VZCZCXYZ8590
RR RUEHWEB

DE RUEHKM #0360/01 0650732
ZNR UUUUU ZZH
R 050732Z MAR 08
FM AMEMBASSY KAMPALA
TO RUEHC/SECSTATE WASHDC 0088
INFO RUEHKH/AMEMBASSY KHARTOUM 0700
RUCNIAD/IGAD COLLECTIVE
RUEHXR/RWANDA COLLECTIVE
RUEHTO/AMEMBASSY MAPUTO 0478
RUEHSA/AMEMBASSY PRETORIA 3432
RHMFIUU/CJTF HOA

UNCLAS KAMPALA 000360 
 
SIPDIS 
 
SENSITIVE 
 
SIPDIS 
 
DEPARTMENT PASS TO USAID AND OFDA 
 
E.O. 12958:  N/A 
TAGS: PHUM PREF ASEC EAID UG SU CG
SUBJECT:  NORTHERN UGANDA NOTES (FEBRUARY 1-29, 2008) 
 
¶1.  (U) Summary:  The following Northern Uganda Notes provide 
information on the situation on the ground and USG activities aimed 
at meeting Mission objectives in northern Uganda.  These objectives 
include promoting regional stability through peace and security, 
good governance, access to social services, economic growth, and 
humanitarian assistance.  Post appreciates feedback from consumers 
on the utility of this product and any gaps in information that need 
to be filled.  End Summary. 
 
- - - - - - - - - - - - - 
PEACE AND RECONCILIATION 
- - - - - - - - - - - - - 
 
¶2.  (U) The Government of Uganda and Lord's Resistance Army (LRA) 
signed two final documents on disarmament, demobilization, and 
reintegration and the implementing protocol on February 29.  The 
parties also agreed to extend the Cessation of Hostilities Agreement 
until March 28.  The date for the ceremonial signing of the Final 
Peace Agreement was not set, but should occur before March 28.  The 
LRA delegation said it needed to visit the International Criminal 
Court (ICC) in The Hague to get assurances that a request for a 
deferment of the arrest warrants from the U.N. Security Council 
would be honored. 
 
¶3.  (U) The overall agreement consists of five sections.  The 
parties agreed on comprehensive solutions to the conflict, which 
includes special attention to the economic recovery of northern 
Uganda, positions for northerners in the government, and a fund for 
reparations for conflict victims.  The accountability and 
reconciliation mechanism includes the creation of a special division 
of the High Court to handle prosecutions of the most serious crimes. 
The promotion of truth telling and traditional justice mechanisms as 
a part of the alternative justice mechanism, and amnesty for 
eligible individuals also were included.  The agreement on 
cease-fire and on disarmament, demobilization, rehabilitation, 
reintegration, and reinsertion provide for receiving and resettling 
former combatants through orderly demobilization.  The implementing 
protocol for the agreement provides for the Government of Uganda to 
make a request to the U.N. Security Council for a deferment of the 
ICC arrest warrants after the LRA fully assembles. 
 
¶4.  (U) USG Activities: Senior Advisor for Conflict Resolution Tim 
Shortley traveled to Kampala and then Juba on February 18 to serve 
as the U.S. observer to the peace talks.  P/E Chief participated in 
Juba from February 26 to March 1. 
 
- - - - - - - - 
SECURITY UPDATE 
- - - - - - - - 
 
¶5.  (SBU) Large numbers of LRA moved into Central African Republic 
on/about February 15, according to humanitarian organizations.  LRA 
leader Joseph Kony reportedly remained in the Democratic Republic of 
Congo (DRC).  There have been sightings and attacks carried out by 
various groups, including the LRA, in southern Sudan.  Some small 
groups involved in attack may contain LRA mixed with other armed 
elements.  Armed militias and bandits also have been seen in Eastern 
and Western Equatoria. 
 
¶6.  (SBU) The re-establishment of civilian authority in northern 
Uganda continues to be a challenge for the judicial system.  There 
are 670 people in Gulu Prison, which has a capacity of 200.  Patongo 
Prison holds 200 prisoners despite its capacity of 74.  There were 
increasing numbers of referrals of offenders from other districts, 
only one resident High Court Judge, and increasing crime rates.  In 
Lango, judicial officials report a case backlog, due to an increase 
in the number of defilement cases being handled due to changes in 
the Sexual Offences Bill amendments.  Previously, defilement was a 
capital offence and cases were only heard at the High Court. 
 
¶7.  (U) Across the Acholi sub-region deployment of Special Police 
Constables (SPCs) continued.  As of January, approximately 1680 SPCS 
were deployed and 2320 others were undergoing training.  However, 
most SPCs remain at the sub-county level and have not yet deployed 
to the lower, parish level.  In Kitgum, lack of housing continued to 
hamper police deployments.  Two hundred units per sub-county are 
planned.  Additionally, training of SPCs remains a concern.  SPCs 
receive one month training compared to nine months for regular 
police prior to deployment.  The International Committee of the Red 
Cross and the U.N. Office of the High Commissioner of Human Rights 
are trying to fill this gap with supplemental training on child 
rights and gender-based violence, and an introduction to human 
rights. 
 
- - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - 
HUMANITARIAN AND ECONOMIC RECOVERY 
- - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - 
 
¶8.  (SBU) The USAID Northern Uganda Advisor reports that district 
governments are now represented at Protection Cluster meetings.  The 
decision to invite government representatives was made collectively 
by UN agencies and NGOs, and demonstrates a change in the operating 
environment.  Top protection concerns were forced eviction from 
camps and gender-based violence, which require government action. 
This request contrasts sharply from the period of time between 2000 
and 2005 when human rights abuses by the LRA and UPDF were the top 
protection issues. 
 
¶9.  (SBU) Subject to continued progress on the peace front, most 
U.N. agencies are planning to phase out humanitarian relief programs 
to support internally displaced persons in the LRA affected areas of 
Acholi sub-region by mid-2009, and by the end of 2008 in Lango 
sub-region where 99.6 percent of the population has left camps.  In 
Acholi sub-region, the estimated camp population has decreased from 
1.1 million in December 2005 to 659,459 in May 2007 with 497,155 in 
transit sites and 44,749 in their villages of origin. 
 
¶10.  (U) Guidance on the closure of camps in Acholi sub-region, 
which languished for several months, has new momentum behind it. 
The lack of guidance led to mixed messages and frustration among 
both beneficiaries and service providers.  UNHCR with the support of 
the Resident Humanitarian Coordinator iss trying to reengage the GOU 
on camp closure guidelines and returns in general. At the field 
level UNHCR has been engaging NGOs and local government on district 
specific processes.  UNHCR has agreed to return to monthly 
population movement reports (no new numbers had been released since 
November 2007). 
 
¶11.  (U) UNOCHA reports that a group of 250 children, most of them 
from Amuru District, were conned of varying amounts of money by a 
local NGO, Faith for Out Action, which promised them subsidized 
vocational training.  The NGO's project coordinator was arrested in 
Gulu and the children were returned to their homes by authorities. 
 
¶12.  (SBU) Long-standing stress and trauma in northern Uganda has 
resulted in a high prevalence of mental disorders, according to 
UNOCHA.  Only minimal psychological support for victims is available 
due to inadequate numbers of professional staff in the field.  Only 
25 percent of health posts have been filled in Gulu despite a 30 
percent increase in salary for all medical staff. 
 
¶13.  (U) Severe staff shortages, particularly in return areas, 
plagued the health sector in general.  In Gulu District, UNHCR 
reports one functioning health center in 26 return sites visited. 
In three locations, health services were received at the camp and 
were within the five kilometer national average for health centers. 
In four locations, health facilities existed, but were not 
functioning.  Out of 91 return areas in Amuru District, UNHCR 
reports only five were functioning.  Staff housing was considered to 
be one of the most important incentives to recruiting personnel to 
rural areas. 
 
¶14.  (U) USG Activities: On February 20, Centers for Disease Control 
and USAID Directors traveled with a Congressional staff delegation 
to Gulu to observe Indoor Residual Spraying funded through the 
President's Malaria Initiative. 
 
¶15. (U) Thirty-seven district planners, health, education, community 
development and chief accounting officers, and local 
non-governmental organizations participated in a train-the-trainer 
program under USAID's Northern Uganda Malaria, AIDS, and 
Tuberculosis (NUMAT) program from February 21-22.  The training 
program's objective was to create a cadre of local trainers skilled 
in coordination and delivery of health services at the local 
government level within the region.  Particular attention was paid 
to developing strategies to more effectively coordinate HIV/AIDS 
programs in a post-conflict situation. 
 
- - - - - - - - - - - - - - 
FROM THE MEDIA AND THE WEB 
- - - - - - - - - - - - - - 
 
¶16.  (U) On February 19, Human Rights Watch welcomed the agreement 
on accountability mechanisms between the Government and LRA.  In a 
press release, HRW Director for International Justice Programs, 
Richard Dicker, stated "Today's agreement could be a major step 
toward peace and justice for northern Uganda, but the true test lies 
in how the agreement is put into practice."  HRW also released an 
in-depth analysis which emphasized that Uganda needed to hold fair, 
credible trials for those who committed the most serious crimes. 
"We look to the parties, the mediators, international observers, 
major donors, U.N. Envoy Chissano, and other relevant U.N. actors to 
ensure that fair and credible trials take place so that justice and 
sustainable peace can be achieved." 
BROWNING