Jajja says War is Wasteful: Why is your CV filled with Military Enterprises then?

War is wasteful. You have lost a lot of development time. In 2005 during the interim period, Juba was a very small town near the river. Now it has grown wide. If we had not had this war between 2013 – 2015, there would have been even greater development. Make covenant like the one Israel made with God. No war to solve political arguments between brothers and sisters. Political arguments can be solved by discussions or free and fair elections. It is ideologically incorrect to use war for an argument. Also make sure state institutions are national to build peoples confidence” – Yoweri Kaguta Museveni on the 31st October 2018 at the Peace Celebration in Juba, South Sudan.

I have heard time believe the audacity the Ugandan President had yesterday, the man who has built a career and made sure, everyone knows. It is a reason why the Uganda People’s Defence Force is involved with all sorts of business, aside of warfare. They are parts of NAADs, SACCOs, NEC and so on. Nothing the army doesn’t do. UPDF infuse everywhere and has done so, since the NRA/NRM took power in 1986.

The war-sheet I have made of Museveni is striking and certainly lacks the finer details. But it gives the gist of the peace-maker and peace-loving dude, the farmer of the State House and the all-round Cattle-Keeper are up too. Jajja or Mzee, even Bosco knows this and cannot be that forgetful. Even if he is getting advanced age. He steadily been parts of wars, supported them and even using his force in battlefields as we speak. Therefore, we he calls wars a waste, he has built a career on it. None denying that. If you do. Check his record. Read a few books and get back to me.

Museveni’s Gist Warrior CV:

1979 ( Uganda National Liberation Army) Overthrow President Idi Amin together with President Nyerere and Dr. Milton Obote.

1980-1986 (National Resistance Army) Bush-War against Obote

1986 – 2006 Northern Insurgency and civil-war in Northern Uganda against the Lord Resistance Army (LRA)

1993-1994 UPDF Supports the Rwandan Patriotic Army in the Rwandan Genocide and the overthrow of the Juvénal Habyarimana.

1996-1997 First Congo War – UPDF and RPA invades Democratic Republic of Congo to overthrow Mobutu Sese Seko.

August 1998 – July 2003 Second Congo War – UPDF and RPA assassinate Laurent-Desire Kabila. Joseph Kabila his son takes power after him.

March 2007 – Until Now: UPDF as part of the AMISOM Mission in Somalia

2011 – 2017 African Union Regional Task Force supported by the USA to use UPDF to hunt for the LRA and Kony in the Central African Republic (C.A.R).

2013-2015 UPDF fights in the civil-war in support of South Sudan President Salva Mayardit Kiir.

2017 – Until Now: Deployment and Training of Soldiers in Equatorial Guinea

Side Projects:

Supporting arms to MLC, M23 and other militias within the DRC at various points of time. Kisoro, Mbarara and Kabale military bases for arms and training.

Military training of personnel and trading arms to South Sudan, even during UN Arms Embargo.

Allegedly Supported Nkurunziza with battalions and helicopters during the Burundi Crisis in 2015.

When you see this list, you get the feeling right. Here is not even casualties, the internally displaced, the refugees or the famines created. There is neither the export of conflict minerals or any of the misgivings, the possible assassinations of high ranking officials, the political play to be the king-maker within the Great Lakes Region and the East Africa Community. Something President Yoweri Museveni always was be. He wants loyal men to himself and his reign to in the neighborhood. That is why he has involved himself in Rwanda, Burundi, Democratic Republic of Congo, Somalia and South Sudan. He has had twist into everything.

Therefore, it is rich reading that he said this yesterday in Juba, South Sudan. It is noble thought of the old-man. But it didn’t come from the right person. It should come from someone who hasn’t used military force to get his will and get power. Neither to overthrow and start wars in other countries too. President Museveni is that guy and not only waited for International Recognition, before sending troops somewhere in favor of someone he wants to be in power. That is just what the man does. He easily sends troops if it benefits him.

Enough of this nonsense. Enough of these bullets. Peace.

RDC: Communique de la CENCO a Propos de l’Expulsion des Congolais de l’Angola (31.10.2018)

RDC: Memorandu du Collectif des Partis et Regroupements Politiques de l’Opposition Adresse a la Commission Electorale Nationale Independante (26.10.2018)

Mass expulsions from Angola have put thousands of Congolese at risk in Democratic Republic of Congo – Bachelet (26.10.2018)

Since the beginning of October, some 330,000 people have reportedly crossed from Angola.

GENEVA, Switzerland, October 26, 2018 – UN High Commissioner for Human Rights Michelle Bachelet on Friday warned that the mass deportation of Congolese nationals from Angola has already resulted in serious human rights violations by security forces on both sides of the border, and left at least 330,000 returnees in an extremely precarious situation.

Since the beginning of October, some 330,000 people have reportedly crossed from Angola, mostly into the Kasai, Kasai Central and Kwango provinces of the Democratic Republic of Congo following an expulsion order by the Government of Angola targeting irregular migrants. In interviews with people in the border town of Kamako in Kasai, the UN Human Rights Office received reports indicating that security forces in Angola used excessive force in their operations to deport the Congolese nationals. The team has verified information about six deaths, reportedly at the hands of security forces, but has also received many other allegations of killings that it has not been able to fully verify. Reports also suggest at least 100 people were injured.

Several migrants also alleged that upon their arrival in Kamako, they were subjected to extortion and illegal taxation by the defence and security forces in the DRC. There have been allegations of arbitrary detention of returning migrants. Some of the migrants are being hosted by families or in ad hoc shelters, but many are sleeping in the streets, with inadequate access to health and food, severe water shortages and lack of proper sanitation.

“International law and African Charter of Human and Peoples’ Rights* forbid the mass expulsion of non-nationals without individual assessment or other due process guarantees. In expelling such a massive number of people in such a short time, Angola has placed tens of thousands of families at severe risk,” High Commissioner Bachelet said.

“I call on the Government of Angola to halt any ongoing deportations until it can be assured that any returns will be carried out in full respect of the rule of law and the human rights of all affected migrants. I also urge the Government to ensure that security forces and others responsible for violations in the course of these expulsions are held accountable.”

Bachelet also urged the Government of the DRC to ensure that the returnees are protected from extortion by security forces and violence by others, particularly given the continued lack of accountability for the grave human rights violations that occurred in the Kasais between 2016 and 2017. There are reports that individuals of Tshokwe ethnicity joined Angolan security forces in carrying out the expulsions. Given the continued presence of armed groups split along ethnic lines in the Kasais, High Commissioner Bachelet warned of the risk of inter-communal violence if the situation is not handled carefully by the authorities.

“I urge the Government of the DRC to ensure that members of security forces that may be responsible for violations, past and present, against people – regardless of their ethnic affiliations – are subjected to investigations, with a view to ensuring justice for the victims,” she said. “Failing this, I fear we could see a repeat of the cycles of terrible violence that erupted in the Kasais in 2016.”

The High Commissioner also called on the Government of the DRC and the international community to redouble efforts to address the urgent humanitarian needs of the returnees in Kasai, Kasai Central and Kwango.

Angola currently hosts some 68,000 refugees and asylum seekers.

RDC: Communique final de la rencontre de l’Opposition en Afrique du Sud (25.10.2018)

Ebola in DR Congo: UN chief ‘outraged’ by recent killings of civilians and health workers (22.10.2018)

Such attacks continue to hamper humanitarian access in the conflict-torn region and prevent health workers from tackling the outbreak.

GENEVA, Switzerland, October 22, 2018 –  The United Nations Secretary-General, António Guterres said on Monday he is “outraged by the continued killing and abduction of civilians by armed groups” near Beni, in the Democratic Republic of the Congo (DRC)’s North Kivu region, which has been grappling with an Ebola outbreak since August.

Mr. Guterres condemned Saturday’s attack in the town of Mayongose on the outskirts of Beni, in which at least 11 civilians were killed, and several more were injured and abducted. He said he is also “deeply troubled” by reports that on Friday, two Congolese health workers helping to combat the Ebola outbreak, were killed in Butembo by armed militia.

Such attacks continue to hamper humanitarian access in the conflict-torn region and prevent health workers from tackling the outbreak.

This outbreak, the tenth to hit the DRC in 40 years, was declared in North Kivu Province on 1 August this year and, given the worsening security situation in and around the city of Beni, the World Health Organization (WHO) elevated its risk level from “high” to “very high” on 28 September. So far, more than 250 Ebola cases have been reported, causing over 140 deaths.

WHO suspended all of its activities for a period of two days after attacks in late September in and around Beni, which left more than 20 dead.

The Secretary-General called “on all armed groups to immediately cease attacks against civilians and ensure humanitarian access to populations in need”.

RDC: Sector Operational Sukola I Grand Nord Commandment – Communique Officiel (18.10.2018)

RDC: Declaration des Candidats President de la Republique Consecutivement aux Echanges Organises par la CENI dans le Cadre de Concertation avec les Candidats President de la Republique (15.10.2018)

RDC: Declaration de Presse du Vice-Premier Ministre (17.10.2018)

World Health Organization calls crisis meeting over deadly Ebola outbreak in DR Congo (16.10.2018)

World Health Organization (WHO) Director-General, Dr Tedros Adhanom Ghebreyesus, has called an Emergency Committee meeting on the Ebola virus outbreak in the Democratic Republic of the Congo (DRC), which has already claimed around 130 lives.

GENEVA, Switzerland, October 16, 2018 – The WHO has assessed the national and regional risk of the current Ebola outbreak in DRC as “very high,” although the global risk remains low and, so far, the UN’s health watchdog has not called for any trade or travel restrictions to be imposed.

The Emergency Committee, scheduled for Wednesday at WHO headquarters in Geneva, will decide whether the outbreak constitutes a public health emergency of international concern, and what recommendations should be made to manage the spread of the disease.

This outbreak, the tenth to hit the DRC over the last four decades, was declared in North Kivu Province on 1 August, this year and, based on the worsening security situation in and around the city of Beni, WHO elevated the risk from “high” to “very high” on 28 September.

The agency identified 39 new confirmed cases were reported between 1 and 11 October, 32 of which are from Beni.

The DRC Ministry of Health, WHO and other partners have been responding to the outbreak with teams on the ground, but WHO has warned that continuing insecurity severely affects both civilians and frontline workers, forcing the suspension of the response for several days in late September, and raising the risk that the virus will continue to spread.

More than 20 civilians in Beni were killed in the incident that provoked the suspension, which came on the heels of multiple attacks in previous weeks. It’s estimated by the UN that more than a million civilians under threat from armed groups, are internally-displaced in North Kivu; around 500,000 this year alone. The eastern region is close to the border with Uganda, and Rwanda.

Meanwhile, the UN Children’s Fund (UNICEF) reports that one month after the beginning of the school year, 80 per cent of school-aged children have returned to school in Beni and Mabalako health zones, the two epicentres of the Ebola outbreak.  UNICEF has identified more than 1,500 schools in the areas affected by the epidemic.