RE: [Ugnet] Diplomats Urge FDC to Avoid Violence

THE British High Commissioner to Uganda, Mr François Gordon, and the US Charge de Affairs, Mr William Fitzgerald have advised FDC party leader Kiiza Besigye to restrain his supporters from causing post election violence.

Gordon and Fitzgerald visited Besigye at his home in Mbuya on Saturday afternoon, as it became clear that Besigye and his FDC party were headed for a loss to President Yoweri Museveni.

Museveni was declared president of Uganda after receiving 4.07 million votes, or 59.2 percent of the total.

Besigye later told a press conference that he had spoken to diplomats from the Partners for Good Governance and Democracy but did not give details.

He said the donors had urged the FDC "to do our best to avoid violence in the post election period." The Public Affairs officer at the US Embassy, Ms Alyson Grunder, confirmed to this reporter that the Charge de Affairs had been to Besigye's house.

Several journalists including foreign media like the British Broadcasting Corporation's TV and radio and the Cable News Network were kept waiting as Besigye discussed with Gordon for more than 4 0 minutes.

BBC TV abandoned the press conference after waiting for a long time.

Gordon declined to comment about his meeting with Besigye.

Some senior FDC party officials including the Chairman, Dr Sulaiman Kiggundu, did not attend the meetings with the diplomats.

Senior FDC party officials said the diplomats tried to convince Besigye to concede defeat but he declined. Earlier in the afternoon on Saturday, the senior party executive and campaign team had taken a decision to reject the results.

Anti-riot and military police deployed heavily at the FDC headquarters in Najjanankumbi on Entebbe Road on Saturday afternoon and were engaged in a brief confrontation with the FDC youth.

The move was seen as a preventive measure against any form of violence that was anticipated after the Electoral Commission declare d Museveni the winner. The military and police also maintained patrols in the city over night.

The government has accused Besigye of involvement in subversive activities since 2001. He and 22 others face charges of treason and misprision of treason in the High Court and terrorism and illegal possession of firearms before the Military General Court Martial.

On Saturday, just before the final results were declared, the Inspector General of Police Maj. Gen. Kale Kayihura, said the police had recovered 18 petrol bombs, which he claimed FDC were planning to throw in Kampala after they lost.

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But Besigye insists that FDC as a political party will stick to only those activities that are legal for political parties. He urged his supporters to remain calm, "We have taken a decision to reject the results announced by the EC and to say that we are still gathering our own information which we hope will be complete in another day or two and we shall decide what further action," Besigye said.

During the press conference, Besigye accused international observers for rushing to declare the elections free and fair saying it was "disgraceful" and grossly flawed with irregularities.

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RE: [Ugnet] Diplomats Urge FDC to Avoid Violence

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