Uganda Peoples Congress
National Secretariat
Plot 8-10 Kampala Road, Uganda House,
P. O. Box 9206, Kampala
phone/Fax:+256-41-236748

Taylor's Trial

06 June 2007

TAYLOR'S TRIAL IS A RED WARNING LIGHT TO NRM LEADERS

(Embargoed for release at 11.00 am, June 6, 2007 )

1. The Uganda Peoples Congress welcomes the trial of the former Liberian President Mr. Charles Taylor. He is the first African Leader to stand trial at the special tribunal of the International Court in Hague the Netherlands. He is charged with war crimes, crimes against humanity, looting and plundering of his country plus a neighboring country. His trial is presided over by a Ugandan Judge, Justice Julia Sebbutinde.
2. This trial comes at a time when the International Criminal Court is investigating war crimes in Sudan's Darfur region, the Democratic Republic of Congo where rebel leader Thomas Lubanga is being held in the Hague and has had leaders of LRA charged with war crimes and crimes against humanity. In Uganda, the government of President Museveni and rebels of the Lords Resistance Army are locked up in Juba in peace talks. They are discussing the critical issues of accountability and reconciliation which involve taking responsibility for war crimes and crimes against humanity committed during the Northern Uganda 20 year conflict.
3. UPC takes these international developments seriously. The trial of Charles Taylor is particularly relevant to Uganda because our past and present leaders have been accused of similar crimes committed in;
1. Luwero Triangle/Central Uganda
2. Northern Uganda
3. Eastern Uganda
4. Western Uganda
4. Our leaders, especially the current ones have also been accused of
1. The mismanagement and plunder of Uganda's economy and its resources.
2. Plundering resources of the Democratic Republic of Congo and other neighboring countries.
5. The Uganda Peoples Congress had long foreseen the Taylor scenarios and in order to avoid it happening to our leaders has since March 2005 advocated for the establishment of an Independent Truth and National Reconciliation Commission with the mandate to;
1. Establish the truth about the acts of human rights violations and impunity committed in our country since October 1962 to date.
2. Qualify and quantify the crimes in terms of war crimes and crimes against humanity
3. Identify perpetrators and victims of such crimes
4. Suggest means of reconciliation, forgiveness and rehabilitation of victims.
6. UPC is disappointed that the government of Uganda has ignored this call yet it is the surest way of saving our leadership from prosecution like is happening to Charles Taylor.
7. UPC again renew its call for the involvement of Opposition Political Parties represented in Parliament and all stakeholders like civil society organizations and others in the Juba peace process since the issue of accountability and reconciliation are national issues and not a preserve of the LRA and government of Uganda.
8. We are renewing our demands that the government of President Museveni establishes a National Truth and Reconciliation Commission now and involve all stake holders in the peace process.

For God and my Country

Peter Mukidi Walubiri

Secretary General, Uganda Peoples Congress