Security Council press statement on the situation in the Democratic Republic of the Congo (17.08.2016)

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They expressed their deep concern regarding the persistence of violence in this region, where more than 700 civilians have been killed since October 2014.

NAIROBI, Kenya, August 17, 2016 – The members of the Security Council condemned in the strongest terms the killing of at least 50 civilians on 13 August in the area of Rwangoma village, North Kivu province of the Democratic Republic of the Congo (DRC), by suspected members of the Allied Democratic Forces (ADF).

They expressed their deep concern regarding the persistence of violence in this region, where more than 700 civilians have been killed since October 2014. They stressed the need for the Government of the DRC to conduct a thorough and prompt investigation into these attacks in order to ensure that those responsible are held to account.

The members of the Security Council called on the Government of the DRC to take further military action, in accordance with international law, including international humanitarian law and international human rights law, as applicable, and with the support of MONUSCO in accordance with its mandate, to end the threat posed by the ADF and all other armed groups operating in the region.

They recalled that drivers behind different armed groups’ activities are varied and that there is no purely military solution to the problem of armed groups, and emphasized the need for comprehensive military and civil responses to these armed groups.

The members of the Security Council reiterated their support to MONUSCO and called on all parties to cooperate fully with the Mission and to remain committed to the full and objective implementation of the Mission’s mandate.

Les partis politiques de l’opposit Nord Kivu demandent la destitut de Mapon Matata en react aux massacres de Beni (16.08.2016)

Beni 16.08.2016Beni 16.08.2016. P2

Press Statement: Nine Ugandan soldiers serving under AMISOM sentenced to prison for misconduct (16.08.2016)

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Mogadishu, August 16, 2016Nine Uganda People’s Defence Force (UPDF) soldiers serving under the African Union Mission in Somalia (AMISOM) have been sentenced to prison for misconduct.

The soldiers were found guilty of pursuing personal interest and endangering operational efficiency of the UPDF, contrary to section 124 of the UPDF Act. The nine were part of a group of soldiers implicated in a fuel racket that was busted by AMISOM officials in June.

The UPDF Divisional Court Martial sitting in Mogadishu, yesterday, handed sentences ranging from one year to three years after finding the soldiers, who included both senior and junior ranking officers, guilty of misconduct and violating the rules and regulations of peacekeeping.

The sentences were read to the soldiers by the Chairman of the Court Martial, Brig. Gen. Dick Olum, who warned that UPDF will not tolerate any incident of misconduct among its officers serving in peacekeeping missions.

“The prosecution has proved all the accusations of pursuing personal interest and endangering operational efficiency beyond reasonable doubt. The accused persons are hereby convicted of the charges against them and this conviction is given under my hand and seal this 15th day of August 2016. You are convicted as charged,” Gen. Olum told the soldiers.

In addition to imprisonment at Luzira prison, Uganda, three of the soldiers were dismissed with disgrace from the army. It means that they will leave the army without any benefits, unlike many of their colleagues who have served the Mission with diligence and upheld high standards of discipline as required by the Ugandan government.

Those convicted are: Maj. Sulait, 50, who was sentenced to three years imprisonment and dismissed with disgrace from the UPDF; Maj. Kundu Weyaula, one year and demoted to the rank of Captain; Warrant Officer II Kakooza Mathew, 18 months imprisonment; Staff Sergeant Abwot Richard, 18 months in prison and demoted to Sergeant, and Cpl. Sekandi Ronald was handed a two-year prison term and also dismissed with disgrace from the army.

Others are Lance Corporals Kasule Budala and Atugiriire Dennis, both sentenced to 18 months in prison and demoted to the rank of Private; Private Tibaijuka Expedito, two years imprisonment and dismissed with disgrace and Private Mwanja Noah, 18 months in prison.

Prior to the sentencing, the Judge Advocate, Maj. Harry Lully Lulecera, informed the court that the charges were within the ambit of the UPDF Act, adding that the Court Martial had the powers to sentence the accused soldiers. However, the Defence counsel Lt. Lilian Tugume, pleaded for a lighter sentence on the grounds that all the nine were first time offenders and had shown remorse.

Gen. Olum defended the penalties, saying the soldiers had not only damaged the image of the UPDF and AMISOM but had also endangered the lives of others.

“The sentence that military courts give out to soldiers who have committed a crime is a deterrent sentence. It is a sentence that sends out a message to the rest of military personnel whether back at home or in any other mission out of the country. It is a message that goes out to soldiers and officers of the UPDF that if you commit an offence, you will face the law and face it very harshly,” Gen. Olum said.

Both Major Saifu and Weyaula were stripped of their ranks and together with the rest of the convicts, will stay in custody until they return to Uganda to begin serving jail terms.

The nine are part of 18 soldiers who were earlier arraigned before the same court for selling fuel belonging to the Mission. They were charged after five soldiers were arrested in June, in connection with the illicit sale of fuel in a scam involving civilians in Mogadishu.

However, out of the 18, two pleaded guilty and were immediately charged, six were acquitted and one turned into a state witness, leaving the nine, who had denied any wrongdoing, to face trial.

The Divisional Court Martial is constituted by the UPDF high command and is charged with the trial of cases of misconduct committed by soldiers serving in missions out of the country.

Communique de l’UDPS No. 001/UDPS/PP/SG/2016: “tient Kabila pour responsable du massacre de Beni” (15.08.2016)

RDC PDP 15.08.2016

Mawan Muortat speaks on UN’s depolyment of 4000 troops to South Sudan (Youtube-Clip)

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=f84daSN3jMU

AR: Declaration de l’Alternance pour la Republique en Rapport avec le Massacre de Beni (15.08.2016)

DR Beni 15.08.2016

Press Release: The Taban Deng Conspiracy and Overthrow of the TGONU (12.08.2016)

SPLM 12.08.2016 P1SPLM 12.08.2016 P2SPLM 12.08.2016 P3SPLM 12.08.2016 P4SPLM 12.08.2016 P5SPLM 12.08.2016 P6SPLM 12.08.2016 P7SPLM 12.08.2016 P8

Said Djinnit: “I strongly condemn the recent attack on the civilian population of Beni” (15.08.2016)

DRC Rebel Attack

The attack, which is believed to have been carried out by the Allied Democratic Forces (ADF) took place in Rwangoma, near the central town of Beni, on 13-14 August 2016.

NAIROBI, Kenya, August 15, 2016 –  United Nations Special Envoy for the Great Lakes region, Said Djinnit, condemns the massacre of at least 36 people, including women, in the area of Beni, eastern Democratic Republic of Congo (DRC). The attack, which is believed to have been carried out by the Allied Democratic Forces (ADF) took place in Rwangoma, near the central town of Beni, on 13-14 August 2016. The ADF, a rebel group of Ugandan origin operates mainly in eastern DRC.

“I condemn in the strongest terms this attack on civilians. I express heartfelt condolences to the Government and people of the DRC, and reiterate full support to the Congolese Armed Forces (FARDC) and the United Nations Stabilization Mission in the DRC (MONUSCO) in their efforts to bring security to the affected areas in the country. This attack will not deter from the collective determination to neutralize all negative forces that continue to cause sorrow and atrocities in eastern DRC.”

Special Envoy Djinnit further notes that, “This cowardly attack reminds us of the urgency to implement the commitments of the Peace, Security and Cooperation (PSC) Framework, and the decisions taken in that regard by the Heads of State of the region, including at the 6th Ordinary Summit of the International Conference on the Great Lakes Region (ICGLR), held in Luanda, Angola, on 14 June 2016, under the chairmanship of President Eduardo dos Santos”. The UN Special Envoy also reiterates his readiness to continue to support ongoing efforts to end the plague of negative forces in the region, together with other

RDC: Declaration de Moise Katumbi suite au nouveau massacre a Beni le 13 Aut 2016 (14.08.2016)

Moise Katumbi 14.08.2016

Press Statement: Uganda’s Chief of Defence Forces expresses confidence in Somalia’s stabilisation efforts, urges the media to focus on success stories (14.08.2016)

Gen Katumba Wamala

Kampala, 14 August – Uganda’s Chief of Defence Forces, General Katumba Wamala, has expressed confidence in Somalia’s stabilization efforts.

General Wamala described the African Union Mission in Somalia as one of the continent’s success stories, saying it actualises the African dream of having African solutions to African problems.

He was speaking in Kampala, Uganda, last week, where he officially closed a 4-day AU-UN Mandatory Media and Communication Trainer of Trainers (TOT) course. The course was attended by military and police public communication officers from the Troop and Police Contributing Countries to AMISOM, Somali National Army and Somali Police Force.

“We need to aggressively communicate where Somalia was before the war and where it is now. We need to aggressively communicate the positive developments taking place in Somalia” General Wamala challenged the media, during his address to participants at the TOT course.

The training was organized by United Nations Support Office in Somalia (UNSOS) Training Unit in-conjunction with AMISOM Public Information Unit through the AU-UN Information Support Team (AU-UN IST).

The aim of the TOT is to increase the pool of trainers for the media and communication component of the AU/UN Mandatory pre-deployment training.

Troop Contributing Countries (TCC’s) comprise Uganda, Kenya, Ethiopia, Djibouti and Burundi. Police Contributing Countries (PCC’s), on the other hand, consist of Kenya, Uganda, Sierra Leone, Nigeria and Ghana.