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Subject: War; MP Wants Museveni to Quit


War; MP Wants Museveni to Quit


    
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The Monitor (Kampala)

November 14, 2003 
Posted to the web November 14, 2003 

Emma Mutaizibwa & Elias Biryabarema
Parliament 

An outspoken lawmaker has called for President Yoweri Museveni's resignation for failure to end the insurgency in northern Uganda.

"If you are President for 17 years, it is morally right for you to resign if you can't stop the deaths of your citizens," Rukiga MP Jack Sabiiti said in Parliament yesterday.

The MP said that it is morally indefensible for Mr Museveni to continue as Uganda's leader while the rebel Lord's Resistance Army continues to sow mayhem in northern, and now parts of eastern, Uganda.

Sabiiti was debating the humanitarian situation in northern Uganda. The Minister of Disaster Preparedness and Refugees, Lt. Gen. Moses Ali, had just read to Parliament a statement on the humanitarian situation in northern Uganda.

Ali painted a grim picture, saying 312,780 people are displaced in Soroti, Lira and Keberamaido districts.

"On 2nd October 2003, the LRA rebels began yet a higher level of brutality on civilians in Kaberamaido and Lira districts shooting and hacking to death scores of civilians, setting on fire hutsand forcing villagers to behead their colleagues," Ali, who also is the first deputy premier, said.

In civilised societies, Sabiiti said, the magnitude of the conflict would force a President to resign.

Ali's report stated that insecurity has made it difficult for humanitarian assistance to reach people in the camps for the internally displaced.

MPs pressed hard for government to declare the war-torn parts of the country a disaster area, which would help the nation draw focus of the international community and hence facilitate the end of the conflict.

Mr Emmanuel Dombo (Bunyole) said that the military solution had failed to get rid of Kony.

"The situation in northern Uganda is beyond government," Dombo said.

Any more defensive arguments from government, Dombo said, risked portraying it as keeping "a conspiracy of silence".

Mr Omodi Okot (Kole) said that it might not be true that all atrocities being committed in Teso are done by the LRA.

"There must be some elements who are punishing our people in the name of LRA." MPs Latif Ssebagala (Kawempe North) and Steven Bamwanga (Ndorwa West) accused the government of continuing a militaristic approach and refusing to declare a disaster area.



But the Presidential Press Assistant, Mr Onapito Ekomoloit, scoffed at those proposing the President's resignation.

"If there is anybody who should resign, it should be those who support terrorism," Onapito said. "I would like to clearly state that there is no Ugandan who is committed more than the President to end the war in the north."

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