US Congressmen urge Bush to support Ugandan peace talks

July 9, 2007 (WASHINGTON) — US Congressmen have publicly urged President Bush to provide diplomatic support to the ongoing peace talks between the Ugandan government and the rebel LRA to end the 21-year war in northern Uganda, Resolve Uganda, a US based a U.S. based campaign to change American policy toward the crisis, announced today.

17 members of the Senate and 27 members of the House of Representatives signed and sent a letter to the White House, requesting that the President dispatch a senior diplomat to Juba to act in direct support of the negotiations.

“Dispatching a senior U.S. diplomat to the peace talks between the Ugandan Government and the LRA will demonstrate our commitment to bringing peace and stability to the people of northern Uganda,” said Senator Russ Feingold, who led efforts to get support for the letter in the Senate. “A strong U.S. presence will contribute much-needed urgency and legitimacy to these negotiations, which offers a chance to end more than two decades of suffering.”

In particular, the letter to President Bush says that a senior-level U.S. diplomat could better identify strategies to strengthen negotiations. The letter reads: “This individual could convey critical legitimacy on the talks and would provide valuable advice on the ground and information about the U.S. government’s support for the African-led process and our willingness to provide assistance as appropriate.”

John Prendergast, co-founder of ENOUGH, the project to abolish genocide and mass atrocities, emphasized the potential impact this person could have on the negotiation process. “President Museveni needs a peace partner, and Joseph Kony needs to know he won’t be hunted like another Bin Laden,” said Prendergast. “The U.S. is the only country that can do that, but it has to commit one senior diplomat who can work with the peace portfolio full time, traveling throughout the region and working in support of the Juba Process and any direct contact between President Museveni and Kony.”

The letter to President Bush comes after a number of congressional resolutions and public demonstrations requesting greater U.S. engagement of the peace process. “These members of Congress believe that it is a serious mistake for the United States to not be more actively engaged in efforts to end this two-decade conflict,” said Michael Poffenberger, Executive Director of Resolve Uganda. “This letter demonstrates the growing sense, not just in Congress, but in all of America, that our government’s public absence in this process is unacceptable.”

In April, nearly 70,000 Americans participated in an event organized by Invisible Children to draw attention to the displacement disaster in northern Uganda. “There is a growing movement led by the youth of America to not only spread awareness of this conflict, but to generate the pressure necessary for our leaders to help end it,” said Jason Russell, Invisible Children’s Director.

Following the letter’s release, Ambassador to Uganda Steven Browning said that the U.S. government supports the peace talks and has been “in constant, behind-the-scenes contact with people at the table.” Browning further announced that U.S. assistance to northern Uganda would increase this year to over $100 million.

“These efforts fall short of the public engagement needed to bring leverage and trust to the process. The emphasis on private over public involvement evades accountability and feeds suspicion about U.S. intentions,” said Poffenberger.

(ST)