lot of abductees, he entered
Uganda, thinking that that will stop us from maintaining our forces in the Sudan so
that he goes back in safety.
They tried to spread the terrorism to Teso, Lango, Kaberamaido and Adjumani districts.
All these efforts were defeated. That is why the remnants of Kony have now retreated
to the Acholi area.
In the last 10 months, in the Teso, Lango and Acholi areas, we have killed 1,150
terrorists including 72 of their commanders; 500 have reported (surrendered to
government forces); and 6,000 abductees have been rescued.
We have captured the following weapons: 700 SMGs; two-SPG-9s (anti-tank guns); two
B-10s (82 mm recoilless guns) etc. Among the terrorist leaders killed are the
following: Yadin Nyeko; Tabuley; Ochitti; Opiro; Okello-trigger; Akuri; Ojoku; Paul
Okodi; Achaye; etc, etc.
It is important to kill these leaders because they are the authors of the killings in
the north. The only way to save themselves is to stop terrorism and come home.
It is these serious losses that have rendered Teso unappetising for them; hence the
peace now reigning in Teso and Kaberamaido.
The 400,000 people, formally in Internally Displaced People's Camps (IDPCs), are now
going home.
Thanks to the resolute vigour of the army (UPDF) and wananchi. The Teso political
leadership was particularly helpful.
The remnants that have fled back to the Acholi area are very much weakened. The group
that had come from Sudan with Vincent Otti to attack big targets has been decimated
promptly. Between 18th-21st of March, the army killed 98 terrorists, 80 of them
surrendered.
These blows, delivered promptly by UPDF both inside Sudan and just inside Uganda,
meant that the group of 300 fighters and families that had come to disturb Uganda was
promptly dealt with.
This demonstrated the mobility and the lethality the army is beginning to have.
Using the improved funding for the army, we are, at last, creating a comprehensive
spectrum of capabilities in dealing with these killers.
We are, therefore, sure of final victory and soon.
In fact, I regard the present operations as mopping-up ones.
Nevertheless, since some years ago, we have been open to a quicker option for solving
this problem through the peaceful resolution of the conflict.
I wish to, therefore, reiterate my earlier call (in 2002) for the terrorists to end
their evil campaign and go for a dialogue with us so that this problem is resolved.
In spite of working with different mediators (President Carter, St. Egidio, Archbishop
Odama's group, Bishop Onono's group, Chief Ojwak and, recently, a certain western
government), the terrorists have never shown any inclination to use this peaceful
option, which would exonerate them from the numerous crimes against humanity they have
committed.
This was, partly, because they thought they could commit these crimes with impunity.
The killing of many of their leaders in the last 10 months has shown them, hopefully,
that there is a price for those crimes. The Wages of Sin is death.
Nevertheless, I am renewing my readiness to talk with the terrorist leaders, either
directly or through intermediaries, in order to expeditiously resolve this problem.
As I have told them through intermediaries in the past and also directly through
broadcasts, if they indicate, through intermediaries, that they are ready to give up
their terror campaign and move to mutually agreed assembly areas near the border with
Sudan, then I will order a ceasefire and give them a few weeks to move to the assembly
area.
Once in the assembly area, which will be monitored by mutually agreed neutral parties,
they will be supplied with food, clothing, drugs, etc. Then we shall be able to talk
with them about their future and any other grievances they may have.
The biggest victims of this terror campaign have been the civilians that had to gather
in IDPCs. These IDPCs are quite uncomfortable, especially, if they are badly
administered.
In Soroti, I was part of an IDPC. In Barlegi, where I am camped now, I live next to
one. If the administrators were serious, these IDPCs could be more hygienic and could
be productive.
I had instructed our former Vice President to organise commercial and food crop
production around the huge expanses of land around these camps. They only engaged in
desultory efforts around a few of them.
Anyway, our intention is to end insecurity so that the IDPCs are wound up like we are
doing with the 400,000 IDPC occupants in Teso or the 180,000 that were in the Rwenzori
region's IDPCs during the terror campaign by the ADF.
It would be useful and even profitable, however, to ameliorate the conditions in the
IDPCs while the conflict lasted.
I thank the international community for the support, in terms of feeding, they give to
our people in these IDPCs.
The government of Uganda, through the World Food Programme, has been contributing
Uganda Shillings 350 million per month to the feeding of the IDPCs.
Relevant Links
East Africa
Uganda
Civil War and Communal Conflict
Meanwhile, the day and night operations aimed at wiping out the terrorists, both
inside Sudan and the Acholi area, are continuing and are being intensified until every
terrorist leader is accounted for; or until the remnants of the terrorists come out of
their crime laden way of existence.
Mr Yoweri Kaguta Museveni is the President of the Republic of Uganda
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