Uganda's Lord's Resistance Army

[bed_of_nails]

What a horrible conflict of interests. On one hand, you have the use of children as pawns for war, but on the other hand you have genocide and unrelenting killing. What are your opinions on what should happen?

[Jersey Devil]

In my opinion the ICC should use the threat of prosecution to get the LRA to disarm (take into account that I am not certain that this is an option as I am not an expert on international law, this is just an opinion). Give them the ultimatum of facing charges of crimes against humanity or disarming. I have to say though, the ICC is looking more and more like a credible institution to me. Ocampo is not going after the small fish but rather the LRA's top leaders. Also the possibility of prosecuting officers of the UPDF is still on the table.

Wikipedia entry on the events:

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/LRA

Another ceasefire and LRA arrest warrants from the ICC (3 February – ongoing)
On 3 February, President Museveni announced an 18-day ceasefire, backing away from previous commitments to sustain military operations until the LRA committed to withdraw from the bush. Minister of Internal Affairs Ruhakana Rugunda commented that "the declaration of the 18-day ceasefire is a clear indication that the President or the government is committed to ending this 18-year old war peacefully". Chief mediator Betty Bigombe stated on 7 February, "The ceasefire is absolutely holding and the peace process is now on course." ([24] (http://www.alertnet.org/thenews/newsdesk/IRIN/93913b24f84a931073865605f8581f73.htm)) However, the peace process was weakened after Sam Kolo, the LRA's chief negotiator, surrendered to the government in mid-February ([25] (http://news.bbc.co.uk/2/hi/africa/4286875.stm)).

A U.S. State Department draft report released on 3 February stated that up to 12,000 people had been killed by rebel violence and 20,000 children had been abducted over the course of the war. This was the first attempt to quantify the casualties from the LRA conflict, but did not include deaths from conflict-related malnutrition and disease. The spokesperson for the Ugandan military expressed doubt about the accuracy of the estimate: "They are simply giving a probing figure. They do not have accurate information. They want to cause us to come out and dispute them which we may not do." The government also admitted for the first time that it was recruiting former abductees and returning them to the battlefield. The army stated that around 800 former abductees have been recruited, hundreds of whom are believed to be below eighteen years of age ([26] (http://news.bbc.co.uk/2/hi/africa/4266789.stm)).

In February 2005, the International Criminal Court announced that 12 arrest warrants were to be issued for LRA war crimes suspects, the first such warrants since the ICC was established in July 2002. The ICC chief prosecutor, Luis Moreno Ocampo, said the court intends to start its first war crimes trial in Uganda by July 2005. "During the coming year, there will be warrants", ICC spokesperson Christian Palme commented, "the prosecutor is looking at a very small group of LRA top leaders". Palme did not rule out possible prosecution of members of the Uganda People's Defence Forces in relation to their conflicts with the LRA, but stated, "LRA crimes are far more serious than the crimes of UPDF" ([27] (http://www.monuc.org/news.aspx?newsID=5480)).

Following a visit to meet local leaders in northern Uganda, Ocampo stated that he might be able to delay issuing warrants in deference to the ongoing negotiations. Bigombe said that she would abandon mediation of the peace process if the ICC prosecution continued. During the first half of March, the LRA carried out six reported attacks in which 12 civilians were reported dead and about 50 were abducted, often in response to government proclamations that the rebels were nearly or completely defeated. ([28] (http://news.bbc.co.uk/2/hi/africa/4361115.stm))

The government has been the target of increasingly pointed criticism by the international community for its failure to end the conflict. While some have emphasized the amorphous nature of conflict with the LRA, some have stated that the government of Yoweri Museveni, viewing the conflict in ethnic terms, has basically abandoned the north. Adams Aloo of the University of Nairobi stated that, ""Since the north was proving to be quite difficult to control, [Museveni] did decide that he could lead the country without necessarily controlling the north ... To that extent, he has moved as if the north doesn't really matter, whether he brings it under control or not, that Uganda continues to move on, that the international community seems to be impressed with the peace of development." [29] (http://www.voanews.com/english/2005-03-30-voa46.cfm)

[Jersey Devil]

....or neither.

Indeed. Several days ago as I was browsing though The Economist magazine I happened to notice an article regarding the LRA and the peace process in Uganda. As many of you may already know the LRA is notorious for it's use of child soldiers (estimated at 20,000 children abducted up to this date). However, there is fear that the ICC prosecuting these men may cause the peace process to fail and the brutal war to continue in Uganda. Then again there are those like Onek that believes that the LRA will not disarm and show no signs of disarmament. Just interested in your thoughts about the conflict and its resolution.

For further insight into the conflit read this Smithsonian Magazine 5-page article. (PDF format) (http://www.smithsonianmag.si.edu/smithsonian/issues05/feb05/pdf/uganda.pdf)

If found this BBC article on the issue.

http://news.bbc.co.uk/2/hi/africa/4443693.stm

Ugandans divided on rebel justice

http://newsimg.bbc.co.uk/media/images/41032000/jpg/_41032171_kolo203afp.jpg
Some fear prosecutions could hot peace talks

A Ugandan delegation is arriving on Thursday in the Hague to meet the chief prosecutor of the International Criminal Court with a mixed message.
The ICC wants to put on trial senior commanders of a notorious rebel group which has abducted thousands of children during 19 years of conflict.

Among the 20-strong group are some seen as pro-government, who are calling on the ICC to speed up its prosecution.

But others fear that this would derail attempts to negotiate a peace deal.

This is the second time in recent weeks that a delegation has traveled from Uganda to The Hague.

Last month the ICC's chief prosecutor was asked to slow down the wheels of justice in order not to hamper efforts to negotiate an end to the war.

No faith

But pro-government MP Hilary Onek, from northern Uganda, where the Lord's Resistance Army rebels operate, says he does not believe talks can end the conflict.

http://newsimg.bbc.co.uk/media/images/41032000/jpg/_41032173_uganda203.jpg
MP Hilary Onek does not believe the rebels are sincere about talks

"Our people definitely would wish that justice is done to the perpetrators of these crimes against humanity. You see what makes me not have faith in the peace process is that there is no indication from the rebels that they are in for peace."

This view is not shared by a former government minister working as a mediator.

Betty Bigombe says during the last 24 hours she has spoken at length via satellite phone to LRA leader Joseph Kony.

She reports that he has expressed a desire to meet her as soon as possible.

If the ICC proceeds with its prosecution that negotiation would be severely undermined.

The BBC's Will Ross in Kampala says that Ugandan President Yoweri Museveni clearly favours the military approach to ending the war.

There are frequent accusations that members of the military are working to undermine the peace process.

But 19 years of fighting have not brought a lasting peace, our reporter says.

Observers of the conflict warn that if the peace process crumbles, northern Uganda would then be condemned to a great deal more violence.