Government of Uganda and Representatives of ADF-NALU Met Under the Auspices of MONUC

11 Aug 2009

Government of Uganda and Representatives of ADF-NALU Met Under the Auspices of MONUC

Kisangani, 6 August 2009 - Delegations of the Government of Uganda (GOU), led by the Head of Political Affairs of the Ugandan Embassy in Kinshasa, Mr. Steven Muhumuza, and of the ADF-NALU, led by Mr. Lukwago Mwana, Military Chief-of-Staff, met on 5 and 6 August 2009 in Kisangani under the auspices of the United Nations Organisation Mission in the Democratic Public of the Congo (MONUC), to discuss ways and means to find a peaceful solution to the conflict between the ADF-NALU and the Government of Uganda.

The Chairperson of the Ugandan Amnesty Commission, Justice Onega, explained that the Ugandan Amnesty Law continues to apply to all combatants willing to renounce rebellion and outlined the conditions for demobilization, repatriation and reintegration (DDR) of combatants. The participants were also briefed by a representative of the Government of the Democratic Republic of the Congo on the National Programme for Disarmament, Demobilization and Reintegration (PNDDR), who underlined that Congolese combatants can still register until mid-September if they want to benefit from the PNDDR .

The delegations of the Government of Uganda and ADF-NALU expressed their willingness to seek a peaceful solution to the conflict with the facilitation of the United Nations. The ADF-NALU delegation presented, on behalf of the overall leadership of the movement, a list of initial demands related to their Ugandan and Congolese combatants as well as the war-wounded and dependents. The delegation of ADF-NALU informed the meeting that the movement intends to engage in broad consultations with all its members on the proposals put forward during the meeting in August.

Both delegations decided to meet again shortly under the auspices of MONUC on 18-20 August 2009 in Kisangani.