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Gen. Museveni Warns Sudan

New Vision (Kampala)
NEWS
September 18, 2003
Posted to the web September 18, 2003

By Alfred Wasike And Felix Osike
Kampala
President Yoweri Museveni has warned Sudan against re-arming LRA rebels, adding
that Uganda would inform the UN Security Council about it.
He however regretted that the UN had not done much to alleviate the situation
despite reports about the LRA's atrocities, especially against children.
Parading 50 traumatised children, some of the 500 recently rescued by the UPDF
from a 10 -year captivity in Sudan, Museveni, struggling to control anger,
said, "Sudan has to be very careful. We are watching very keenly. Even if Sudan
supplied Kony with anti-aircraft and other weapons, we shall continue capturing
them. Sudan should be very careful."
Museveni said the amnesty for the LRA commanders would expire on December 31,
2003 was not renewable.
Museveni told a news conference on Thursday night at State House Nakasero that
after December 31, the Government would issue international arrest warrants for
the top LRA chiefs Joseph Kony, Vincent Otti and Tabuley.
"The amnesty was available to those terrorists for many years.
Now they have up to the end of this year. They have three months.
Our target is to kill them off. We are getting them one by one," he said.
The UPDF had launched a systematic campaign to kill RA ringleaders if they
don't surrender, he said.
He said the child combatants would still benefit from amnesty and the army
would examine the level of criminality of some LRA commanders like Odhiambo.
Dressed in a long-sleeved beige coloured khaki suit with the trousers tucked in
heavy well-shone military black boots, Museveni pointed at the children, many
of whom had tears in their eyes.
"Their lives have been ruined by those killers. These children had a chance to
escape due to the pressure the army put on the terrorists who abduct our
children and take them to Sudan and force them into fighting formations," he
added.
Museveni said the LRA commander who abducted the Aboke girls, Tom Lagira, died
in Jabuleni in 1997 when the UPDF attacked the Sudanese at Aruu Junction.
Security minister Betty Akech and Operation Iron Fist intelligence coordinator
Lt. Col. Awany accompanied the children.
Ministers Amama Mbabazi (defence), Kirunda Kivenjinja (presidential affairs)
and Nsaba Buturo (information) were present.
Museveni said the UPDF had flushed the LRA out of Teso region except for a few
remnants. "We have now cleaned Teso of the bandits because of heavy
mobilisation. We have mobilised more than 5,000 LDUs in Teso and Lango. We have
two UPDF brigades deployed with equipment. We are garrisoning the whole area.
More than 200,000 people who had run away are returning home," he said.

   

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