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The Nation (Nairobi)March 6, 2004
Posted to the web March 8, 2004
Barbara Among
Nairobi
The Ugandan army has warned diplomats to stay out of politics and military issues, especially with regard to Joseph Kony's rebellion in the north of the country."Diplomats should concentrate on diplomacy and stop commenting on the war," said Security minister Betty Akech.
For two weeks, the Defence ministry and diplomats have traded accusations over the war in northern Uganda, with each party saying the other was not doing enough to end the rebellion."Diplomats should not say whatever they want in public. Let them channel their views through the Ministry of Foreign Affairs," said the Security minister.Last week, Illing Sigurd, Head of the EU delegation in Uganda went to Parliament and addressed the press.They asked the Government to talk with rebel leader Joseph Kony.
Sigurd said the Government should stop blaming donors for failure of the army, since donors allowed an increase in the defence budget two years ago.But army spokesman Shaban Bantariza said that the diplomats had opened themselves to public criticism."We will deal with them if they don't use the Foreign office. Politics is for the ordinary people," said Maj Bantariza.Donors and religious leaders have been putting pressure on the Government to dialogue with the rebels, as the military option had failed.
Kony's "rebels" three weeks ago massacred 200 internally displaced people, a development that sparked off questions on whether the military option that the Government has employed for the last 17 years can solve the problem.President Yoweri Museveni blamed the attack on the laxity of the army and the civilians in the area.
"They should not have allowed the camp to develop around a detachment that was meant for another purpose," said the President during a press conference in Kampala on WednesdayThe US declared Kony a terrorist two years ago.
"The lie can be maintained only for such time as the State can shield the people from the political, economic and/or military consequences of the lie. It thus becomes vitally important for the State to use all of its powers to repress dissent, for the truth is the mortal enemy of the lie, and thus by extension, the truth becomes the greatest enemy of the state."
- Dr. Joseph M. Goebbels - Hitler's propaganda minister
