EN Official Journal of the European Union CE 84/646

(2004/C 84 E/0728)

WRITTEN QUESTION P-0646/04

by Mario Mauro (PPE-DE) to the Commission

(26 February 2004)

Subject: Massacre in Lira (northern Uganda)

On Saturday, 21 February 2004, in a refugee camp in Lira, the capital of a district in northern Uganda, a massacre occurred in which at least 220 people were killed. Rebels belonging to the ‘Lord's Resistance Army’ (LRA) set fire to hundreds of huts and fired on unarmed civilians. It is believed that the Uganda military bear a large part of the responsibility thanks to their failure to protect civilians.

Can the Commission state what action it intends to take to put an end to this situation in northern Uganda?

Can it state what role it is playing in democratisation in Uganda?

What is the Commission's present strategy for economic and social development in Uganda?

Answer given by Mr Nielson on behalf of the Commission

(30 March 2004)

The Commission, like other donors represented in Uganda, is deeply disturbed by the alarming humanitarian situation in northern Uganda and in particular by the recent atrocities committed against civilians in Lira district. The ‘Donor Group on Northern Uganda, Amnesty and Recovery from Conflict’, which is chaired by the Head of the Commission Delegation in Uganda, handed over a statement to the Ugandan Parliament on 27 February 2004, in which the attack on the Barlonyo camp by the LRA, was condemned in the strongest terms. The Government of Uganda was urged — once again — to explore all avenues to resolve the conflict in northern Uganda, including creating a climate in which a negotiated solution could be found. The Group also condemned the recent inter-ethnic clashes between Langi and Acholi people, which, if not contained, could lead to a further escalation of an already dramatic situation.

The Commission stresses that it is in the first place the responsibility of the Government and Army of Uganda to protect civilians from the vicious attacks of the Lord's Resistance Army, as well as to ensure that military operations are conducted in accordance with universally recognised principles for the protection of civilians in war zones. However, the Commission also believes that the Government of Uganda should acknowledge the limits of an exclusively military strategy, and to seek other, alternative measures of resolving the conflict. The Donor Group has expressed its willingness to assist in meaningful attempts to find a non-military solution, and the Commission has repeatedly discussed various options with the Presidential Peace Team as well as civil society leaders in Acholiland. Unfortunately, the lack of a clear strategy on the Government side, as well as the absence of a response from the LRA leadership to calls for a negotiated settlement, have thus far thwarted all such efforts.

Nevertheless, the Commission stands ready to provide assistance for the social and economic rehabilitation of northern Uganda, if and when security conditions allow for medium-term interventions. In the meantime, the Commission has provided substantial humanitarian aid to alleviate the suffering of those affected by the conflict. Following a Parliament Resolution of 2003 (1), in which the humanitarian aid office of the European Commission (ECHO) was asked to step up assistance to northern Uganda, ECHO did so, quadrupling its overall funding in 2003 to EUR 8 million. ECHO covered the following number of beneficiaries in various sectors: health and nutrition (883 000), food security (425 000), water and sanitation (1 100 000), non-food items (730 000) and former child soldier rehabilitation (1,400).

In 2004, ECHO is focusing on health and nutrition, food security, water and sanitation, non-food items, as well as protection (land-mine awareness), child-soldier rehabilitation and childhood education in a displaced environment. Support for coordination of humanitarian operators' activities in the affected areas is also a priority.

Concerning the process of democratisation in Uganda, the Commission follows with interest, and with a certain degree of concern, the ongoing constitutional review as well as the political dialogue between the Government of Uganda and a group of opposition parties. These issues are addressed in the political dialogue under Article 8 of the Cotonou Agreement with the Government of Uganda and other relevant political actors with a view to encouraging them to resolve the existing differences through transparent dialogue and negotiation, as well as through free and fair electoral competition.

The Commission's strategy for economic and social development in Uganda is outlined in the Country Strategy Paper jointly developed by the Government of Uganda and the Commission. It is designed to assist in sectors that are considered essential for the future of the country, notably macro-economic support and economic reform, transport and rural development. Assistance in these focal sectors will be complemented by capacity building for governance and civil society.

To increase the poverty eradication impact of donor support, the Commission is working closely with other donors in the framework of the Government's Poverty Eradication Action Plan and the Plan for the Modernisation of Agriculture. Furthermore, the Commission will support Uganda in carrying out negotiations in a regional context on the Economic Partnership Agreements (EPA) as well as in implementing the accompanying trade policy and structural reforms. This includes capacity building in the area of trade policy that, ‘inter alia’, will allow Uganda to take advantage of enhanced market access under the EPA as well as under the ‘Everything but Arms’ (EBA) initiative.

(1) European Parliament Resolution adopted 3.7.2003: http://www3.europarl.eu.int/omk/omnsapir.so/pv2?PRG=DOCPV&APP=PV2&LANGUE=EN&SDOCTA=22&TXTLST=l&POS=l&Type_Doc=RESOL&TPV=DEF&D-ATE=030703&PrgPrev=PRG@TITRE|APP@PV2|TYPEF@TITRE|YEAR@03|Find@%55%67%61%6e%64%61|FILE@BIB-LIO03|PLAGE@l&TYPEF=TITRE&NUMB=l&DATEF=030703