[Ugnet] Violence hurting Uganda - Kolker

Tue, 06 Sep 2005 22:11:55 -0700

So much for the blue eye boy much favoured by the WEST..

MK

Violence hurting Uganda - Kolker  

HUSSEIN BOGERE
KAMPALA

THE out-going US Ambassador, Mr Jimmy Kolker, has warned of what he calls "red warning flash lights in Uganda".
He was yesterday speaking at the end of the Ugandan North American Association conference in Minneapolis, USA.
Kolker pointed out corruption and political violence as the factors bedeviling Uganda.

Corruption
“Uganda has been well-governed since 1986, but in my July 4 speech this year, I pointed to what I called red warning lights that are flashing. Two of these are corruption and political violence,” he said.

Kolker said, “Corruption is widespread in areas such as government contracting, privatisations and access to the courts. Violence has characterised Uganda's political scene, and perpetrators have not been disciplined or prosecuted. I see these two problems harming Uganda's international reputation as well as its progress towards democracy.”

LRA war
He called upon Ugandans in the Diaspora to stop supporting the Lord's Resistance Army (LRA) rebel leader Joseph Kony.
“The US wants to bring the conflict in northern Uganda to a quick and permanent end. We are providing more than half of the humanitarian relief that is keeping the displaced people alive. We have no sympathy for the LRA, which is terrorising the people. They need to stop."

“And if there are any Ugandans in this country who are supporting the LRA, either financially or politically, they need to stop. The LRA is on the US terrorist exclusion list, and such support violates the US law,” he said
Kolker called on the government of Uganda to do a better job of protecting its citizens and also persue a peaceful end to the 19-year old rebellion.

Bigombe, the former Minister of Northern Uganda Pacification has spent the last 10 months in Gulu in mediation efforts. LRA rebels have fought the government since 1988.


__________________________________________________
Do You Yahoo!?
Tired of spam? Yahoo! Mail has the best spam protection around
http://mail.yahoo.com 

_______________________________________________
Ugandanet mailing list
[email protected]
http://kym.net/mailman/listinfo/ugandanet
% UGANDANET is generously hosted by INFOCOM http://www.infocom.co.ug/

Reply via email to