EX-WES governor urges removal of Ugandan rebels from South Sudan

By Rev. Elias Gaaniko

Feb 26, 2007 (NAIROBI) — The former governor of Western Equatoria State has urged the removal of Ugandan rebels from Southern Sudan. He further disclosed his initial opposition to host the LRA rebels inside Sudanese territories.

In a recent interview with Sudan Peace Foundation (SPF), Col. Patrick Raphael Zamoi, the former Governor of Western Equatoria State (WES) called upon the LRA forces to stop terrorizing and looting innocent natives of Southern Sudan. The former Governor further urged the LRA to quit WES and for the GOSS to do what is necessary to protect citizens of Southern Sudan.

Zamoi praised the call by both Sudanese president and First Vice president to remove the Ugandan rebels from the area. He also requested WES communities to respect the Decision of Juba government when it decided to mediate between Kampala and LRA rebels.

Rev. Elias Gaaniko from SPF News interviewed the former Governor in Nairobi following the recent news of LRA movement and lootings in Western Equatoria State (WES). The following are some abstracts from the interview:

AGAINST FROM THE BEGINNING

Elias Gaaniko: Col Patrick, you are the former Governor of WES until September 2006, what do you say about the recent news of LRA lootings in the Western Equatoria ?

Col. Patrick Zamoi: In actual fact right from the beginning I was not in favor of welcoming the LRA in South Sudan as whole or in Western & Eastern Equatoria in particular. Knowing the philosophy of this lawless group called the LRA, I was very certain of the fact that when the GOSS decided to host the negotiation. It was just a matter of time for the LRA to prove that they are not honest and serious about any peace negotiation with Ugandan Government. I knew that sooner or later the GOSS will discover the real motives of the LRA, which is to buy time while the negotiations is going on, such that they can strengthen their positions.

Elias Gaaniko: Mr Zamoi, why do you call for the flush out of the LRA from Southern Sudan, while they claim to be a rebel movement fighting for a just cause, just like SPLA, in which are an officer. Bearing in mind that the SPLA/SPLM was fighting for a just cause, how do you refuse the LRA, the right to achieve their goals?

Col. Patrick Zamoi: First of all the SLPA/SPLM, did not wage the war against the then Government of Sudan from a different country, we used to fight the government from within the Sudan.
Secondly the nature of crimes that have been committed by the LRA forces in Sudan and Uganda mainly slaughtering and decapitating bodies of victims who are mainly innocent people, women and children shows their lack of a real political vision. And this is honestly crimes against humanity, which does not deserve any compromise.

During my tenure of office as Governor of WES, between October 2005 – June 2006, I actually made recommendation to GOSS whereby I explained my views that, Southern Sudan should not be save heaven to the LRA.

As a Military Man and former Gorilla fighter with the SPLA/M I believe that, the way the LRA kill innocent civilians in such a brutal manner, shows that they have no clear cut vision, which may lead to the peaceful coexistence in our Sister Nation Uganda as well as the region in general.

Now as you can see, even after the GOSS offered to mediate between the LRA and Ugandan Government, they did not stop looting, harassing and killing innocent civilians. A good example is the recent news of looting and killings in Eastern and Western Equatoria States . The LRA further went to extent of rejecting GOSS mediation.

WAY TO DEAL WITH THE LRA

Elias Gaaniko: OK, what do you think is the way forward for dealing with the LRA?

Col. Patrick Zamoi: In fact I was very pleased when I recently read the positive statements from H.E. Lt Gen. Salva Kiir the First-Vice President of the Republic and President of Government of Southern Sudan, and also from the President of the Republic, Field Marshal Omar El Bashir, during the second anniversary of the CPA and subsequently. I was very glad that both leaders have called for forcing the LRA out of the Sudan territory. I want to take this opportunity to commend the two Leaders for this courageous and wise decision. President Kiir recent call for a popular uprising against the LRA was the right thing to do at the right time.

I also believe beyond reasonable doubt that, H.E. President Musaveni, the President of Uganda concurs with me in this respect, because he has been systematically calling for the military action against these Terrorist Group. We also need to remember that fact that the International Criminal Court and the UN Security Council both recommended that the LRA perpetrators of War Crimes should be indicted to The Hague.

Elias Gaaniko: Col. Zamoi, but why are you supporting the handling of the LRA issue through barrel of gun rather than peaceful negotiation, meanwhile so may human right activists and political observers affirmed that the SPLA/M during their campaign against the Khartoum Government have also committed violations of human rights and the like?

Col. Patrick Zamoi: During the 22 year of war there was a very clear standing order form our Late Hero Dr. John Garang De Mabior, Chairman and Commander in Chief of the SPLA/M about the killing of innocent civilian. Those who kill and rape innocent people were severely punished. The killing of innocent people was unacceptable and sends the wrong message. In fact, after the peace agreement the SPLA further handed over hundreds of prisoners of war through the Red Cross, which is a president that never happened in gorilla warfare. It is only the SPLA/M who has registered this jurisprudence. This also means the SPLA has respected the Geneva Convention to a high degree.

The question to ask here; is there any Ugandan Army soldiers as prisoners of war with the LRA? I think not. I am sure most were killed and decapitated. Even here in South Sudan, the LRA has killed many SPLA soldier and decapitated them. What a hell? I remember the same happened in WES to the extent they did not give us any other option but to recommend to the GOSS to fight the LRA and hunt them down.

In fact when the GOSS decided to mediate between the LRA and Uganda, I urged the communities to respect the decision of the Government of Southern Sudan (GOSS). However, the issue here is that when a stranger comes to your house and you welcome him/her, and the same stranger turns against you and want to kill and loot your property. What will you do? And is this how you pay back those who do well to you?

I am now glad to hear President Kiir’s commendable decision calling for removal of LRA. We have given them the chance for peaceful negotiation and they did not take it seriously. We also know that the Kenyan and Southern African have both declined to mediate between the LRA and Ugandan Government and in this respect I would to salute a mature decision taken by the H.E President Mwai Kibaki, the President of the republic of Kenya . So let LRA finish their war or peace talk somewhere else but Sudan.

Elias Gaaniko: Thank you Mr. Governor.

Col. Zamoi: Thank You

(ST)