Dominic Ongwen Surrender; Opportunity to end Kony Insurgency

by Valerian Kkonde

PEARL NEWS SERVICE

Dominic Ongwen

The chairman of the Uganda Episcopal Conference, Archbishop John Baptist Odama, has referred to the surrender of Dominic Ongwen as an opportunity to end war in Northern Uganda, South Sudan and the Central African Republic.

His Grace Odama, who is also the Archbishop of Gulu, made these remarks during the General Assembly for the Association of Catholic Communication Practitioners in Uganda (ACCPU) on Wednesday, January 27, 2016 at the Catholic Secretariat in Nsambya- Kampala. He said that for this to be realised Ongwen has to be engaged in the process of bringing about peace in the North.

“I knew Ongwen when I visited their bases, at least five times, to let the process of peace go through. But it did not.

“When he came out of the bush, his first statement was that he asks to be forgiven. Some of the people, who captured him while he was a boy, are enjoying amnesty, why not him?”

Archbishop Odama has always been at the fore front of bringing peace in Northern Uganda. He was the face of the peace talks aimed at ending the Kony insurgency that has devastated Northern Uganda and neighbouring countries for over three decades now.

Currently, Dominic Ongwen is facing trial at the Hague-based International Criminal Court. He faces charges of War Crimes, and Crimes against Humanity. He surrendered to the US forces in the Central African Republic on January 7, 2015 and then handed over to the Ugandan authorities.

“Ongwen was very close to Kony. Others are tuning in to follow what happens to him. It is up to us to send a message to them that if they come out they will be forgiven.

“The people in the North are not interested in revamping the war. All they want is that the issue is treated fairly and transparently.”

On the pending presidential and parliamentary elections to be held on February 18, 2016, Archbishop Odama pointed out that there is great concern about the state of the country.  He added that while elections are important, no one has an idea whether they will be free, fair or peaceful.

“Unless we are firm on what we want the country to be, we are likely to see violence. Parties have their own militias: the other time I saw an FDC Mamba, there are the Crime Preventers and slogans like, either I win or you lose!

“If all the eight candidates come up with such, Uganda will not be enough to be torn into pieces.

“My message to all people is that we want peace in Uganda. Let all of us play our role for peaceful elections. Anyone going to cause violence must be accountable for any loss of life and property. We need to raise the voice of those who say we want peace in Uganda.”

Uganda’s post Independence era has been characterised by violence and civil wars. That Uganda has had nine regimes since 1962 but has never witnessed a peaceful change of government ably sums up the country’s predicament.

It is also worth noting that as the country draws near to the voting day, many Ugandans continue to express disappointment and dissatisfaction with the Electoral Commission. Many maintain that the Commission cannot organise free and fair elections accusing it of working to please and galvanise president Museveni in State House, and not following the law.

In 2006 the Supreme Court faulted the same Commission for not being up to the task of organizing elections, and pointed out that the Chairman engineer Badru Kiggundu was incompetent. The law requires the Commission chairman to be at the rank of a Supreme Court judge which Badru Kiggundu does not merit.

Maureen Kyalya Walube is the only woman vying for the presidency. The other candidates are Dr. Kizza Besigye, Abed Bwanika, John Patrick Amama Mbabazi, Major Benon Biraro, Elton Mabiriizi and Venansio Baryamureeba. The incumbent, Yoweri Museveni, who has been in power for the last thirty years, is also in the race.