Ugandans welcome rebel overture

Ugandan Interior Minister Ruhakana Rugunda has welcomed a call for peace talks by the deputy commander of the rebel Lord's Resistance Army.
He said that if the overture was serious it was a welcome development.

"The government will seize any opportunity to bring the suffering of people in northern Uganda to an end," he told the BBC.

The LRA has fought for 19 years. Peace talks were attempted a year ago, but broke down.

"The government is waiting and the government will be ready to meet a delegation of the Lords Resistance Army anytime. So the government is ready," he said.

On Tuesday, LRA deputy commander Vincent Otti told the BBC's reporter in Uganda, Will Ross, on a satellite phone that the LRA was ready to talk.

He said he was speaking with the backing of rebel commander Joseph Kony.

He addedd that he would also be willing to go to the international court to face justice, adding that in his view, the government should also face justice for crimes committed in northern Uganda.

Mr Rugunda said the government would cooperate with the ICC.

Atrocities

Uganda's Anglican Archbishop, Henry Luke Orombi, also welcomed the development.

"Until we sit down and talk with each other and agree, it's not going to be an easy way for us to resolve the northern problem," he told the BBC.

Along with others, these two LRA commanders are wanted by the International Criminal Court based in The Hague for war crimes and crimes against humanity.


The LRA has carried out terrible atrocities for the past 19 years, and the civilians have suffered the most.

They are well known for abducting children and forcing them to fight.

Peace talks have been attempted in the past, but with little success, with observers accusing both the rebels and the government of not being committed to the talks.

Our reporter says that President Yoweri Museveni has put more emphasis on a military approach to ending the war, and the rebels have been weakened.

However, the LRA continues to carry out ambushes and close to 1.5 million people have been displaced and are living in camps due to the ongoing insecurity.

This latest call from the LRA is likely to be welcomed by people in northern Uganda who hold on to any glimmer of hope of the war ending.


Story from BBC NEWS:
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Published: 2005/11/30 15:11:22 GMT

© BBC MMV

Ugandan rebel urges peace talks

By Will Ross
BBC News, Kampala

A senior commander of the Ugandan rebel group, the Lord's Resistance Army (LRA), has called for peace talks with the Ugandan government.
LRA deputy commander Vincent Otti also said he would be willing to go to the international court to face justice.

He added that in his view, the government should also face justice for crimes committed in northern Uganda.

The LRA has fought in northern Uganda and Sudan for 19 years, abducting children and forcing them to fight.

Peace talks were attempted a year ago, but broke down.

Atrocities

Mr Otti called the BBC on a satellite phone and said that the LRA was ready to talk.

"I am Lieutenant-General Vincent Otti and want this talk with the government of Uganda to end the rebellion, because now we fought for 20 years, we are ready for this talk from today," he said.

He called on the government to respond to the request for peace talks, and said he was speaking with the backing of rebel commander Joseph Kony.


Along with others, these two LRA commanders are wanted by the International Criminal Court based in The Hague for war crimes and crimes against humanity.

The LRA has carried out terrible atrocities for the past 19 years, and the civilians have suffered the most.

Peace talks have been attempted in the past, but with little success, with observers accusing both the rebels and the government of not being committed to the talks.

President Yoweri Museveni has put more emphasis on a military approach to ending the war, and the rebels have been weakened.

However, the LRA continues to carry out ambushes and close to 1.5 million people have been displaced and are living in camps due to the ongoing insecurity.

Since the latest attempt to hold peace talks broke down a year ago, there has been little hope of a negotiated end to the war.

This latest call from the LRA is likely to be welcomed by people in northern Uganda who hold on to any glimmer of hope of the war ending.

Story from BBC NEWS:
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Published: 2005/11/29 20:22:02 GMT

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Museveni defends rival's arrest

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Ugandan President Yoweri Museveni has defended the arrest of the country's main opposition leader ahead of next year's presidential election. Kizza Besigye has been charged with treason and terrorism. Supporters say the charges are politically motivated.

The issue is threatening to overshadow the Commonwealth summit in Malta.

UK PM Tony Blair said the arrest was of "great concern", but Mr Museveni said taking action against those accused of terrorism was good governance.

Dr Besigye's wife, Winnie Byanyima, said the military tribunal that had ruled that he should spend four weeks in custody was a "kangaroo court".

She has urged Commonwealth leaders to press Mr Museveni to release her husband.


HAVE YOUR SAY
Our leaders are stunting the baby we have been esteeming to have in 2006
Patrick Kiyemba, Kampala
But Uganda's leader said the proceedings against Dr Besigye were part of an "open process".
"Nobody is going to stop Besigye standing for election, but there's also the question of the wrong actions he is alleged to be involved in," Mr Museveni said on the opening day of the Commonwealth conference.

"One of the emphases of the new democratic order is no impunity."

He told reporters that Uganda was still well qualified to host the next Commonwealth summit in 2007.

But Mr Blair said he would "no doubt" be raising the issue of Dr Besigye's arrest with Mr Museveni before the current conference ends on Sunday.

"It's one of the basic principles of the Commonwealth that there should be proper respect for the proper functioning of democracy, and therefore what has been happening with the opposition leader in Uganda has caused us a great deal of concern," he said.

Although concerns over human rights in member state Uganda are likely to dominate the summit, the Commonwealth leaders will also work on a declaration about trade reform.

Bail denied

Dr Besigye appeared in court twice on Friday, first at a military tribunal and then in the High Court.

He denies allegations of links to rebel groups, which have led to military charges of terrorism and unlawful possession of weapons, and civilian charges of treason. He has also been charged with rape.


KIZZA BESIGYE
Used to be Museveni's doctor
March 2001: Ran against Museveni
August 2001: Went into exile
Oct 2005: Returned home
Nov 2005: Charged with treason, rape in High Court
Nov 2005: Charged with terrorism and unlawful possession of weapons in military court

At the military tribunal, he was denied bail and told he must remain in prison until the court martial on 19 December.
This is a few days after the date that nominations close for presidential candidates, although the electoral commission says a candidate does not have to be physically present to be nominated.

Later on Friday, the High Court judge granted him bail but this ruling is academic and he remained in prison on the military charges.

While being transferred between two courts, Dr Besigye said: "I'm quite fine. I'm in prison but my issues are not imprisoned."

Dr Besigye's arrest earlier this month, which was condemned by the US, sparked two days of riots.

Mr Museveni has been praised for raising living standards in Uganda after years of misrule.

But this year, the UK and other donors withheld some aid in protest at moves to change the constitution and allow him to seek a third term.

Published: 2005/11/25 23:07:44 GMT

© BBC MMV

Uganda: Political Repression Accelerates

(New York, November 23, 2005) The Ugandan government should
reverse its ban on speech and demonstrations linked to the trial of the
main opposition candidate for president, Dr. Kizza Besigye, and end
its intimidation of the courts, Human Rights Watch said today. The
government issued the ban on speech and demonstrations on
November 22 following criticism of the security forces' interference in
a hearing related to the Besigye case.

"In an eight-day span, the Ugandan government has seriously damaged
its human rights reputation by riding roughshod over the rights of
political opponents and the courts," said Jemera Rone, Uganda
researcher at Human Rights Watch. "The government has arrested the
main presidential opponent, used commandos to intimidate the
judiciary and banned all public protests, radio discussions and even
posters on the subject."

Besigye, a former presidential contender, went into a four-year exile in
South Africa after he lost the 2001 election. He was arrested on
treason and rape charges on November 14, three weeks after he
returned to Uganda to run against President Yoweri Museveni in the
March 2006 presidential race as the candidate of the opposition Forum
for Democratic Change (FDC). Following Bisegye's arrest, there were
several demonstrations in the streets of Kampala. The government
responded with teargas; one person was killed.

On November 16, the government sent 30 heavily armed commandos
in black t-shirts to intimidate a judicial hearing on a bail petition by 14
of the 22 Besigye co-defendants. The defendants, judicial personnel,
journalists, relatives and foreign diplomats observing the proceeding
were in effect held hostage as commandos occupied the courtroom in
an effort to apprehend the defendants should they be released on bail.
The Principal Judge of Uganda, Justice James Ogoola, called this
action "unprecedented" and a "day of infamy."

"One of Uganda's chief judges has denounced the government's
attempt to intimidate the judiciary with state security and military
forces," said Rone. "The government should investigate those
responsible and prosecute them for this violation of the right to a fair
trial and the independence of the judiciary."

As a result of this show of force inside the courthouse, the 14
defendants, although granted bail, refused to accept it, fearing they
would be immediately arrested and held incommunicado in military
barracks. They instead were returned to Luzira Prison. The presiding
judge in the case stepped down.

On November 18, the government responded to the principal judge's
sharp criticism of its actions in the Besigye case by banning
demonstrations anywhere in Uganda on any matter before the courts,
saying they would "interfere" with fair trial rights. The ban, issued on
November 22, preceded a much-awaited bail hearing for Dr. Besigye
himself, set for November 24. The oppressive order has been extended
to apply to all discussions of the controversial case, including radio
talk shows and seminars. Opposition activists trying to hang posters
have been arrested and the posters, denouncing the trial, have been
confiscated.

"If the government cared so much about fair trial rights, it would never
have sent armed men into the courthouse last week to intimidate the
judge and the defendants," Rone said.

The "men in black" reportedly belong to a new unit of the Joint Anti-
Terrorism Task Force which has worked closely with the U.S.
government on counterterrorism matters in the past.

"The U.S. government should cut all relations with the Ugandan
police, military and security personnel who participated in the
outrageous assault on the court," Rone said. "Intimidation of judges
and defendants cannot be tolerated."

Museveni, who has been Uganda's president ever since he came to
power as a rebel leader in 1986, is running for his third term as
president, after Parliament amended the constitution in mid-2005 to lift
the limit of two presidential terms. Besigye, who was Museveni's
personal doctor as well as a rebel and then an officer in the new
government army that Museveni founded, ran against Museveni in the
last presidential elections in 2001, which were marred by violence.
Museveni won, and Besigye garnered 26 percent of the vote.

"Opposition supporters in Uganda have a right to peacefully protest
any aspect of the judicial proceedings," said Rone. "They also have the
right to demonstrate in support of their presidential candidate's
freedom."

To view this document on the Human Rights Watch web site, please
visit: http://hrw.org/english/docs/2005/11/24/uganda12089.htm

Ugandan judge's fury at military

Posted by BBC Newsworld
November 18 2005

A top Ugandan judge has launched scathing attacks on the military after commandos turned up at a court hearing for opposition activists.
Head of the High Court Judge James Ogoola said the episode was "dastardly" and a naked attack on the rule of law.

The arrest of opposition leader Kizza Besigye and 22 others has led to high tension and two days of riots.

Dr Besigye is seen as the strongest challenger to President Yoweri Museveni in elections due early next year.

Persecution

The United States has condemned the arrest of Dr Besigye and the riots and has urged Uganda to ensure a quick and speedy trial, which does not affect the elections.


KIZZA BESIGYE
Used to be Museveni's doctor
March 2001: Ran against Museveni
August 2001: Went into exile
Oct 2005: Returned home
Nov 2005: Charged with treason, rape


Earlier this year, the United Kingdom and other donors withheld some aid to Uganda after the constitution was amended to allow Mr Museveni to run for a third term.

Mr Museveni has been praised for turning Uganda round after years of misrule under former leader Idi Amin.

Meanwhile, the BBC has learnt that the UK turned down a request for political asylum from Dr Besigye earlier this year.

He made the request from South Africa, where he was in exile after fleeing Uganda and was supported by United Nations officials, who said he had a well-founded fear of persecution.

The UK government said it could not comment on individual cases.

Idi Amin

Mr Ogoola said those responsible for the "despicable" appearance of the 30 armed men in black T-shirts should be tracked down.

"The High Court witnessed the most naked and grotesque violation of the twin doctrines of the rule of law and the independence of the judiciary," he said.


The judge said the High Court had not witnessed such scenes since the days when Idi Amin had been president and the chief justice had been abducted from the same court.
The 14 treason suspects had been granted bail but when they saw the commandos waiting for them, they opted to remain in custody.

The Ugandan military has defended the deployment of the armed men at the court saying they were there to re-arrest them fearing they would skip bail if they were released.

Court martial
On Friday, the 14 suspects and four others were taken to a military court on terrorism and weapons charges.

The lawyer representing the 18 men said they refused to speak at the court martial saying they intend to challenge the jurisdiction and constitutionality of the court. They are now back in prison.


Military spokesman Maj Felix Kulayigye said that under a Ugandan army act of 1996 any person found in illegal possession of guns or ammunition normally reserved for the army would be treated like a soldier and so can be tried under a court martial.
Maj Kulayigye refused to say whether Dr Besigye, a retired colonel, could also face military charges.

Officials say the court martial will only start after the end of the civil trial.

The ruling National Resistance Movement is expected to officially nominate Mr Museveni as its candidate later over the weekend.

Dr Besigye's wife Winnie Banyima, a former MP, told the BBC she thought the charges against her husband were "trumped up".

Once Mr Museveni's doctor, Dr Besigye ran against the president in 2001 before fleeing after the elections, saying his life was in danger.

Dr Besigye returned from four years of exile last month to large crowds of cheering supporters.

If found guilty of treason, he and 22 co-accused could face the death penalty.

Dr Besigye has previously denied allegations that he is linked to rebel groups.

He was also charged with rape dating from 1997, allegedly involving the daughter of a friend.


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Uganda: Opposition Leader Arrested

(New York, November 14, 2005) ? Uganda's leading opposition
politician and presidential candidate, Dr. Kiiza Besigye, should be
promptly granted bail and provided with a fair trial, Human Rights
Watch said today.

Besigye was arrested in Kampala on Monday on capital charges:
treason for his alleged ties to Ugandan rebel groups and rape for an
incident that allegedly occurred in 1997.

As the leader of the opposition Forum for Democratic Change,
Besigye is widely believed to pose the greatest challenge to the re-
election of President Yoweri Museveni in elections scheduled for
March. Three weeks ago, Besigye returned to Uganda after four years
in exile in South Africa. In Kampala as well as northern and western
Uganda, he was greeted by enthusiastic crowds.

"It's up to the Uganda government to demonstrate that Besigye's arrest
is not politically motivated," said Jemera Rone, Uganda researcher at
Human Rights Watch. "If the government denies him bail, it will
reinforce the perception that it has pressed capital charges against him
to prevent him from campaigning for president."

Uganda's harsh law on bail provides that suspects preliminarily
charged with a capital offense may be held in detention for 360 days
before they are entitled to bail. These provisions are inconsistent with
Uganda's obligations under the International Covenant on Civil and
Political Rights, which states, "It shall not be the general rule that
persons awaiting trial shall be detained in custody, but release may be
subject to guarantees to appear for trial."

"The principle of innocent until proven guilty is of vital importance in
this politically charged environment," said Rone. "The security
services must respect the right of Ugandans to protest this arrest."

Human Rights Watch called on the Ugandan authorities to exercise
restraint in dealing with the people protesting Kiiza Besigye's arrest. It
also called on the political parties and other supporters of Besigye to
do all they can to prevent acts of violence by those protesting the
arrest.

To view this document on the Human Rights Watch web site, please
visit: http://hrw.org/english/docs/2005/11/15/uganda12022.htm