The President of Uganda, Yoweri Kaguta Museveni has told the Africa Report that the International Criminal Court (ICC) is one of the major causes of conflicts in Democratic Republic of Congo.
Museveni told UN Under-Secretary General for Peacekeeping Operations Hervé Ladsous that when some rebels were referred to the ICC, they became wild and continued fighting hard so they were not captured.
Ladsous led a team of 15 people including the Special Representative for the Secretary General and Chief of The United Nations Organisation Stabilisation Mission in the Democratic Republic of Congo (MONUSCO) Roger Meece and the Special Advisor of security based in New York Gen. Babacar Gaye.
Museveni said to resolve issues in the Great Lakes, the region must handle the residual problems of the Democratic Republic of Congo including managing its own people instead of referring everything to the ICC.
He said the M23 rebels in Congo and other groups destabilising the region were partly as a result of a decision to refer people to the ICC.
“Uganda has many problems from Amin and Obote but we never referred anyone to the ICC. We must manage our people ourselves because this can be a constituency for trouble.
People sent to the ICC have followers. Congo and Rwanda were working very well before this but when that started there was a new outburst.
“The South African government handled this through the Truth and Reconciliation Commission. If you use external groups to deal with your problem and neglect your own problems, it’s a big mistake,” he said.
He said that using foreign institutions to deal with internal conflicts instead of negotiating with opponents is a mistake.
“You can’t rely on the ICC to get rid of your rival,” he added.
The president said except for Kony, who had been flushed out of Uganda and was in foreign territory and had thus been referred to the ICC, Uganda integrated all its former enemies as part of its peace building processes.
He advised Congo to build a national army around a core of educated, capable, disciplined and loyal people. He also called for support and funding for the neutral force which he said must use dialogue and enforcement to maintain peace at the border.
“We need a new hybrid of troops who are ideologically committed and loyal. If we don’t do this, we don’t add any value in helping Congo build its army,” he said.
Tanzania has already committed troops for the neutral force but issues of funding are still a challenge.
Museveni expressed his unhappiness at the continued stay of terrorists in Congo who frequently cross into Uganda and kill innocent people, urging stakeholders to urgently address the issue.
“We can work with Congo and fight them. They have already crossed into Uganda and killed four sheiks. Am not happy with this type of situation, the UN is there, Kabila is there, the terrorists are there – to have these terrorists near our borders is not right.
Let’s clear the borders so that our people can do trade. These terrorists are interfering with our trade,” he continued.
Ladsous hailed Museveni’s efforts to find peace in the region through the Great Lakes Conferences and urged the region to come together to find a solution.
He said the UN Security Council needs to be presented with a clear and concise operation of the proposed neutral force, adding that they must find a way to stop the violence.
He said there has been something close to a ceasefire and a lull in the violence which leaders must try and consolidate.
“There must be a commitment of all to stabilise borders. There should be no threat from Congo to other countries and from other countries to Congo.
The neutral force should be about building confidence between countries. The solution in Congo will not be solely military but must be political as well,” he said.