EU Envoy queries whether GOS is selling weapons to the LRA

By Ali Mao, New Vision (Uganda)

KAMPALA, Nov. 20, 2003 — A Belgian member of the European parliament, Johan Van Hecke, has petitioned the UN envoy for children’s affairs, Olara Otunnu, to find out whether the Sudanese government is selling weapons to the Lord’s Resistance Army (LRA) rebels.

In a recent meeting in Rome, Van Hecke proposed to the UN security council to investigate how Joseph Kony’s rebels were getting arms.

“There is strong evidence that the Sudanese government is still supporting the Ugandan rebels.

“Otunnu assured me he would take up the matter for discussion before the security council,” he said.

Hecke said the rebels were suspected of recruiting children into their forces.

“Captives who have managed to escape the hands of brutal killer Joseph Kony told me the Sudanese government has been delivering weapons and food to the rebels since November 2002,” Hecke said.

He said when war affects only African citizens, the world takes a passive position.