VZCZCXRO0563
RR RUEHGI RUEHRN RUEHROV
DE RUEHKM #1079/01 1830313
ZNR UUUUU ZZH
R 020313Z JUL 07
FM AMEMBASSY KAMPALA
TO RUEHC/SECSTATE WASHDC 8988
INFO RUEHKH/AMEMBASSY KHARTOUM 0605
RUCNIAD/IGAD COLLECTIVE
RUEHXR/RWANDA COLLECTIVE
RUEHTO/AMEMBASSY MAPUTO 0413
RUEHSA/AMEMBASSY PRETORIA 3290
RHMFIUU/CJTF HOA

UNCLAS SECTION 01 OF 02 KAMPALA 001079 
 
SIPDIS 
 
SENSITIVE 
 
SIPDIS 
 
DEPARTMENT PASS TO USAID AND OFDA 
 
E.O. 12958: N/A 
TAGS: PHUM PREF PREL MOPS ASEC CASC EAID UG SU
SUBJECT: NORTHERN UGANDA NOTES (June 17-30, 2007) 
 
 
¶1.  (U) Summary: The following Northern Uganda Notes provides 
information on the situation on the ground and USG activities aimed 
at meeting Mission's 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. 
 
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PEACE AND RECONCILIATION PROCESSES 
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¶2.  (SBU) The Government of Uganda and the Lord's Resistance Army 
(LRA) negotiators worked on justice, accountability, and 
reconciliation principles for the past weeks.  Both sides presented 
position papers which the mediation team harmonized.  The LRA was 
unhappy that all of its points were not included and requested that 
the mediator change procedures to allow separate discussions of 
twenty issues it recommended.  The international observers and the 
GOU delegation viewed this recommendation as a delaying tactic and 
opposed the change.  Two new lawyers--not known to be International 
Criminal Court experts--from Tanzania joined the LRA delegation. 
 
¶3.  (SBU)  On June 29, the parties signed an agreement on the 
general principles for accountability and reconciliation.  They have 
agreed that a national legal solution combined with traditional 
mechanisms of accountability and reconciliation would be developed. 
Formal courts and tribunals would adjudicate gross human rights 
violations. The agreement provided for truth-telling and 
truth-seeking processes.  The GOU agreed to take the LRA off its 
terrorist list after a final peace deal is reached and disarmament, 
demobilization, and rehabilitation occurs. The more contentious 
issues not resolved included: the continued existence of the LRA 
after disarmament, demobilization, and reintegration and whether 
reconciliation will only be between the Acholi and LRA or nationwide 
between north and south.  The talks were recessed for one month to 
allow the GOU and LRA to consult with stakeholders in northern 
Uganda before agreeing to a final position on justice and 
accountability. 
 
¶4.  (SBU) USG Activities: P/E Chief met frequently with the parties, 
international observers, and technical advisors to the Cessation of 
Hostilities Monitoring Team (CHMT) during two separate trips to Juba 
from June 19-22 and June 26-28. 
 
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HUMANITARIAN ASSISTANCE AND ECONOMIC RECOVERY 
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¶5.  (SBU) The distribution of bad seeds is a hot political issue, 
but unlikely to impact food security negatively.  Germination rates 
of peanut and maize seed distributed to IDPs in the Acholi and Lango 
regions during the April to May planting season were low, well below 
the normal rate of 80 percent for these two crops.  The Government 
of Uganda (GOU) Office of the Prime Minister (OPM) has been blamed 
in the press for distributing poor quality seeds and tools but OPM 
asserts the fault lies with local government in the north from 
overlong storage.  A political tit-for-tat has ensued between 
northern leaders and the GOU/OPM. 
 
¶6.  (SBU) The political bickering masks the real problem, which is a 
weak seed certification system exacerbated by increased demand for 
seed in northern Uganda and southern Sudan.  A disjoined and 
fledgling resettlement package system also has contributed to 
problems for returnees.  Several NGOs have requested replacement 
seeds and were redistributing.  However, for the larger 
distributions, it has been more difficult to trace the seeds back to 
the distributor.  Despite the noise over failed seed, FAO expects 
the overall impact on food security to be low.  Initial results of 
post-distribution surveys by FAO show humanitarian distribution of 
seed make up only 30 to 40 percent of the seeds planted.  Peanuts 
and maize were only a small portion of this 30-40 percent. 
 
¶7.  (SBU) Germination tests by FAO for the July to August planting 
season show normal results (80 percent or greater) for all crops 
except peanuts.  Seed fairs, which use a voucher system to enable 
IDPs to purchase seed of their choice from local sellers, were not 
adversely affected.  Peanuts were the most popular crop at seed 
fairs, and post harvest surveys show good results.  USAID/OFDA 
provided $3.2 million to support seed distributions and fairs in FY 
¶2007. 
 
 
KAMPALA 00001079  002 OF 002 
 
 
¶8.  (SBU) USG Activities:  USAID officially opened its new office in 
Gulu to much fanfare on Thursday, June 21st.  More than 450 guests 
were in attendance and had the opportunity to visit 15 open houses 
of partner organizations in Gulu and view 33 displays by the USG and 
its partners.  In addition to Ambassador Browning, numerous 
government ministers attended, including the Minister of Health, 
Minister of State for Environment, Minister of State for Relief and 
Disaster Preparedness, Minister of State for Defense, Minister of 
State for Primary Education and the Minister of Ethics and 
Integrity.  The ministers toured sites with the Ambassador and USAID 
Mission Director.  GOU officials recognized the contributions and 
support of the U.S. Government for the people of northern Uganda. 
This sentiment was echoed by local government officials, traditional 
and religious leaders, and members of Parliament. 
 
¶9.  (SBU) USAID announced the award of a $5.8 million program to 
strengthen democratic linkages within and among the Ugandan 
Parliament and selected local governments, including four northern 
districts, and civil society groups.  The goal of the program is to 
build the capacity of these institutions to more effectively 
identify and carry out their representational functions in the newly 
reinstated multi-party system; to increase democratic participation 
in political processes; to improve institutional transparency and 
accountability; and ultimately to increase and improve essential 
service delivery to constituents.  The program is a 42-month program 
and the award was made to the Center for International Development 
at The State University of New York (SUNY). 
 
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SECURITY UPDATE 
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¶10.  (SBU)  UN security officials report an upsurge in urban crime 
rates over the past two weeks in Gulu and Kitgum towns.  Two NGOs 
were robbed by armed assailants in Patongo, Pader District in the 
past two weeks. 
 
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IN THE MEDIA AND THE WEB 
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¶11.  (U) The opening of the USAID office in Gulu received widespread 
coverage from the Ugandan media. Both national daily newspapers 
covered the story, as did regional and national broadcast media. 
 
¶12. (U) The Ugandan media also provided coverage of allegations made 
by Gulu District Chairperson Norbert Mao that substandard seeds and 
farm implements had been distributed to people resettling out of IDP 
camps.  The Honorable Tarsis Kabwegyere, Minister for Relief and 
Disaster Preparedness, accused an unknown group of distributing the 
substandard implements. 
BROWNING