VZCZCXRO4531
RR RUEHGI RUEHRN RUEHROV
DE RUEHKM #1163/01 2330825
ZNR UUUUU ZZH
R 200825Z AUG 08
FM AMEMBASSY KAMPALA
TO RUEHC/SECSTATE WASHDC 0638
INFO RUEHKH/AMEMBASSY KHARTOUM 0730
RUCNIAD/IGAD COLLECTIVE
RUEHXR/RWANDA COLLECTIVE
RUEHTO/AMEMBASSY MAPUTO 0498
RUEHSA/AMEMBASSY PRETORIA 3478

UNCLAS SECTION 01 OF 02 KAMPALA 001163 
 
SENSITIVE 
 
SIPDIS 
 
E.O. 12958: N/A 
TAGS: PGOV PREF PREL MOPS CG UG SU
SUBJECT: NORTHERN UGANDA: LRA DELEGATION MEETING DATE SLIPS 
 
¶1.  (SBU) Summary: UN Special Envoy Joachim Chissano remains 
optimistic, despite the uncertainties, that Lord's Resistance Army 
(LRA) leader Joseph Kony will show up for a meeting with his own LRA 
delegation on August 24.  Chissano requested a date change from 
August 20/21 so that he could attend.  He said that Kony's direct 
communication with Chissano and the Government of Southern Sudan 
mediator Riek Machar was a positive sign, even though Kony has not 
committed to attending the meeting.  Chissano rebuffed some of the 
LRA demands for the meeting, which included food for 1,000-2,000 
combatants and a change of venue.  He arranged for the presence of 
experts on legal issues and Disarmament, Demobilization, and 
Reintegration (DDR).  In Gulu, local government officials, 
traditional and religious leaders, and internally displaced persons 
(IDPs) oppose Dr. David Matsanga as the LRA's lead negotiator, but 
Chissano said he had to work with whomever Kony appointed.  End 
Summary. 
 
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NEW DATE FOR LRA DELEGATION MEETING 
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¶2.  (SBU) On August 18, UN Special Envoy for LRA-Affected Areas 
Joachim Chissano briefed Kampala-based diplomats about the prospects 
for LRA leader Joseph Kony's meeting with the LRA delegation to 
discuss the Final Peace Agreement (FPA).  (Note: In June, Kony said 
he needed to meet with the LRA delegation to discuss the details of 
the FPA after he failed to show up twice for meetings with the 
mediator and northern Ugandan officials in April and May.  Plans for 
Kony to meet with his delegation to discuss the agreement gained 
momentum in July.  End Note.)  During his visit to the region, 
Chissano traveled to Kampala, Gulu, and Nairobi.  A conflict in 
Chissano's schedule prompted the latest change in the date for the 
LRA delegation meeting, which has been moved to August 24 from 
August 20/21.  Kony told Chissano that he did not want a large 
meeting, but asked that Chissano, Machar, and the five African 
observers, attend.  Chissano told Kony that he needed to call Machar 
to rebuild confidence in the process and to make the necessary 
logistics arrangements.  Kony-Machar contact was re-established 
after Matsanga and Chissano visited Machar in Juba in July.  Kony 
rejected the food Machar sent on July 17 for fear it was poisoned. 
 
¶3.  (SBU) Kony's direct contact with Chissano's office and Machar 
was encouraging, according to Chissano.  Kony called Chissano during 
LRA lead negotiator David Matsanga's visit to Maputo in June.  Kony 
confirmed that Matsanga was his delegation leader and told Chissano 
that he wanted to "finish everything" after he clarified certain 
issues.  Kony initially wanted a venue outside Sudan.  Chissano 
argued that the meeting could not take place outside southern Sudan 
because other countries had signed the Rome Statute and would be 
obligated to arrest Kony and turn him over to the International 
Criminal Court (ICC). 
 
¶4.  (SBU) Kony reportedly expressed concern about the future for his 
soldiers under the FPA.  Chissano advised him that the peace 
agreement was the opportunity to discuss disarmament and 
demobilization with the Government of Uganda (GOU).  Chissano told 
Kony that if he does not sign, he would have no credibility at all. 
He assured Kony that it was not dangerous for him to go to Riwangba 
to meet with his delegation, particularly after the U.S., European 
Union, Canada, and Norway had participated in negotiating the FPA. 
(Note: Kony is wary of meetings in which he does not control the 
time or venue because he allegedly believes he will be vulnerable to 
attack from unknown hit squads.  End Note.)  Chissano also told Kony 
that he and the other three ICC indictees would face trial in Uganda 
and that the legal aspects of the agreement "were no joke."  Kony 
asked that the Government get the warrants lifted before the 
meeting.  Chissano said that the GOU could not do that because UNSC 
members have insisted upon a signature before considering a 
suspension of the ICC warrants.  (Note: Lifting and suspending the 
warrants are two different things.  The FPA draft requires the GOU 
to request a one-year (renewable for a second year) suspension of 
the warrants from the UN Security Council (UNSC) while the 
mechanisms for a national trial are put in place.  End Note.) 
 
- - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - 
CHISSANO HANGS TOUGH ON LRA CONDITIONS 
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¶5.  (SBU) During an August 17 meeting with Chissano in Nairobi, 
Matsanga listed Kony's conditions for the meeting.  First, Kony 
insisted that food for 1,000-2,000 people be delivered prior to the 
meeting.  According to Chissano, Matsanga claimed Kony was coming 
with a large number of combatants, but was not clear on why and how 
many would accompany the LRA Chairman.  Chissano warned Matsanga 
that Kony did not need to bring a large number of combatants in 
order to sign the agreement and that a request for that amount of 
food would raise questions about the LRA's true intentions. 
 
KAMPALA 00001163  002 OF 002 
 
 
Matsanga told Chissano that the large amount of food was needed 
because the combatants would remain in the assembly area after the 
signing.  Chissano countered that the LRA was not obliged to 
assemble immediately and that the donors would provide assistance 
later for the LRA assembly.  Chissano said that there would be a 
period of time needed for the GOU to approach the UNSC. 
 
¶6.  (SBU) Chissano also said that he advised Matsanga that a request 
for a large amount of food was a "poor tactic" because it sent the 
signal that the LRA was using the process to re-supply.  He advised 
that Kony needed to accept what donors were offering.  Donor food 
was set to arrive in Nabanga for onward delivery to Rikwangba on 
August 19/20.  Now that the date of the meeting had slipped, donors 
are trying to delay the arrival of the food until the day of the 
meeting on August 24.  Canadian Consul told P/E Chief that donors 
contributed food for 60 fighters for four days only. 
 
¶7.  (SBU)  According to Chissano, Matsanga's second issue was that 
Kony and his senior commanders did not understand the DDR process, 
including what would be offered, and how it would be implemented. 
Chissano suggested to Machar that he bring a DDR expert to the 
meeting.  Machar agreed.  (Comment: Senior LRA commanders have 
expressed confusion over the difference between DDR and the amnesty 
processes to post contacts.  End Comment.) 
 
¶8.  (SBU) Third, Matsanga said that Kony wanted clarification about 
how the Special Division of the High Court related to the ICC and 
traditional cleansing ceremonies, such as "mato oput."  Chissano 
arranged for Machar to bring Barney Afako, the agreement's drafter 
and an expert on all three mechanisms, to Kony's meeting with his 
delegation. 
 
- - - - - - 
GULU VISIT 
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¶9.  (SBU) In Gulu, Chissano heard unanimous opposition to Matsanga 
from local, traditional, and religious leaders.  Matsanga hails from 
eastern Uganda, not Acholiland.  In addition, Matsanga's Ugandan 
Government ties also raised concerns in the north.  Despite this 
local opposition, Chissano said that Kony had selected Matsanga, so 
the facilitator and mediator had to work with him.  Gulu District 
Chairman Norbert Mao told P/E Chief on August 18 that Chissano's 
radio appearance on Mega FM and visit to a camp for internally 
displaced persons were reassuring for the local population.  Their 
concerns centered around the need for water, education, health 
services, hand tools, and seeds in the return areas.  Chissano heard 
that it was important for the Acholi religious leaders to be 
involved in the process.  After the visit, Matsanga told Chissano 
that Kony asked that Bishops Onono, Ochola, and Odama and possibly a 
few other local officials be invited to Rikwangba. 
 
- - - - 
COMMENT 
- - - - 
 
¶10.  (SBU) Kony has not directly confirmed his intention to attend 
the August 24 meeting, but Chissano remains optimistic that Kony 
will show up because the LRA leader had requested it and remained in 
contact with his office.  Nonetheless, Chissano would not be 
surprised if Kony did not show up.  Alternatively, if he showed up, 
he may set another date for signing the FPA and establish new 
conditions to be met.  Chissano remains concerned, as do we, that 
the composition of Kony's delegation remains in flux and questions 
about Matsanga's legitimacy linger. 
BROWNING