Mr. Potosi: Here are two responses to your concerns about the content of the letter to Bush. Do not hesitate in case you or anyone else needs more information from FPA.
Thanks for your input. Ochan ===================== You wrote: >Again I want to thank you for this effort to save our people who are being >decimated by men with 'dark and evil' hearts. > >But what purpose is served by entangling our struggle for survival with >Charles Taylor? First of all, as our name suggest, our mission is to bring peace in Africa. As a starting point we have been focusing on the problem in northern Uganda. Liberia is an African country and therefore the restoration of peace there is just as much a matter of interest to us, though it is not of our primary focus at the moment. The connection of the situation in northern Uganda with the situation in Liberia in the context of our letter is that Taylor, like Museveni is a dictator who rose to power by the gun and wants to stay in power forever. Among other things, dictatorship leads to rebellion when people feel that they have no recourse whenever they suffer from injustices. This does not, however mean that the methods rebels use to fight for justice is necessarily appropriate as it is not in the case of both Taylor, Museveni and Kony or what happened in Sierra Leone. >I dont think you and me have all or the real facts behind events in Liberia. >The Americans and British say Taylor has to go, but have said nothing >about the armed rebels coming in from Guinea and Sierra Leone. Arms for >these rebels are being flown into Guinea from LEBANON. Who are behind >these rebels? Yes, you are right about us not having all the facts about events in Liberia. However, we do know that Taylor has been indicted in the world court for committing atrocities against humanity. He, like Museveni should remember that they allegedly fought against dictatorial leaders before them. Thus they should be more responsive to the demand for democracy by the people. I presume that you think we should focus on northern Uganda because you think we know all the facts behind the events. We do know a great deal, but not all. Just because we do not know all the facts (e.g. who supplies arms to the LRA?) does not mean that we cannot advocate for peace in northern Uganda or Liberia. >Is it now the acceptable route to leadership to just pick up arms and grab >power? We do not want the gun to be the route to power. Unfortunately if reigning leaders do not practice democracy, then the gun will be the way to power. This is happening so often. Be sure that if Museveni does not step down in 2006, there will be more rebel activities in Uganda. >On this question of the USA sending troops to Liberia, I side with >President Mbeki who, today, told Bush that he would rather it is we the >Africans to solve such of our problems. We agree with you about leaving Africans to solve our problems. Unfortunately, the problems that we think should be solved by Africans alone are not fueled by Africans alone. The information you gave about arms in Liberia is a case in point. Are the rebels being armed by external forces? More importantly, where have the Africans, including President Mbeki, been in the last 17 years when our people have been suffering at the hands of both UPDF and the LRA, who, by the way are full blooded Africans. You can even say Acholi vs Acholi as some quarters say. President Mbeki himself knows very well that had it not been for the tremendous help they received from sympathetic non-Africans, he would probably not be the President of South African today. Surely, President Mbeki should not be begging President Bush so to speak to solve African problems:wars in Uganda, Liberia, Sudan, Burundi or famine in Ethiopia etc. Had President Mbeki and his Africans been solving African problems, there would be no need for anybody including us to ask for help from whoever can help us. Okot <[EMAIL PROTECTED]> ==================================== My dear Potosi, Thank you for your interest in FPA letters to President Bush and overall work on peace in Africa. Your recent comments prompted me to at least reply to some of your questions. You wrote: But what purpose is served by entangling our struggle for survival with Charles Taylor? My response: FPA is not �entangling our struggle for survival with Charles Taylor.� FPA is comparing. There is enough sense in comparing the civil war in Uganda with that in Liberia. If you look at each very carefully, you will clearly see the similarity. Moreover our comparison mostly entails the relative responses to each war from the White House. You wrote: I don�t think you and me have all or the real facts behind events in Liberia. The Americans and British say Taylor has to go, but have said nothing about the armed rebels coming in from Guinea and Sierra Leone. Arms for these rebels are being flown into Guinea from LEBANON. Who are behind these rebels? My response: Nobody has all the facts, but enough real facts exist to allow for strong commentaries on the war that are easily defendable. If you have been following the war in Sierra Leone, The Ivory Coast, and Liberia, and the political instability in Guinea, you would understand Taylor�s involvement in them, just as you would Museveni�s involvements in Rwanda, Burundi, Congo DR, and Sudan. The removal of Charles Taylor from power in Liberia is a prerequisite to establishing peace in the whole of that region. Sierra Leoneans, Ivorians, and Guineans are angry with Taylor. They see him as the source of their suffering, and are coming into Liberia to remove him by the only means at their disposal. You wrote: Is it now the acceptable route to leadership to just pick up arms and grab power? My response: No. In Africa, history shows that since independence in the 1960s, those who cannot win at the polls grab arms. A few countries (e.g. Kenya, Tanzania, Botswana, Zambia) have established electoral processes that have worked with variable degrees of success to transfer political power from one leader to another. Others (e.g. Uganda, Congo DR) have never had a leader assume political power through elections, except the one to whom independence was handed at the close of colonial rule. Still others (e.g. Ghana, Nigeria) struggled with military rule, but have managed to institute democratic processes that elect leaders. The jury is still out on the longevity of this practice. You wrote: On this question of the USA sending troops to Liberia, I side with President Mbeki who, today, told Bush that he would rather it is we the Africans to solve such of our problems. My response: When are �we the Africans� going to start solving our own problems? And what are �we the Africans� waiting for? �We the Africans� are being killed by the thousands every year by �we the Africans.� ECOWAS has been trying to solve the problem in Liberia since 1980 when Samuel Doe took power (remember 1990 when Charles Taylor and Prince Johnson were fighting Samuel Doe for supremacy in Monrovia?) When Julius Nyerere helped Ugandans kick out Idi Amin in 1979, General Olusegun Obasanjo, then military leader of Nigeria, blasting him during the very next OAU meeting for �interfering in the internal affairs of a member state.� Do you know what Egypt is doing in Sudan to protect the Nile? Has Museveni�s excursions in Rwanda, Burundi, Congo DR, and Sudan done anything to solve �our problems�? OAU died without solving any of �our problems� by peaceful means without creating more potent ones. I disagree with Mbeki to the extent that while �we� get ready to solve �our problems,� �we the Africans continue to kill �we the Africans.� If Americans can stop �We the Africans from killing �we the Africans,� let them go ahead. You wrote: Compatriot Ochan Otim, you further allege that " The LRA is also selling children as slaves to the Arabs in northern Sudan in exchange for military support." Do you have any facts to back up the above statement? My response: My brother Potosi, the least you can do is try to find out the facts on this. May I suggest that you contact the Acholi Religious Leaders� Peace Initiative (ARLPI) in Uganda, or HURIFO, or Acholi Parliamentary Group (APG), or GUSCO? I also think that UNESCO, World Vision, Amnesty International, and USAID may have some information. Charlie C. Lakony FPA member At 07:14 PM 7/9/03 +0000, Mitayo Potosi wrote: > >Dear Compatriot Ochan Otim, > >Again I want to thank you for this effort to save our people who are being >decimated by men with 'dark and evil' hearts. > >But what purpose is served by entangling our struggle for survival with >Charles Taylor? > >I dont think you and me have all or the real facts behind events in Liberia. >The Americans and British say Taylor has to go, but have said nothing about >the armed rebels coming in from Guinea and Sierra Leone. Arms for these >rebels are being flown into Guinea from LEBANON. Who are behind these >rebels? > >Is it now the acceptable route to leadership to just pick up arms and grab >power? > >On this question of the USA sending troops to Liberia, I side with >President Mbeki who, today, told Bush that he would rather it is we the >Africans to solve such of our problems. > >Compatriot Ochan Otim, you further allege that " The LRA is also selling >children as slaves to the Arabs in northern Sudan in exchange for military >support." > >Do you have any facts to back up the above statement? > >Mitayo Potosi >~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~ > >>From: Ochan Otim <[EMAIL PROTECTED]> >>Reply-To: [EMAIL PROTECTED] >>To: [EMAIL PROTECTED], [EMAIL PROTECTED] >>Subject: ugnet_: Your Visit to Uganda and Quest for Peace in the Great >>Lakes >>Date: Sat, 05 Jul 2003 22:04:23 -0700 >> >>Members: >> >>Here is a copy of a letter delivered to the White House not too long ago. >> >>Ochan >>----------------------------- >>Mr. President, >> >>We the members, directors of the board, officers, volunteers, and >>supporters of Friends for Peace in Africa (FPA) are very excited to learn >>that you will visit five African countries next week. We are even more >>excited about your Administration's commitment to working towards a free, >>peaceful, and prosperous Africa. We welcome such a noble commitment from >>the most powerful country in the world. It gives us hope that peace in >>Africa will soon become a reality. We welcome your recent pledge of $15 >>billion to fight the AIDS epidemic in Africa, and are particularly proud >>that you intend to use the Ugandan AIDS program as a model to be adopted by >>other African countries. Furthermore, we applaud your commitment to >>promoting democracy throughout the world. Lastly, we appreciate the strong >>position you have taken on President Charles Taylor for failing to step >>down when the people of Liberia no longer want his leadership. >> >>Mr. President, your visit to the country of Uganda, which follows on the >>heels of Ugandan President Yoweri Museveni's visit to the White House last >>month, is of particular interest to us. As a project-driven organization >>with a mission to bring peace to the troubled continent, FPA's principal >>project right now is the dismantlement of the Internally Displaced People's >>(IDP) camps in the Lake Region of Africa. Many of such camps exist in >>Uganda. >> >>On June 10, 2003, FPA sent you a letter addressing the situation in Uganda, >>particularly the 17-year war in the north between President Museveni's >>Uganda Peoples Defense Forces (UPDF) and the rebel Lord's Resistance Army >>(LRA). We implored you in this letter to make it very clear to President >>Museveni that your administration wants a peaceful settlement of the >>northern conflict-not a military one. This war of attrition has killed, >>maimed, and displaced almost a million people in northern Uganda. >>Information reaching us indicates that you responded by insisting that Mr. >>Museveni not only seek peace in northern Uganda through negotiation, work >>to stem corruption in his government and military, but also adhere to the >>constitution that limits the presidency to two terms. For this, we are >>eternally grateful. >> >>Mr. President, recent actions by President Museveni indicate that he does >>not intend to heed your advice. Even as he is expecting you in Uganda, he >>has sent out a strong message that he does not intend to do any negotiating >>with the LRA. Instead, he has appointed General Tinyefuza to be >>Coordinator of Operation Iron Fist, a military push to defeat the LRA on >>the battlefield. General Tinyefuza is legendary for his ruthlessness >>against the Acholi people of northern Uganda during the first attempt to >>suppress the LRA by force 17 years ago. The locals know him best as the >>butcher of the Acholi people of northern Uganda. His appointment means an >>escalation of the war and further suffering: the LRA responds to force, or >>the threat of force, with more raids, abductions, killings, rapes, >>lootings, etc. to prepare for it. Their excursions in Eastern Uganda >>represent a new phase in their operations. It is likely to expand into >>other areas of presently secure areas of the country. >> >>We are particularly happy that you are visiting Uganda and we anticipate >>that Ugandans will enthusiastically and warmly welcome you. We would like >>to point out, however, that a specific sector of the Ugandan population >>targeted for annihilation by Mr. Museveni will not be there to welcome you >>even if they wanted to do so. These are the Acholi people of northern >>Uganda. We wish that your visit included going to northern Uganda to see >>for yourself the horrendous conditions under which people have been >>confined in the so-called protected villages since 1996. Please note that >>General Salim Saleh, one of the architects of the war and a close military >>advisor to, and brother of, President Museveni, admitted last week that the >>war was a mistake, and that the so-called protected villages were unfit for >>human habitation. The villages are neither protected from the LRA,UPDF, >>biting poverty, diseases such as AIDS and TB, nor moral decay. Evidence >>abounds showing that government troops frequently commit atrocities against >>innocent people on an even wider scale, but blame them on the LRA. >> >>The most heart-wrenching consequence of the 17-year war is that children, >>the most vulnerable members of our society, are the principal victims. >>They are subjected to daily kidnappings by the LRA, which turned them into >>child soldiers and, hence, killers. The LRA is also rounding up little >>girls as young as 10 and distributing them to LRA officers as wives, >>concubines, or incubators of future LRA soldiers. The LRA is also selling >>children as slaves to the Arabs in northern Sudan in exchange for military >>support. >> >>In spite of all the appeals from the victims of the war, religious leaders >>including the Pope, President Museveni has stubbornly refused to pursue a >>negotiated settlement: he favors a military solution. Yet, in spite of all >>the promises and millions of dollars spent, the Museveni government has >>been completely unable to win a military victory over the LRA. There are >>indications that President Museveni is also perpetuating the war to win >>political support from the rest of the country by continuously demonizing >>the Acholi people and the LRA. In any case, the median age of the LRA >>rebels drops every year, and is now closer to 12. In fact the war is >>spreading into new areas such as Eastern Uganda. While it is bad enough for >>children to be kidnapped, it is even worse for them to be forced to fight >>against the government soldiers that are supposed to protect all citizens >>of the country, particularly children. When the UPDF proudly announces how >>many rebels they have killed in each military operation, it actually >>announces the killings of children it had failed/refused to protect from >>being abducted by the LRA and turned into child soldiers in the first >>place. We cannot imagine how you would feel if your own soldiers were to >>kill American children. Mr. President, we also cannot imagine the magnitude >>of the sorrow that parents of kidnapped children must feel or the terror >>parents of young teenagers must experience knowing that their loved ones >>could be kidnapped at any time from the so-called protected villages right >>from the watchful eyes of President Museveni's troops. >> >>Lastly Mr. President, while we feel proud that you might be considering >>adopting the Uganda AIDS program as a model for fighting AIDS in Africa, we >>would like to draw your attention to the fact that many AIDS >>epidemiologists are beginning to question the so-called 'success' of this >>program. Even more are becoming less convinced that President Museveni had >>as much to do with this 'success' as he is being credited with. Consider >>the following: >> >>1. The entire AIDS program has been confined to the peaceful parts of the >>country, i.e., southeast, south-central, southwestern, and southern Uganda. >>In fact, given the horrendous conditions of life in the IDP camps, the >>incidences of AIDS in war-ravaged northern, northeastern, and the West Nile >>districts of Uganda have not abated. If anything it is on the rise. >> >>2. Ugandan societies have traditionally been open to new information on >>sexual practices. The adoption of new sexual practices spoke more of the >>advantages of open societies rather than deliberate/conscious application >>of political leadership. That Mr. Museveni was the President when the AIDS >>program became a 'success' needs to be attributed as much to the >>coincidence of history as to the effectiveness of his political leadership. >> >>3. The fight against HIV/AIDS in Uganda was, and is, a moral issue. >>Women's organizations, traditional and religious leaders, non-profit >>organizations, and individuals were more involved in the fight using >>societal sexual practices rather than the policies from the government on >>HIV/AIDS. The so-called Museveni 'success ' is therefore limited. >> >> We cannot envision how the Ugandan model can be considered a national >>success if it excludes, by design or neglect, more than a quarter of the >>country. In our humble opinion, the people of northern Uganda, who are >>confined in the congested IDP camps, deserve as much right to enjoy the >>success of the program as any other Ugandan citizens. While you consider >>adopting the Ugandan AIDS program for other African countries, we humbly >>ask that you also consider the application of the same program in northern >>Uganda, a peaceful Northern Uganda. >> >>While we anticipate that you will be warmly welcome in Uganda and that you >>will have a memorable visit, we appeal to you to think about three concerns >>we described above: 1) the 17-year war in Northern Uganda, 2) the forced >>confinement of IDP in camps under conditions contrary to the United Nations >>Guidelines on internally displaced people and 3) the continuous use of >>abduction of children by the LRA and the conscription of children into the >>Uganda government military. In our opinion, the perpetuation of these >>problems is contrary to the commitment of working towards a free, peaceful, >>and prosperous Africa as a whole-and Uganda in particular. We feel that it >>would be very helpful for our effort to peacefully resolve the war in >>northern Uganda if you take the lead in strongly insisting that (a) >>President Museveni and the LRA abandon their military approach to the >>17-year old war and instead pursue a negotiated settlement, (b) both sides >>stop using child soldiers in their armies, and (c) the Uganda government >>ensures that the IDP camps are orderly disbanded so that residents can >>peacefully return to their homes. While the Pope and other religious >>leaders, the European Union and its member countries, and local, national, >>and international non-governmental organizations operating in Uganda have >>often vociferously insisted that peace in Uganda be sought through >>negotiation rather than military victory on the battlefield, your >>leadership on this and other attendant issues, as shown in the case of >>Liberia, is indispensable if President Museveni is to seriously consider >>negotiating with the LRA. >> >>We wish you a memorable and successful visit to Africa, and hope that it >>will not be the last as President of The United States of America. God >>bless you, and God bless America. >> >>Respectfully, >> >>Ochan Otim, Ph.D. Okot Nyormoi, Ph.D. >>President. Chairman, Board of Directors. >> >>Cc. Colin Powell, Secretary of State >>Condoleeza Rice, National Security Advisor
