March 1, 2013 | Kampala

Members of the Ugandan National Group of Parliamentarians for Global Action (PGA) renew their call for the arrest of LRA leader Joseph Kony, an indictee of the International Criminal Court (ICC) and others indicted by the ICC for grave crimes of international concern.

“The Ugandan National Group of PGA, a global parliamentary network dedicated to accountability for crimes of international concern strongly urges the Armed Forces of Uganda, as well as Regional Forces and US military personnel, collectively engaged in the military pursuit of Lord’s Resistance Army (LRA) leader – Joseph Kony and other fugitives to make every effort possible to arrest these individuals so that they may be brought to justice.

The arrest and surrender of Joseph Kony and others at large also wanted for alleged commission of war crimes and crimes against humanity, will significantly facilitate the processes of accountability and justice for the grave crimes committed against thousands of people in Northern Uganda. Moreover, the arrest of Joseph Kony is in fulfillment of Uganda’s express legal obligation as a State party to the Rome Statute of the ICC to cooperate with the ICC in the execution of arrest warrants, as enshrined in the Ugandan International Criminal Court Act of 2010.

In the event that Joseph Kony and/or Vincent Otti, Okot Odhiambo and Dominic Ongwen are killed during the course of these military operations, the ICC proceedings against any of those that are deceased will be automatically terminated. While a conclusion of this kind may appeal to a more basic and crude sense of justice, such an outcome will impede accountability for these most serious crimes of concern to the international community as a whole and leave the many victims without redress for the devastating harm they have suffered. Only with formal legal accountability comes true and lasting healing.

While we, therefore, strongly welcome and support the ongoing international military assistance from both the United States (US) government and the regional forces in the pursuit of these fugitives, and recognize the very difficult circumstances in which they are fulfilling their mandate, we nevertheless wish to remind these forces of the imperative need for perpetrators to be brought to justice – a course of action which can only be achieved when the suspects are captured alive. We urge, consequently, that all reasonable efforts be made during these ongoing military operations to arrest and subsequently surrender any and all ICC indictees to the e ICC for trial.”

Statement made by:

Hon. Mr. Stephen Tashobya, MP, Chair, PGA Uganda National Group.
Hon. Ms. Oleru Huda, MP
Hon. Dr. Twa-Twa M. Jeremiah, MP
Hon. Ms. Betty Amongi, MP, Chair, UWOPA

Contact:

International Law and Human Rights Program,
Parliamentarians for Global Action