HOME [allAfrica.com] [New_Vision_(Kampala)] ****** Uganda: Kony Can Run But Can't Hide - Aronda ****** Frank Mugabi 23 December 2008 =============================================================================== interview Kampala — Uganda, South Sudan and the DR Congo forces attacked LRA rebel camps in Garamba National Park, north-east of Congo a week ago. Frank Mugabitalked to UPDF chief Gen. Aronda Nyakairima about the offensive, codenamed Operation Lightning Thunder, at Bondo Barracks in Arua district on Monday. Below are excerpts What are the main objectives of the operation? The Garamba invasion was simply going back to the obvious. When you don't talk peace, then it calls for military action. It had been on the agenda that we will talk as long as Kony wanted to. But if he refuses, like he has, we had 'Plan B.' We were prepared for it. Don't you think the military option came a little early since Kony wanted direct talks with the President? No, no. This isn't the first time Kony would want to talk to the President through an emissary or third party. Nothing fruitful comes out of it. We have witnessed that since 1993 and 1994. As you talk, he prepares for a military offensive. I wonder what a phone call would change after having refused to sign the agreement for two years. Everybody had given up on the talks, including former Mozambican President Joachim Chissano, who was facilitating the talks. The regional stakeholders were ready for the attack because Kony was instead abducting and organising himself. Therefore, we agreed with our colleagues to stop the killings, abductions and training. Would you say the military option achieved success? It has been a huge strategic success that is now talked about as a model for sorting out lingering conflicts and insecurity in the Great Lakes region and Africa as a whole. It is a good sign that three countries got together to solve a problem. If we worked like that, for instance on Somalia, we would have better results. If Kenya, Uganda, Ethiopia, Djibouti and Sudan got together, we would have long sorted out Somalia. Getting together with the DRC and South Sudan with a purpose to say no to further terrorism is a big success. Secondly, Kony has always relied on his ability to find a safe haven, what we call 'the centre of gravity.' That is how he has survived for many years. Initially when Sudan didn't allow us to hunt him down in South Sudan, he enjoyed huge havens in Kit valley, 22km south of Juba. He had a big camp at Lubangatek bin Rwoth until 2002 when we took him on. He had gardens just like in Congo. In Lubangtek, he was more developed because he had an improvised primary and cadet school. After Kit valley, he went into Ketele valley, then Imatong Mountains. He has always enjoyed such safe havens. When we routed him out of Uganda in 2004, he did not have anywhere to hide. He kept in South Sudan until the SPLA took over Juba. We worked with them and closed his safe havens. His supporters relocated him to Garamba, which was his remaining safe haven. Now that we have taken it on, I don't know whether Kony will find another safe haven. Even if he did, Kony knows we can get him anywhere, especially when we work with other African leaders. So, he has three scenarios: come out of the hideout and fight, surrender, or look for another safe haven far away from the DRC. Of course, we shall go and hunt him down. But I doubt he will find a big safe haven like he had in Garamba for these two years. But critics say the military operation was undermined since Kony and his commanders have not been captured or killed. The criticism is misplaced. They are hurrying into conclusions. It is also wishful thinking. Phase one of the operation involved air strikes and ground forces moving in. But because of great distances and lack of roads we moved slowly. We are talking about an area almost the size of Burundi, with no infrastructure whatsoever. It's not so much about dead bodies. The military equipment we got is far more important because as a soldier or fighter with no weapon, how do you fight? In the coming days, Kony will come out for a fight and those looking for dead bodies will get them. He could also try to run but we will run after him. We are also looking to rescue children and women held hostage. We plan to dominate Garamba, so any person hiding there will surrender, fight, die or be captured. What exactly has been the role of the Congo and SPLA forces in this operation? The Congolese gave us bases like Dungu and Isiro, even if they did not go into combat. It exhibits huge political will. They also blocked Kony from retreating further south into the DR Congo. We are talking about sealing the road between Faradje and Dungu, which the LRA shouldn't cross. This will keep them in an area where we will catch up with them. Congo cooperated well; we are satisfied. They are still in it for the 30 days agreed on. SPLA is using their bases of Yambio, Nzara and Torit. Their role is to seal their borderline with the DRC and to secure the road from Yei. We are satisfied about the two countries' roles, which I was coordinating on behalf of our President. Do you believe that Kony received advance intelligence about the operation and sneaked away? No one can say with certainty that Kony withdrew. In any attack, there is no guarantee that you will shoot the enemy. But Kony was struck. Whether he is dead or not we will prove it. I saw Red Pepper talking about a Brigadier being under house arrest. That is just absolute rubbish and gossip. What we know is that we launched an offensive on Kony, he may have run but we will catch up with him. If Kony sneaks into the Central African Republic (CAR), would the UPDF go after him? Initially, we will do diplomatic work. Uganda, Congo and Sudan will again work together to inform their counterpart in Bangui that they need to cooperate so that these characters don't find yet another safe heaven. QUESTION: Any negotiations in that respect? Not yet, but I remember in 2007, the President of the CAR visited us and President Museveni raised this issue with him. We had intelligence at that time that Kony had been abducting people in Obbo, a town in the eastern part of CAR near South Sudan. So, the CAR president is aware. What is your message to the people of Acholi who are anxious about Kony causing trouble? That they don't go with the propaganda that wants to deny them a festive season. Let them enjoy the festive season. Our cause is to secure all Ugandans wherever they are. Of course, it was Khartoum that continued supporting LRA, otherwise we would have defeated them long ago. When they stopped because of Juba being under the South Sudan government, they were no more. Some people couldn't leave internally displaced persons' camps because Kony had not surrendered, signed up, or been killed. I would like to assure them that Kony can't come back and even if he did, we will fight him and kill him. Kony had to leave northern Uganda and South Sudan for Garamba to survive. Those political elements may not know that but Kony knows it. For the UPDF, what does this operation mean in terms of professionalism and modernisation? It is excellent. We have always operated in combined arms but mainly inside our country. Crossing over into a neighbouring country and operate in combined arms was a success and a test passed. The capacity to fly out of Uganda into the spaces of DRC and striking the enemy was a litmus test of professionalism and modernisation. The soldiers are well trained, have the stamina and morale. They will stand up to this like they are doing in Somalia. You recovered arms in the pounded rebel camps in the DR Congo. Who is arming the LRA this time round? We don't have intelligence to point at a country X or Y. But one wonders whether the old friends washed their hands clean. I can't prove that. But studying what we captured will tell it all. It is also possible he was disarming people in the CAR. He also raided South Sudanese soldiers and there are hunters in Garamba. He could have picked guns here and there. But we can't rule out supplies from his old friends. Copyright © 2008 New Vision. All rights reserved. Distributed by AllAfrica Global Media (allAfrica.com). =============================================================================== [Click_to_learn_more...] [Quantcast]