Shortly after the government of Uganda issued its statement in response to the international court ruling on the case of the Uganda Vs Democratic Republic of Congo. The national Unity Platform leader Robert Kyagulanyi Ssentamu alias Bobi wine has similarly issued a statement in response to the international ruling. Below are the details of his response.
STATEMENT ON THE DECISION OF THE INTERNATIONAL COURT OF JUSTICE IN THE DRC versus UGANDA CASE
Yesterday, the International Court of Justice (ICJ) sitting in The Hague handed down its decision on reparations regarding the Armed Conflicts on the Territory of the Democratic Republic of Congo. In total, Uganda was ordered to pay USD 325.000,000 over the period of five years in reparations to the DRC.
It will be recalled that between August 1998 and 1999, Ugandan troops under Gen. Yoweri Museveni invaded the territory of the Democratic Republic of Congo and committed grave atrocities against the people and resources of that country.
In 2005, the Court found that Uganda was responsible for between 10,000 and 15,000 deaths of mostly civilians. Court also found that Uganda engaged in other atrocities including rape and sexual violence, recruitment and deployment of child soldiers, and displacement of populations. The Court stated that Uganda “committed acts of killing, torture and other forms of inhumane treatment of the Congolese civilian population, destroyed villages and civilian buildings, failed to distinguish between civilian and military targets and to protect the civilian population in fighting with other combatants, trained child soldiers, incited ethnic conflict and failed to take measures to put an end to such conflict.”
Further, the Court established that Uganda was responsible for the plundering of DRC’s natural resources as well as damage to property. According to the Court, “Officers and soldiers of the UPDF, including the most high-ranking officers, [had been] involved in the looting, plundering and exploitation of the DRC’s natural resources and that the military authorities [had] not take any measures to put an end to these acts.”
We have no reason to disagree with the findings and orders of the Court. It will be noted that this continues to be Gen. Museveni’s behavior both at home and abroad. He simply needs to be stopped. The more he stays in power illegally and against the will of the people of Uganda, he will continue to commit such crimes on the populations in Uganda and the neighboring countries.
It is most unfortunate that the violations and plunder mentioned in the judgment were committed by a few military officers on the orders of Gen. Museveni, and now it is the people of Uganda who have to shoulder the burden of paying reparations to such a magnitude. We extend sympathies to the people of the DRC, especially those who lost loved ones.
The National Unity Platform pledges its commitment to adherence to the rule of law at home and compliance with Uganda’s international legal and human rights obligations. Kyagulanyi Ssentamu Robert President
10th February 2022