VZCZCXRO3626
RR RUEHROV
DE RUEHKM #0393/01 0730622
ZNR UUUUU ZZH (CCY ADX06D6158 MSI7850 611)
R 130622Z MAR 08
FM AMEMBASSY KAMPALA
TO RUEHC/SECSTATE WASHDC 0122
INFO RUEHKI/AMEMBASSY KINSHASA 0974
RUEHNR/AMEMBASSY NAIROBI 7092
RHMCSUU/DEPT OF ENERGY WASHINGTON DC
RUCNIAD/IGAD COLLECTIVE

UNCLAS SECTION 01 OF 02 KAMPALA 000393 
 
SIPDIS 
 
SIPDIS 
SENSITIVE 
 
C O R R E C T E D COPY (ADDING ADDRESSEE ONLY) 
 
E.O. 12958:  N/A 
TAGS: EPET MARR ENRG EAID PGOV UG
SUBJECT: UGANDA: LAKE SECURITY MEASURES LACKING IN OIL RICH REGION 
 
REF: A)KAMPALA 24,  B)07 KAMPALA 1419,  C)07 KAMPALA 1902 
 
KAMPALA 00000393  001.2 OF 002 
 
 
¶1.  (SBU) SUMMARY:  Ambassador Browning and Combined Joint Task 
Force - Horn of Africa (CJTF-HOA) Rear Admiral Greene traveled to 
Lake Albert in western Uganda on March 4 to follow up on a request 
from the Ugandan military to help increase its lake security 
capabilities.  Lake Albert is divided in half by the 
Ugandan-Congolese border, and its shores on both sides run along an 
oil rich region known as the Albertine Rift, where the bulk of oil 
exploration is occurring.  John Morley of Tullow Oil, one of the 
four exploration companies operating in western Uganda, said that as 
the oil activity on Lake Albert increased, a security presence would 
be vital.  He offered potential Tullow cooperation toward this end. 
Despite the January agreement between Ugandan and Congolese Energy 
Ministry officials (Ref A), several clashes on Lake Albert between 
oil companies and entities from the Democratic Republic of Congo 
(DRC) (Ref B) demonstrate that oil production has increased local 
tensions and exacerbated cross-border hostilities.  END SUMMARY. 
 
¶2.  (SBU) Following two deadly incidents on Lake Albert in 2007, the 
Uganda People's Defense Force (UPDF) requested USG assistance with 
training and equipping a lake security force which could enforce 
Uganda's territorial waters, protect Uganda's oil assets, and reduce 
violent incidents.  Twenty percent of Uganda's territory is water 
and a large portion of the border is coastline.  The country 
currently has no effective means to provide security on Lakes 
Victoria, Albert, Edward, George and Kyoga.  (Note: In August 2007, 
Congolese Armed Forces (FARDC) approached a Heritage Oil exploration 
barge operating near the Ugandan-Congolese border and claimed the 
barge had strayed into Congolese waters.  The ensuing firefight 
resulted in the death of one British Heritage employee.  In 
September 2007, the United Nations Mission to Congo (MONUC) took a 
Heritage seismic vessel into custody and escorted it to a port in 
the DRC.  Heritage called on a response boat, which MONUC ordered to 
turn around.  On the way back, it fired on a passenger ferry killing 
five Congolese civilians and two Congolese soldiers.  End note.) 
 
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An Increased Need for Lake Security 
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¶3.  (U) Ambassador Browning and CJTF-HOA Rear Admiral Greene met 
with representatives from Tullow Oil and the Ugandan People's 
Defense Force (UPDF), as well as local leaders (reported septel) in 
Hoima district on March 4.  The visit took place in Block Two of 
Uganda's oil exploration concessions, which borders the northern two 
thirds of Lake Albert and is licensed to Tullow Oil. 
 
¶4.  (SBU) Tullow Oil Development Director John Morley, Lake Albert 
Safari Lodge Owner Bruce Martin, and Community Liaison Richard 
Angubo discussed the need for security on Lake Albert with 
Ambassador Browning and Rear Admiral Greene.  The Ambassador noted 
that oil exploration and production would raise the profile of the 
area, which could lead to increased incidences of violence between 
Ugandan locals and security forces and their Congolese counterparts. 
 Morley echoed the views of Ugandan Brigadier General Emmanuel 
Burundi, who said that the Ugandan military lacked a clear policy 
and physical infrastructure for security on the lake.  The Ugandan 
military has only six to eight boats used for patrolling Lake Albert 
and some "loosely-trained" soldiers.  Morley stressed that any 
attempts to provide training and infrastructure for Lake Albert 
security would require a "ground zero" approach. 
 
¶5.  (SBU) As oil exploration expands on Lake Albert, activity on the 
lake would increase significantly, Morley stressed.  Already, there 
were boats testing for oil among what used to be an area frequented 
only by wooden fishing boats.  By the end of the year, Morley said 
that Tullow would have one oil rig on the lake.  Tullow employs 
between 100 and 200 local residents out of a total population of 
around 45,000, but even this minor infusion of economic activity has 
a considerable impact on the area.  Morley expressed confidence that 
the oil companies would continue to uncover significant oil finds in 
both Ugandan and Congolese reserves.  This would raise the stakes in 
terms of land tenure and property rights, access to and control over 
natural resources, and food security for communities on both sides 
of Lake Albert. 
 
¶6.  (SBU) The interlocutors agreed that an increased presence of 
Ugandan security forces patrolling the lake would incense the 
Congolese.  A joint-patrol mechanism would be the best way to 
contribute to a strong cross-border relationship.  However, Morley 
noted that the "security chaps" operating on the Congolese side were 
not necessarily linked to the Government of the DRC (GDRC). 
Meetings between Ugandan and Congolese soldiers were starting to 
take place, according to Morley.  A meeting had just occurred in 
Pakwach, northwestern Uganda, the previous week, and the Chiefs of 
Defense met in January in DRC.   Morley suggested that if the lake 
were physically demarcated, it would prevent both sides from 
accusing the other of stealing the oil.  (Note: Congolese and 
Ugandan energy officials agreed to physically demarcate the lake 
 
KAMPALA 00000393  002.2 OF 002 
 
 
border with buoys at an inter-ministerial meeting in January.  End 
note.) 
 
¶7.  (SBU) Butiaba, located toward the northern end of Lake Albert, 
would be the best location for a Ugandan military base and boat 
launch, Morley said.  Butiaba has a natural bay and has been the 
chief port of Lake Albert for centuries.  This was the original 
launch point of a five-star cruise ship, known as the SS Robert 
Coryndon, that toured the lake and made stops in Ugandan and 
Congolese ports.  When floods raised the water level several meters 
in the mid-1960s, the cruise ship was deserted and the entire 
infrastructure at Butiaba was lost to water damage and looting. 
 
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Tullow's Good Works Could Include Help for UPDF 
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¶8.  (SBU) Potential funding for enhanced Ugandan military 
water-borne capabilities was also discussed.  Morley explained that 
as a private company, Tullow could not participate in training UPDF 
forces.  However, he could foresee the company providing 
infrastructure such as access roads and piers on and around Lake 
Albert that could be used by the military.  Morley explained that 
Tullow provided about USD 250,000 per year for infrastructure and 
support for environmental, social, educational, and health-related 
programs in the area.  To date, the company has built three primary 
schools, one maternity health clinic, and one honey collection 
center; and has paid for teachers, health care workers, medicines 
and bee hives. 
 
¶9.  (SBU) In terms of security-related projects, Tullow funded a 
Lake Rescue center in one of the fishing villages, Kaiso, located in 
its concession.  The head of the Lake Rescue Center claimed that it 
saved the lives of almost 70 fishermen, many of whom were Congolese, 
last year.  The initiative is locally-driven and staffed by 
community volunteers, primarily women.  Tullow supported the 
construction of a new building, as well as a motor boat and other 
supplies.  It also trained local community members to make personal 
flotation devices. 
 
¶10.  (SBU) Tullow claims to pride itself on being part of a new 
generation of oil companies.  According to Morley, the company 
allocates significant resources for community outreach, and refuses 
to pay bribes.  Tullow had signed an agreement for a 48 percent 
share of a concession in eastern DRC, on the other side of Lake 
Albert.  However, Morley said that Tullow would most likely lose out 
to another company that had offered one of the Congolese energy 
ministers a USD five million bribe.  A Congolese Government official 
called Morley to ask him to match the bribe.  In response, Tullow 
promised to put USD five million worth of health and education 
projects into the region where they would be operating, but the 
Minister did not accept the offer. 
 
¶11.  (SBU) Comment:  A lack of information from the governments of 
Uganda and DRC about oil policy and bilateral arrangements to ease 
tensions has created a vacuum that is easily filled by rumors and 
suspicions.  As oil exploration turns into production, local 
expectations of development benefits will continue to grow.  Over 
time, unmet community expectations combined with increased pressure 
on resources from in-migration is likely to feed into tensions 
within and between communities on both sides of the lake.  Already, 
the region has experienced several incidences of violent clashes on 
Lake Albert between the oil companies and armed units or civilians. 
Local frictions from several decades of conflict between Uganda and 
Congo could play into increased instability in the area. 
 
¶12.  (SBU) Comment continued:  DAO has requested an assessment team 
in the third quarter of this year to provide the Ugandan military 
with an organizational, doctrinal, training, and equipment needs 
assessment for a future lake security force.  Post looks forward to 
hearing Embassy Kinshasa's views on this initiative and on potential 
FARDC cooperation. 
BROWNING