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Matek
You see this whole thing is very wrong and the
Americans have failed to understand it. What we need in Northern Uganda is not
Metric tons of food, what we need in Northern Uganda is to look for a permanent
solution which must start with a total with draw of Uganda People's Defence
forces. And I am putting it on record that we will never get peace in Northern
Uganda until when UPDF gets out or the throwing out of NRM. And there is no
debate on that what so ever.
Why am I sure about that? For we have seen each and
every thing Uganda government is working for, and in its all planning there is
no single line which reads "Let there be peace in Northern Uganda" If NRM wanted
peace up there it would have achieved it very many years ago. Those are the
facts, you can take them or leave them.
Em
The Mulindwas communication
group
"With Yoweri Museveni, Uganda is in anarchy"
----- Original Message -----
Sent: Wednesday, February 12, 2003 11:07
PM
Subject: [Ugandacom] Kony attacks as US
official visits
Kony attacks as US official visits
By Carolyne
Nakazibwe & John Muto-Ono p’Lajur
Eighteen people were on Monday
night abducted from Awere camp in Gulu district, hours before the US Agency
for International Development Assistant Administrator Roger Winter visited the
area.
Mr. Winter heard from LC-III Chairman Walter Ogwoya on Tuesday
that the Lord’s Resistance Army rebels raided the camp and took away children.
Eight were later rescued by the UPDF.
Mr. Winter, who is in charge
of democracy, conflict and humanitarian assistance at USAID, was in Gulu to
assess the food and security crisis in the region.
He met residents of the
crowded camp, who asked for more security and food.
“We know that the
situation in northern Uganda is not good," he said. "I know personally because
I have come here several times and I stayed here four years ago. This war has
gone on too long.”
Mr. Winter pledged 25,000 additional metric tonnes
of food for the Internally Displaced Persons (IDPs), bringing the US food
assistance this year to 45,000 metric tonnes valued at Shs 42.5bn.
This
followed an alert from World Food Programme that malnutrition levels among
children below 5 has reached 31 percent in some camps.
The WFP can meet
only 60 percent of the demand for food for the 800,000 people estimated to
live in the IDP camps.
The convoy, heavily guarded by armoured military
vehicles, also included Minister of State for Higher Education Ms. Betty
Akech, American Ambassador Mr. Jimmy Kolker and USAID Country Director Ms.
Vicki Moore.
Later at the Gulu Support Children Organisation (GUSCO),
the delegation heard formerly abducted children tell their harrowing
stories.
The Americans heard that Lord's Resistance Army rebel leader
Joseph Kony is now interested in talks, but only if an international body
mediates the talks and not the local leaders as President Yoweri Museveni has
suggested.
A blind Mr. James Okot, 18, abducted in 1994 and shot in the
eyes during crossfire with the army in 2000, said some rebels tracked him to
his home and asked that the Resident District Commissioner Max Omeda be
included on the team of government negotiators.
Mr. Winter had this to
say to about 100 former (rebel) child soldiers: “Committing of violence
against innocent people, killing your own people, is very hard for many of us
to understand. By hearing your stories, we understand that you are victims
too.”
He also visited St. Mary’s Hospital, Lacor, where he praised the
doctors for their commitment.
The hospital’s deputy director Dr. Bruno
Corrado said the hospital is recording less HIV cases among pregnant women,
but escalating cases of malnutrition among children.
Mr. Winter will
also meet with government and NGO officials, before continuing to Kenya,
Ethiopia and Sudan.
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