VZCZCXYZ0000
RR RUEHWEB

DE RUEHKM #0182/01 0211246
ZNR UUUUU ZZH
R 211139Z JAN 10
FM AMEMBASSY KAMPALA
TO RUEHC/SECSTATE WASHDC 0147
INFO RUEHKM/AMEMBASSY KAMPALA

UNCLAS KAMPALA 000182 
 
SENSITIVE 
SIPDIS 
KHARTOUM PLS PASS JUBA 
KINSHASA PLS PASS GOMA 
GENEVA FOR RMA 
ADDIS FOR REFCOORD 
NDJAMENA FOR REFCOORD 
NAIROBI FOR USAID 
 
E.O. 12958: N/A 
TAGS: PREF PGOV PHUM PREL MOPS CG UG SU CT
SUBJECT: UGANDA: UPDATE ON IMPACT OF LRA ON CIVILIAN POPULATIONS 
 
REF: STATE 118217 
 
¶1.       (U) Summary: This report provides recent statistics on the 
impact of Lord's Resistance Army (LRA) activities on civilian 
populations in the Democratic Republic of Congo (DRC), Central 
African Republic (CAR), and Sudan keyed to reftel questions. 
These statistics are compiled from multiple sources and draw 
heavily on information provided by the United Nations Office for 
the Coordination of Humanitarian Affairs (UNOCHA), which 
consolidates data from UN partner agencies (e.g., UNHCR, UNICEF, 
and MONUC) and NGOs.   That said, UNOCHA data sets overlap 
geographically and chronologically, making it difficult to 
ascertain cumulative numbers and current trends.  However, over the 
past two months, we have noted a significant downward trend in 
LRA-related attacks and civilian displacements in the DRC and CAR 
as the LRA moves further north.  Except for unfounded fears of an 
impending copy-cat LRA Christmas massacre, none of the data 
provided in this cable goes beyond November 2009.  End Summary. 
 
 
 
LRA Attacks 
 
----------- 
 
 
 
¶2.       How many LRA attacks have occurred during the reporting 
period? 
 
 
 
(U)  UNOHCA reports 317 LRA attacks in the DRC from January to 
November 2009.   UN agencies report a consistent reduction of LRA 
attacks in DRC's Uele provinces.  In September 2009, the number of 
LRA-attack-related deaths (59) hit its highest peak since March 
2009, but declined to 21 deaths in November.  However, the 
brutality of these attacks has not diminished; on November 25, LRA 
rebels burned-alive ten members of a family in a house at Nakwa (12 
km south of Bangadi in Haut-Uele). 
 
 
 
(U) In Sudan, Western Equatoria State officials reported three 
purported LRA attacks in Nzara County in November in which seven 
people were killed and eight abducted. 
 
 
 
¶3.       How many deaths, casualties, rapes, and abductions due to 
LRA attacks have been reported? 
 
 
 
(U) According to UNOCHA, from December 2007 to November 2009, the 
LRA killed 1,313 people and abducted 1,052 adults/649 children in 
Haut-Uele.  In Bas-Uele, the LRA killed 96 people and abducted 631 
adults and 33 children.  UNOCHA  also reports that, since the 
beginning of Operation Lightning Thunder (OLT) in December 2008, 
1,229 civilians have been killed by the LRA, 1,515 adults/328 
children kidnapped, and more than 330,000 individuals displaced 
(including 27,000 refugees in southern Sudan and Central African 
Republic).  Because these UNOCHA data sets overlap geographically 
and chronologically, it is difficult to ascertain cumulative 
numbers and current trends. 
 
 
 
(U) Of the adults abducted, 289 have escaped (60% or 179 of whom 
are female) and received assistance from Oxfam-Quebec.  80% of the 
escaped women report having been victims of sexual violence during 
their captivity.  One-half of the escapees are from the Dungu 
region, 16% from Faradje, 14% from Bangadi, 13% from Doruma, and 7% 
from Gangala na Bodio (75km east of Dungu). 
 
 
 
(U) UNOCHA-Sudan reports that more than 220 people were killed and 
at least 157 abducted by the LRA in Southern Sudan in 2009. 
UNOCHA-Sudan estimates that 17,000 refugees fled DRC for Southern 
Sudan as a result of LRA activities. 
 
(U) UNOCHA  in the Central African Republic (CAR) reports that in 
October 2,184 Congolese refugees fled to Zemio from Ango in 
Bas-Uele as a result of LRA attacks in Digba, Sukadi, Gwane, 
Bandundu, Matidi, and Diangadi in the DRC.  The number of 
LRA-affected refugees in CAR is currently 7,000. 
 
 
 
¶4.       Where have the attacks occurred? 
 
 
 
(U) Attacks in 2009 were concentrated in DRC's Haut-Uele and 
Bas-Uele provinces, and moved progressively westward from the 
Faradje area toward the Dungu district and onward as the LRA moved 
into CAR. 
 
 
 
¶5.       What are estimated numbers of LRA combatants and 
non-combatants and in what location? 
 
 
 
(U) A November 24 article from the UNOCHA news service IRIN quotes 
a western security analyst in the region as saying that "supply 
trails" indicate six LRA groups with a total of 500-600 fighters. 
The report did not specify the location of these groups.  On 
November 22, Uganda Peoples Defense Forces (UPDF) spokesperson Lt 
Col Felix Kulayigye said fewer than 100 LRA fighters remain. Other 
military sources indicated that 80 LRA fighters are left in the 
DRC. 
 
 
 
(SBU) There appears to be no significant LRA presence remaining in 
the Faradje area, although there is still a light presence in the 
Dungu area.  A larger group (believed to include some of Kony's 
family and other close associates) was reported to be near Obo, 
CAR, and a final, advance group is farther north in CAR heading 
toward Darfur. 
 
 
 
¶6.       Have LRA movements been reported?  To/from where? 
 
 
 
(U) UNOCHA reports that in 2009 the LRA left Garamba National Park 
and an initial area of operation around Faradje in DRC and moved 
toward DRC's Bas-Uele District, CAR, and southern Sudan. 
 
 
 
¶7.       Are other forces in the area that might be responsible for 
attacks which are attributed (perhaps wrongly) to the LRA? 
 
 
 
(U) A portion of the attacks attributed to the LRA were likely 
perpetrated by unknown non-LRA bandits or undisciplined FARDC 
troops, but it is impossible to ascertain additional information. 
Some attacks were carried out by elements of the LRA who have been 
cut off from LRA leadership and engaged in foraging attacks for 
their own survival. 
 
 
 
LRA-Affected Populations 
 
------------------------ 
 
 
 
¶8.       How many internally-displaced persons (IDPs) and refugees 
have been displaced by LRA and related operations against the LRA 
since September 2008 (for first report)? 
 
 
 
(U) UNOCHA-Province Orientale reports a peak total of 337,100 IDPs 
during the period of September 2008 to October 2009, and a current 
 
total of 265,609 IDPs.   UNOCHA also estimates 19,000 refugees in 
southern Sudan and approximately 7,000 in CAR as result of LRA 
activities.  (NOTE:  Many UN IDP figures cover the entirety of 
Province Orientale, including Ituri District which has 
approximately 180,000 IDPs; however, only around 40,000 of these 
IDPs are attributable to LRA attacks, the remaining are the result 
of other rebel groups operating in the area. END NOTE.) 
 
 
 
(U) Through September 2009, the UN recorded returns of 33,821 
displaced persons in Haut-Uele, 18,297 in Faradje territory, and 
15,524 in Dungu territory in the DRC.  Dungu has also seen the 
spontaneous return of 1,279 Congolese refugees who had fled to 
southern Sudan because of the LRA. 
 
 
 
(U) The UNOCHA News agency IRIN reported on December 21 that the 
people in Niangara in Haut-Uele District, DRC, fled in response to 
pamphlets in which the LRA threatened to "celebrate Christmas" in 
Niangara and Dungu, a reference to the 2008 Christmas massacre in 
which the LRA killed 865 people and abducted more than 160 
children.  FARDC representatives stressed that the LRA is incapable 
in its current form of reproducing this incident.  No further 
information is available at this time on the number of people 
moving or their intended destination. No LRA-related Christmas 
incidents occurred in Niangara or Dungu in 2009. 
 
 
 
¶9.       What is the location of refugee/displaced populations? 
 
 
 
(U) In Haut-Uele, DRC, the majority of the IDPs are in Dungu 
District (52%) with the second major area of displacement around 
Faradje (30%).  Smaller displacements have occurred around Niangara 
(11%), Rungu (4%), and Watsa (3%). 
 
 
 
(U) Of the 58,770 displaced persons in Bas-Uele District, DRC, the 
largest portion (45%) is from Ango, 27% from Bambesa, 19% from 
Poko, 8% from Bondo, and 1% from Buta. 
 
 
 
¶10.   What is the expected time-line for displaced populations to 
return home?  Have some populations already returned? (Are 
displaced populations static or moving frequently?) 
 
 
 
(U) UNOCHA reported the spontaneous return of approximately 33,000 
IDPs/refugees to the Faradje area in October 2009.  UN colleagues 
are otherwise unwilling to forecast a specific return timetable for 
IDPs/refugees, indicating that it is entirely dependent on 
neutralization of the LRA and restoration of peace. 
 
 
 
Security Response 
 
----------------- 
 
 
 
¶11.   What host government actions have been taken against LRA 
forces?  UN (including peacekeeping operations) actions? UPDF? 
Other (e.g., auto-defense forces?) 
 
 
 
(U) OLT/Rudia II was made possible by a coalition forged between 
and by the governments and militaries of Uganda, DRC, Southern 
Sudan, and CAR.  The detailed actions and operations taken by the 
coalition against the LRA have been extensively documented in 
classified reporting by Embassy Kampala and other embassies in the 
region. 
 
¶12.   Have any cross-border coordination efforts taken place 
between these forces/agencies? 
 
 
 
(U) Yes. The militaries of Uganda, Sudan, DRC, and CAR coordinate 
regularly on actions against the LRA. 
 
 
 
¶13.   What are the effects on civilians of operations against the 
LRA? Have there been reports of human rights abuses by security 
forces responding in LRA-affected areas? 
 
 
 
(U) We have received no reports of human rights abuses perpetrated 
by the UPDF in DRC, CAR or Sudan (reftel 09 KAMPALA 01304 re: 
comments by U.S. NGO "Enough" on this). There are 6,000 FARDC 
troops stationed (or in process of being deployed) in Haut-Uele and 
Bas-Uele.  The replacement of the FARDC Republican Guard units with 
the integrated 93rd Brigade has humanitarian implications.  The 
93rd comprises a large element of ex-CNDP and ex-Mai-Mai which has 
raised the specter of internal conflicts within FARDC forces and 
the possible spillover onto the civilian population.  UNOCHA 
reports that, in November, 37 Congolese child soldiers have been 
demobilized from FARDC units and have arrived in Province Orientale 
from the Kivus. 
 
 
 
(U) UNOCHA reports that one of the consequences of the change in 
FARDC personnel may be a reduction in distributions of humanitarian 
assistance in an attempt to avoid putting the population in danger 
from unpaid and undisciplined FARDC forces. 
 
 
 
(U) Humanitarian agencies report that FARDC is not turning escaped 
child soldiers over to MONUC's DDRRR Section.  In October 2009, the 
FARDC turned over 10 former child soldiers captured more than two 
months earlier. 
 
 
 
(U) The local population in Gangala and Bodio also reports that 
FARDC soldiers are marrying girls under 18 years old.  In one 
school in Nangondi, the teachers indicated that a dozen girls aged 
15-17 had dropped out of school as a result of early marriages with 
FARDC soldiers. 
 
 
 
¶14.   Has information sharing and coordination by national 
militaries with the UN been sufficient to allow proactive civilian 
protection efforts by peacekeepers? 
 
 
 
(SBU) MONUC sources have consistently requested greater 
information-sharing from the UPDF on future operations.  They 
complain that they receive information either at too late a moment 
to act or after the fact altogether. 
 
 
 
¶15.   What are future plans for anti-LRA operations and/or civilian 
protection efforts by these forces/agencies? 
 
 
 
(U) As has been noted elsewhere, there are no confirmed reports of 
human rights abuses, let alone atrocities, committed by the UPDF 
during the operations against the LRA.  The UPDF's ability to 
protect civilians in LRA affected areas is a function of UPDF 
resource constraints.  However, the UPDF will continue to uphold a 
high standard of behavior with regard to civilian populations in 
areas affected by LRA activities. 
 
 
 
¶16.   Have UN peacekeeping operations effectively conditioned 
support to national militaries on their respect for human rights, 
 
or does such support continue despite reports of human rights 
abuses by those militaries against civilians? 
 
 
 
(SBU) MONUC does not provide support to units of the FARDC accused 
of credible human rights violations.  MONUC does not provide 
logistical or tactical support to UPDF units because it is not part 
of the mandate for their operations in DRC. 
 
 
 
Humanitarian Response 
 
--------------------- 
 
 
 
¶17.   Which host-government agencies, UN agencies, non-governmental 
organizations (NGOs), community-based organizations, etc. are 
responding to humanitarian needs in LRA affected areas? 
 
 
 
(U) Caritas D????veloppement, Association for Investigation and 
Integral Development (AIDER), Commission Dioc????saine Justice et 
Paix 
(CDJP), Cooperazione e Sviluppo (CESVI), International Committee of 
the Red Cross (ICRC), Norwegian Refugee Council (NRC), Cooperazione 
Internazionale (COOPI), Food and Agriculture Organization (FAO), 
MEDAIR, MercyCorps, M????decins Sans Fronti????res (MSF)-Switzerland, 
OXFAM-Qu????bec, Social and Economic Development Center (SEDEC), 
Solidarit????s, T????l????coms Sans Fronti????res (TSF), Office of 
the United 
Nations High Commissioner for Refugees (UNHCR), the United Nations 
Children's Fund (UNICEF), and the World Food Program (WFP). 
 
 
 
(U) NOTE: The attached map provided by UNOCHA highlights the 
locations and interventions of the organizations above. End Note. 
 
 
 
¶18.   Please describe humanitarian operations/activities currently 
underway in support of LRA-affected populations. 
 
 
 
(U) WFP (Sitta Kai-Kai, WFP Country Representative, CAR) reports 
that it is providing food for more than 2,000 displaced civilians 
in the town of Zemio (1,000km southeast of Bangui). 
 
 
 
(U) In Haut-Uele, WFP provides food, MEDAIR and M????decins Sans 
Fronti????res-Switzerland are working in the healthcare arena, and 
Solidarit????s is providing non-food items (NFIs) as well as 
water/sanitation projects. 
 
 
 
(U) The International Organization for Migration (IOM) deployed a 
team on November 19 to begin rehabilitation of the road between 
Dungu and Doruma.  In October, HI/Atlas began rehabilitation work 
on the road between Mambasa-Mungbere-Gao-Dungu. 
 
 
 
(U) During the course of the past several months, a number of NGOs 
have undertaken assessment missions in the Uele provinces, 
including Oxfam-Quebec (Bangadi, Bitima, Gangala), CESVI (Gangala), 
MSF  and Caritas (Ango). 
 
 
 
(U) UNHCR reports that it has established a permanent presence in 
Dungu as part of a compound shared with other UN agencies.   UNHCR 
Regional Representative based in Kinshasa reports that the 
inauguration of this compound has been delayed by inter-fighting 
among UN agencies about lead roles and "control of the compound"; 
however, these issues appear to have been resolved. 
 
(U) UNHAS and ECHO are planning to begin flights from other parts 
of DRC to Dungu 1-2 times/week. 
 
 
 
¶19.   Please describe coordination of these efforts.  E.g., is OCHA 
coordinating?  Host government?  Are there regular protection 
cluster meetings focusing on LRA-affected areas?  Is there adequate 
information sharing among NGOs on the ground, UN peacekeepers and 
national militaries involved in operations against the LRA? 
 
 
 
(U) Coordination is managed via means of sub-clusters (Protection, 
Health, Education, Water/Sanitation, Food Security) in Dungu town 
which are under the clusters in Bunia.  Primary clusters meet once 
per month with the exception of the Logistics and Protection 
clusters, which meet two times/month.  In addition a core team 
focused on the Uele provinces meets weekly as does the security 
team.  UNOCHA also leads a weekly information 
dissemination/coordination meeting for all UN agencies/partners. 
 
 
 
¶20.   What are the current humanitarian gaps in LRA-affected areas? 
 
 
 
(U) Humanitarian access is most severely limited by logistical 
challenges.  UNOCHA reports that humanitarian actors are currently 
unable to undertake missions in Bas-Uele out of Dungu because the 
NGO flight service operated by Avions Sans Fronti????res (ASF-Quebec) 
is out of service. 
 
 
 
(U) UN partner NGO Solidarit????s has performed to evaluations 
(Diagbe 
and Napopo in the area around Bangadi) and determined that there 
are multi-sectoral gaps in: non-food items, food, water/sanitation, 
shelter, health, and education among both the displaced and local 
populations. 
 
 
 
¶21.   Have there been attacks on NGOs/humanitarian groups, and if 
so how has this impacted efforts to respond to humanitarian needs 
in LRA-affected areas? 
 
 
 
(U) On November 27, an LRA attack against a truck transporting 
seeds for the Food and Agriculture Organization (FAO) was reported 
in Bangadi (Haut-Uele).  UNOCHA classified this as the first attack 
of its kind by the LRA on a humanitarian convoy in DRC. 
 
 
 
(U) In October, Dungu civil society organizations distributed a 
memorandum outlining grievances against MONUC and humanitarian 
organizations.  A meeting called by the territorial administrator 
to discuss the issues resulted in an exchange of insults.  The 
situation has since calmed; however, several issues remain 
unresolved. 
 
 
 
(U) On October 6, a group of civilians stole NFI kits as well as 
material for wat/san and water projects from the stock in Aba 
(Haut-Uele) one hour before a distribution was to take place.  This 
robbery was the result of anger on the part of the local community 
that wanted to be included in the distribution along with the 
displaced people.  As a result of this incident, Solidarit????s 
evacuated its team from Dungu on October 7 and suspended all 
wat/san and NFI programs in Aba and Kurukwata zones until further 
notice.  (NOTE: no further information on whether they have resumed 
services.  UNOCHA continues to identify Solidarit????s as NFI 
distributor in Aba. END NOTE.) 
 
Other 
 
----- 
 
 
 
¶22.   Please report on any other relevant developments/concerns 
related to the LRA not covered above. 
 
 
 
(U) There is a plethora of information on the LRA and LRA-affected 
areas available, both open and restricted source.  For more 
detailed reporting on UN agency activities and information 
gathering on the LRA and LRA-Affected populations: 
 
 
 
????  UNOCHA DRC Website:  http://www.rdc-humanitaire.net 
 
 
????  Embassy Kampala: hibbardjr@state.gov 
 
????  Department of State Humanitarian Information Unit: 
hiu_info@state.gov, http://hiu.state.gov 
LANIER