VZCZCXRO0328
PP RUEHBZ RUEHDU RUEHGI RUEHJO RUEHMA RUEHMR RUEHPA RUEHRN RUEHTRO
DE RUEHKM #1619/01 3540457
ZNR UUUUU ZZH
P 190457Z DEC 08
FM AMEMBASSY KAMPALA
TO RUEHC/SECSTATE WASHDC PRIORITY 0999
INFO RUEHZO/AFRICAN UNION COLLECTIVE

UNCLAS SECTION 01 OF 02 KAMPALA 001619 
 
SIPDIS 
 
E.O. 12958: N/A 
TAGS: PGOV PREL UG SU CG
SUBJECT: NORTHERN UGANDA: JOINT REGIONAL MILITARY 
OPERATIONS AGAINST LRA CAMPS LAUNCHED 
 
¶1.  (SBU) Summary: On December 14, Uganda, the Democratic 
Republic of Congo (DRC), and southern Sudan launched joint 
military operations against Lord's Resistance Army (LRA) 
camps in eastern DRC.  Ugandan Defense spokesmen said 
airstrikes hit five LRA camps.  Operations are continuing. 
Cooperation between the governments and militaries of Uganda, 
DRC, and southern Sudan has been strong.  Ugandan Foreign 
Minister Sam Kutesa told the diplomatic corps that the 
military operations were not an end to the peace process, but 
that the application of military pressure was necessary to 
change the negative dynamic.  He said that operations would 
continue until the LRA assembles at Rikwangba.  Government of 
Southern Sudan Chief Mediator Riek Machar also called on the 
LRA to assemble at Rikwangba.  Public reaction in Uganda has 
generally been supportive, with a few opposition 
parliamentarians criticizing the attacks.  End Summary. 
 
- - - - - - - - - - - - - - - 
REGIONAL OPERATION ANNOUNCED 
- - - - - - - - - - - - - - - 
 
¶2.  (SBU)  Joint operations against the LRA were announced in 
a statement signed by Chiefs of Military Intelligence BG 
James Mugira (Uganda), BG Deodenne Kitenge (DRC), and BG 
Mutual Majok (SPLA) on December 14.  The verbatim text of the 
release is as follows: "The Armed Forces of Uganda (UPDF), 
DRC (FARDC), and Southern Sudan (SPLA) in a joint 
intelligence-led military operation this morning, the 14 Dec 
2008 launched an attack on LRA hideouts of terrorist Joseph 
Kony in Garamba, Democratic Republic of Congo.  The three 
Armed Forces successfully attacked the main body of bandits 
and destroyed the main camp of Kony codenamed Camp Swahili 
setting it on fire.  Military operations against these 
terrorists are continuing and more details about the 
operation will be released as it progresses." 
 
¶3.  (SBU)  Foreign Minister Sam Kutesa told the diplomatic 
corps on December 16 that the joint operations were not an 
end to the peace process, but a means to change the negative 
status quo and to demonstrate to Kony that the alternative to 
peace is worse.  He stated that operations would continue 
until the LRA assembled at Rikwangba.  Kutesa's position was 
echoed by Minister of Security Amama Mbabazi and Minister of 
State for Defense Ruth Nankabirwa, who briefed Parliament on 
the operation, and advised Kony that he would only be safe at 
Rikwangba.  They urged the LRA to release the women and 
children it holds in captivity.  The Juba Peace Process Chief 
Mediator, Government of Southern Sudan Vice President Riek 
Machar, also encouraged the LRA to assemble at Rikwangba and 
make immediate arrangements to sign the peace agreement in 
his report on the Status of the Juba Peace Process in the 
Light of Renewed Military Action. 
 
- - - - - - - - - - - - - - - 
OPERATION ENTERING NEW PHASES 
- - - - - - - - - - - - - - - 
 
¶4.  (SBU)  Major Chris Magezi, the UPDF's spokesman at 
operational headquarters, told reporters that phase one of 
the operation had ended and that the second phase of assault, 
cordon, search, and destroy had begun.  He also said that 
non-combatant women, children, and abductees will be rescued 
and received at camps set up for them.  Six abductees had 
already been rescued; four were Congolese, one was Ugandan, 
and one was a pregnant young girl from Central African 
Republic (CAR).  The UPDF dropped leaflets carrying messages 
of peace and opportunity and directing those fleeing the 
camps to surrender to any church, public institution, the 
UPDF, SPLA, MONUC, or Conglese military.  Similar messages 
began transmission on local radio stations on December 16. 
The leaflets and radio broadcasts also gave the locations of 
reception centers. 
 
¶5.  (SBU) Magezi provided additional information about the 
joint nature of the operation.  He stated that the SPLA was 
manning the northern axis of the area of operations, while 
the UPDF and Congolese army were defending the southern 
flank.  MONUC pledged full support to the operation and its 
overall commander, General Boubacar Gaye, flew into Dungu on 
December 16 to coordinate MONUC assistance with the overall 
UPDF commander, Brigadier General Patrick Kankirho. 
 
- - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - 
PUBLIC REACTION, POSITIVELY MIXED 
- - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - 
 
¶6.  (SBU) Public reaction in Uganda has been mixed, but 
broadly positive so far.  Most Ugandans that expressed 
support for the action believe that Kony was not serious 
about the peace process.  Leader of the Opposition in 
Parliament Morris Latigo, a northerner who had participated 
in some of the meetings with Kony, was vocal in his support 
 
KAMPALA 00001619  002 OF 002 
 
 
for the operation.  Gulu District Chairman Norbert Mao is 
adopting a wait-and-see attitude, but preparing for potential 
returns of abductees and/or population movements.  Vocal 
government critics and Acholi members of the opposition, 
Reagan Okumu and Livingston Okello Okello, made 
emotionally-based, politically-motivated statements based on 
inaccurate information to include "We are vehemently opposed 
to joint military operations against the LRA because 99 
percent of these rebels and their wives, not to mention the 
the children born in the bush, were abducted.  It's a double 
crime for the state of Uganda to follow the abducted people 
and destroy them in the bush."  Both parliamentariants 
described the operation as a "crime against humanity." 
 
- - - - 
COMMENT 
- - - - 
 
¶7.  (SBU) Kony was not the only one surprised by this 
regional military action.  Intial public reaction to the news 
of the operations on the LRA was also one of surprise, but 
has been generally positive.  However, the slow pace of the 
operations has resulted in a lack of damage assessments, 
which the Ugandan media are anxiously awaiting.  How the 
operation is viewed will ultimately be determined by what it 
achieves. 
BROWNING