According to Ugandan newspapers, the Uganda Peoples Defense Forces (UPDF), the Sudanese People Liberation Army (SPLA) and Congolese army, with intelligence support from the United Nations peace keeping troops (MONUC) in the Democratic Republic of the Congo (DRC), launched surprise air and ground attacks on the Lord's Resistance Army camps in Garamba.
While Friends for Peace in Africa is not surprised, it is profoundly disappointed at and disturbed by the resumption of hostilities for several reasons:
- The joint attack by the three militaries has effectively terminated the Cessation of Hostilities Agreement and the Agreement on a Permanent Ceasefire, which have for the last two years provided a higher degree of hope for, if not real peace.
- The immediate consequences of the resumption of war, of course, are that innocent victims were put in double jeopardy by the indiscriminate bombs dropped from the air and shelling from afar. The victims include innocent children born in captivity, and previously-kidnapped girls, boys, women and men, and Congolese and Sudanese civilians caught between the opposing forces.
- The resumption of the war has confirmed the fears and concerns of the people in the war-affected areas about the probability of insecurity returning to the area once again.
FPA strongly condemns recent atrocities allegedly committed by the LRA and the attacks on the LRA camps by the joint forces of Uganda, South Sudan and DRC.
To prevent the situation from spinning out of control, FPA strongly urges:
- The LRA, the joint forces of Uganda, South Sudan and DRC and any other military factions in the area, to abide by the Cessation of Hostilities Agreement and the Agreement on a Permanent Ceasefire signed in Juba.
- The LRA in particular to refrain from attacking civilians or their property in retaliation for the military attacks on their camps, except in self defense.
- The joint forces of Uganda, South Sudan and DRC to cease attacking the LRA and to immediately withdraw their forces from the LRA-occupied area.
- The international community, particularly donor countries, to hold the Kampala regime accountable for its continued part in the years of atrocities committed against civilian population and for the war itself.
- The international community not to accept the one-sided view which portrays the LRA as the sole culprit, particularly in this case for using Kony's failure to sign the agreement to justify the resumption of military attacks when President Museveni himself has also not signed it.
- Finally, all peace advocates to earnestly continue and to increase their efforts to achieve peace in the war-affected regions through peaceful dialogues.
| < Prev | Next > |
|---|
