Corruption prolonged LRA war, says insider TABU BUTAGIRA & KAKAIRE
A. KIRUNDA KAMPALA
THE Joseph Kony-led rebel insurgency in northern Uganda has dragged on
largely because some government soldiers are profiteering from the war, a
former mediator has said.
Ms Betty Bigombe, a former chief mediator between the rebel Lord's Resistance
Army and the Uganda government in the failed 1993 and 2004 peace talks, makes
the charges against UPDF soldiers in her upcoming book: 'Turning War into
Peace: An Insider's Story,' that was previewed by The East African newspaper in
this week's edition.
The paper quotes Ms Bigombe as saying that her resolve to initiate peace
talks was strengthened by reports she received about the conduct of some
unscrupulous NRA (now UPDF) officers who had exploited the war for their own
monetary benefit. The corrupt practices cited by Ms Bigombe, as reported in The
East African, included the lack of adequate equipment and personnel, and
"tampering with records in such a way as to inspire confidence in a paper
army."
Around the time of the talks, ghost soldiers were discovered on the army
payroll.
Ms Bigombe, who claims some of the reports "came from senior officers," said
some officers were also involved in the illicit sale of fuel that was meant to
facilitate army operations in the war zone.
"The senior (army) officers had their agents, known as "Opec boys," at hand
whenever fuel was delivered from Kampala. The Opec boys paraded around with
their merchandise in jerrycans. They offered relatively cheaper prices than the
fuel stations and therefore had no problem disposing of their 'merchandise'
quickly. The proceeds, minus a commission for the Opec boys, were pocketed by
individual officers," the paper quoted her saying.
Vandalising of army trucks, selling dry rations and new uniforms to the
Sudanese Peoples' Liberation Army (SPLA) for either cash or gold, are cited as
some of the illegal practices allegedly by the soldiers.
But the Defence and Army Spokesman, Maj. Felix Kulayigye, yesterday described
Ms Bigombe's charges are "very serious" and 'need research to ascertain their
authenticity'.
"She (Bigombe) is raising very serious issues and I cannot respond to them
(spontaneously); I need time to speak to the commanders who were on the ground
at the time (1993 and 2004)," Maj. Kulayigye said by telephone yesterday. "I
have not read the reports and I cannot just comment on what you are telling me."
Ms Bigombe also accuses the then government army of operational flaws and
failing to "engage" the insurgents but "merely responding" to their incursions
during ambushes, raids on health centres and Internally Displaced People's
camps by the rebels for drugs and perennial abductions.
Ms Bigombe says she tried to make initial contacts with the elusive LRA
leader Joseph Kony and his high command during that dreaded period because the
government forces were not making enough effort to end the war and that a
military solution would be short-lived in the context of the complex northern
conflict.
According to the East African, Ms Bigombe felt frustrated by the lack of
political will for dialogue at the time and other numerous reports of
corruption and cynicism in the way the government army fought the war.
"When underlying causes of conflict remain un-addressed, there is a
reasonable likelihood that conflict will flare up again. A political statement
gives the opportunity to address underlying causes of the violent conflict," Ms
Bigombe says.
Coming from a former minister, who has also won world respect and acclaim for
her tireless peace initiatives, Ms Bigombe's revelations are bound to cause
unease.
Previously, it has been mainly opposition politicians who have accused
government forces of profiteering from the war in northern Uganda that has
lasted for over 20 years.
Determined to bring a peaceful end to the conflict in her home region, Ms
Bigombe again unsuccessfully played the mediator's role in 2004. She took
unpaid leave from her comfortable job at the World Bank and returned to Uganda
to help with the peace negotiations between the government and the LRA.
Although the Government of Southern Sudan is now mediating the peace talks,
there are reports that the current mediators consult Ms Bigombe on a regular
basis.
Ms Bigombe is currently a Senior Fellow at the United States Institute of Peace
(USIP), where she has focused her research project on the 'Challenge of
Managing Mediation: The Northern Uganda Experience.'
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