Five years of ICGLR; what has been achieved?

BY UGAMEDIA

From scratch Amb. Liberata Mulamula and her team today leave a land mark achievement—leaving the Great Lakes a more stable region after five years of dedicated service.

In 2006, when 11 countries from the Great Lakes came together to form the International Conference on the Great Lakes Region, an organisation tasked with stabilising the region, there was a lot of skepticism on whether and how such an organisation would achieve its goals.

But because of the 19994 genocide in Rwanda that shocked the world the African Union and the United Nations took up the initiative to formulate the pact on peace, stability and development which was the foundation of the ICGLR formation.

The UN was particularyly concerned that even after signing a total of eight peace treaties there still was no little peace, less stability and minimal development in the Great Lakes especially in countries like Burundi, Rwanda, the DR Congo, Uganda and Sudan.

This process of integrating the Great Lakes countries , which recognised the interconnectedness of the region's populations, its security and economies, and the imperative of seeking regional solutions, culminated in the signing of the Pact on Security, Stability and Development by 11 states in the Great Lakes Region.

That historical initiative, according to a number of analysts, paved way for a peaceful and more stable region, which can be collaborated by the ICGLR Executive Secretary Amb. Liberata Mulamula.

“The region was very insecure five years ago. However, one could say it is stable apart from a few incidents,” said Mulamula, who winds up her term of office this year.

Ambassador Mulamula says as part of their mandate to instill peace in the region they have frustrated activities of most negative forces in eastern DR Congo that have been fighting different governments except the ragtag ones like the Lord’s Resistance Army rebels (presently holed up in CAR) and Sudan rebel groups in Darfur.

Early December the ICGLR dispatched a peace and security team to meet Sudan’s senior security officials and traveled to northern Darfur.
The mission resulted in acknowledgement of presence of negatives forces which are supposed to be dealt with. Should the Sudan rebels be neutralized disputes between South Sudan and Khartoum are bound to cease.

Secondly, in regard to stability ICGLR Ministers of Defence have asked for an expeditious implementation of the organization's protocol on non-aggression and mutual defence in the Great Lakes Region that partly requires member states not to harbour rebel groups fighting the other countries.

The ICGLR has also supported regional cooperation initiatives curbing proliferation of illegal guns by the Regional Centre on Small Arms and the Small Arms and Light Weapons and disarmament of armed nomadic pastoralists in north western Kenya, north eastern Uganda, south eastern Sudan and south western Ethiopia.

The ICGLR has in addition been able to fight illicit mineral trade within the region. Today, it is becoming difficult for mineral dealers to sell their minerals from conflict zones because of the ban initiated by the Great Lakes Region. Such an initiative is bound to discourage warmongers from starting conflicts that have led to gross human rights abuses like sexual and gender based violence.

On the part of democratization, ICGLR has started observer missions, which have partly reduced election disputes because political leaders particularly candidates are engaged at early stages of the election period to pre-empt any disruptive efforts. For instance, the organization deployed observers in about nine countries in the last two periods.

In addition, a think-tank that is supposed to promote democracy and good governance was started. The Levy Mwanasa Regional Centre for Democracy, Good Governance, Human Rights and Civic Education based in Zambia is expected to influence policies that favour Africans using indeginously generated research data.

It is therefore agreeable to say that five years down the road Amb. Mulamula has left the Great Lakes region a better place to live in except a few areas like terrorism by members of the Al Shabaab, proliferation of illegal small arms and light weapons, budget constraints, continued presence of negative groups and human rights abuses.

But overall the consolidated efforts by the region to fight sexual and gender based sexual violence could yield peace in the 11 member states and more after the admission of South Sudan and Somalia.

Time up for illicit mineral dealers in Great Lakes

BY UGAMEDIA

The Great Lakes region member states will soon start fingerprinting their minerals to trace their origin in order to end the illicit mineral trade that has fueled conflicts in the region, which are the center of human rights abuses especially sexual and gender based violations.

The analytical fingerprint (AFP) system developed by the German Federal Institute for Geosciences and Natural Resources (BCR) and commissioned by the International Conference for the Great Lakes Region, identifies the mineral concentrate origin by comparing its mineralogical and geochemical characteristic features to samples of known provenance that are stored in a BGR reference database.

The fingerprinting center, according to Silas Sinyigaya, the ICGLR Programme Officer for Democracy and Good Governance, could be established in Tanzania.

This new weapon is expected to make it extremely difficult for the mineral dealers that have ventured in an illegal trade and therefore lessen the urge to start wars, which affect mainly women and children.

Successful application of the AFP method for a positive certification of mineral producers necessitates detailed and comprehensive sampling of active mining sites of the producer; geo-chemical and mineralogical data obtained from the analytical procedures.

The data has to be updated regularly and any changes in production methods should be communicated to a CTC counterpart (like changes in production sites; commissioning of concentrate upgrading equipment).

The fingerprint system is expected to reinforce the six tools for fighting illegal exploitation of natural resources which include; regional certification for gold, coltan, cassiterite and the walframite, harmonization of national legislation and domestication of the protocol on natural resources, establishing a regional database for mineral flows, whistle blowing mechanism and extractive industries initiatives.

The six tools as supposed to curtail any further trading in blood minerals that have recently fuelled conflicts especially in eastern DRC and Sudan leading to gross human rights abuses particularly sexual gender-based violence, which is currently a subject of discussion in the ongoing ICGLR special session summit in Kampala, Uganda. 

Militarized mining, which is part of the illicit trade, has meant massive use of forced labor, widespread violence against workers and the population in general, continued abuses of human rights, and unending war.

Ambassador Liberata Mulamula statement

Ambassador Liberata Mulamula, the Executive Secretary of the ICGLR at Special session of the First ladies Meeting in Kampala today . The Summit runs under the theme, “ United to Prevent, End Impunity and Provide Support to the Victims of SGBV in the Great Lakes Region”. 

UGAMEDIA brings you the excerpts of Her Excellency’s presentation as presented by Mr.Nathan Byamukama, the programme officer, Crossing Cutting Issues at the ICGLR Secretariat.

Your Excellency, Janet Museveni, First Lady of the Republic of Uganda and our Gracious Host;

Your Excellency Dr. Christine Mwela Kaseba Sata, First Lady of the Republic of Zambia and the Chair of this Meeting;

Honorable, Syda Bbumba Minister in charge of Gender of Republic of Uganda;

Excellencies First Ladies from the ICGLR Member States

Honorable Ministers in Charge of Gender from the ICGLR Member States;

Excellencies Heads of Diplomatic Mission of the ICGLR Member States accredited to the Republic of Uganda;

Excellencies of Heads of Diplomatic Mission and International Organisation here present;

Excellencies Ambassadors and Distinguished ICGLR National Coordinators;

Mzee Joseph Butiku and Honourable Immaculee Ingabire Chairpersons of Regional Civil Society Forum and Regional Women Forum respectively;

Representative and Chairperson of the ICGLR Youth Forum;

Invited Guests;

Ladies and gentlemen;

I feel great honoured and privileged to address this important Meeting of the First ladies from the ICGLR Member States focusing on Sexual and Gender Based Violence (SGBV), a formidable challenge and source of insecurity and underdevelopment facing our region.

On behalf of the International Conference on the Great Lakes Region and on my own behalf I wish to express our sincere gratitude to Her Excellency First Lady of the Republic of Uganda for welcoming us in this beautiful city of Kampala. Our appreciation is also extended to the Government of the Republic of Uganda particularly the Ministry of Gender, Labour and Social Development under the Leadership of Honourable Syda Bbumba for accepting to host this important meeting.



I would like to heartily thank Excellencies First Ladies from the ICGLR Member States for their commitment and determination to come and support our efforts in combating Sexual and Gender Based Violence in the Great Lakes Region. Indeed, your presence here today demonstrates the importance that you attach the issue of Sexual and Gender Based Violence.

Allow me also to appreciate the support that we have received from our partners. We wish to pay tribute to the UN-Women, the Government of Norway, the Government of Sweden and GIZ for their outstanding contribution in organizing this meeting.

Excellencies;

Invited Guests;

Ladies and Gentlemen;

It should be noted that the ICGLR Protocol on the Prevention and Suppression of Violence against Women and Children in the Great Lakes Region which is an integral part of the Pact on Security, Stability and Development in the Great Lakes Region is also a specific legal instrument which gives mandate to the ICGLR Member States tackle effectively the problem of Sexual Gender Based Violence in our region.

However, despite the progress made, the ratification of the Pact of the Pact on Security and Stability and Development in the Great Lakes Region by the Member States and other initiatives that have been undertaken at national and regional level, Sexual and Gender Based Violence is continuously perpetrated and increasingly used as a weapon of war in our region.

Indeed, the problem of sexual and gender based violence is often perceived to be perpetuated through some repugnant traditions. But we must ask ourselves Excellencies First Ladies, would any nation embrace traditions that would jeopardize its own survival, prosperity and sustainability. Or is it inconceivable that any civilized society of people with right frame of mind would condone rape and torture of their own daughters and infants.

It is against this backdrop and following the decisions of the ICGLR Special Summit on Illegal Exploitation of Natural Resources held in December 2010 in Lusaka, Zambia and the Regional Inter-Ministerial Committee Meeting (RIMC) held in May 2011 in Brazzaville, Republic of Congo respectively, the Secretariat in collaboration with the Government of the United Republic of Tanzania and partners organised a High Level Consultation meeting of Ministers in charge of Gender from the ICGLR Members preceded by the meeting of experts. Ministers of Gender made specific recommendations to the Summit.

We are convinced that the actively engagement and contributions of our Excellencies First Ladies will give impetus to the Regional efforts in fighting against the SGBV. We recognise the role of our First Ladies in eradicating this scourge but we need them to do more and be at the forefront in leading the region in the search for solution to this formidable challenge.

Indeed, we believe that the outcome of the meeting of our First Ladies shall indeed encourage our regional leaders to collectively provide lasting solutions which will put to an end the protracted problem of SGBV in the Great Lakes Region.

We appeal to Your Excellencies to consider the possibility of establishing a formal forum of First Ladies to continue helping us to create awareness, advocate and lobby for the implementation of ICGLR instruments on the fight against Sexual and Gender Based Violence in the region. I believe that your advice and commitment will significantly contribute in this endevours.

Excellency;

Ladies and Gentlemen;

Finally, allow me to conclude by saying that despite some challenges, our commitment, determination and concerted efforts will enable us to prevail and achieving our objectives.

I thank you for your kind attention

ICGLR First ladies Meeting opens today

BY UGAMEDIA The First meeting of the First ladies from the International Conference on the Great Lakes Region (ICGLR) has opened in Kampala, Uganda today. The opening ceremony was presided over by the chair of the ICGLR First Ladies, Her Excellency, Dr. Christine Kaseba Sata from the Republic of Zambia. The First Ladies host, Her Excellency, Janet Museveni said it is good and right to participate in this historic conference on sexual and gender based violence, which is aimed at discussing how we can unite as governments and people of the region. “The opportunity for us to discuss the problem of sexual and gender based violence and collectively work out solutions could not have at a better time. A time when social values in our African communities are disintegrating, when the family unit is threatened by some negative foreign cultural influences, when gender based violence is, painfully, increasing in our society, this indeed is a time to put our heads together to find lasting solutions in this area,” Hon. Janet Museveni said. Mrs. Museveni said sexual violence comes in many forms but the most often cited is rape and defilement. “However, sexual and gender-based violence encompasses a wide range of other abuses that many may include sexual threats, exploitation, humiliation, assault, molestation, domestic violence, incest and rape,” the Ugandan First lady told the meeting. “Needless to say, most cases of sexual violence involve female and male perpetrators. However, men and young boys can also be vulnerable to sexual violence especially in detention or war or refugee situations,” she added. She said it was painful to acknowledge that’s sexual abuse of children including infants happens in our society every day. She noted that many sexual abuse cases are not reported to the authorities due to social acceptance of these practices, or the stigma most abused women face, or fear of more violence from partners, or failure by authorities to act on the perpetrators and the absence of relevant laws to punish the culprits. “The time is now up for our governments to be up and running in advancing effective laws preventing gender-based violence and enforcing policies that ensure survivors’ access to acre and legal justice,” she added. Uganda’s Minister for Gender, labor and Social Development said it is fitting that this extraordinary opportunity, of having our leaders engage in a dedicated dialogue on practical strategies to curb a scourge that has for centuries epitomized social behavior, not only in situations of war but also during peace times, is held here in Kampala, the capital city of Uganda. “I am confident that Uganda offers a lot to learn in the area of SGBV prevention and response. I take this opportunity to thank all our partners for joining us in this struggle to make Uganda, the Great Lakes Region, Africa and indeed the world a safe place for women, men, boys and girls,” she added. “Excellencies, as First Ladies, your track record in advancing the cause of protecting the rights of vulnerable groups most especially women and children is clearly visible in your countries, the region and globally,” the Minister said. She said the meeting is a testimony that their Excellencies, the First Ladies are a critical component of the cure for SGBV in the Great Lakes Region. “Your privileged position provides a strategic platform to strengthen measures for prevention, ending impunity and providing requisite support by relevant actors to survivors of SGBV,” the Minister added. She said the nature of violence that women experience unlike men is based on their gender and how society perceives womanhood. “Because of being female, a woman is vulnerable to rape, domestic violence, sexual harassment, confinement and the like. Data around these pervasive acts is very disturbing. Globally, it is estimated that seven in ten women have experienced either physical or sexual violence in their life time and one in four women have suffered sexual violence,” she added. The effects of these acts of aggression against nearly half of the world’s population are grave: HIV infection, unwanted pregnancy, death, obstetric fistula, insecurity and low productivity, name it. There is need to take collective and concerted action, on all fronts. Action cures fear; the lack of it creates terror.

ICGLR to pursue Darfur rebels

BY UGAMEDIA
As part of unending efforts by the International Conference on the Great Lakes to eliminate all negatives forces in the area foreign ministers of the 11 member states have agreed to include armed negative forces operating in Darfur on the wanted list.

“The ministers agreed to recognize the existence of armed negative forces operating in Darfur and include them in the regional effort in the fight against the negative forces,” states in part the report by the inter-ministerial committee meeting of International Conference on the Great Lakes Region (ICGLR) held at Munyonyo Resort Hotel in Kampala, Uganda from December 13 to 14.

The presence of negative forces in Sudan has incited very bitter conflicts that have been the center of sexual and gender based violence, the main subject of the Kampala Great Lakes meeting.

Initially, there were only two groups fighting in Sudan's Darfur region - the Justice for Equality Movement (Jem) and the larger Sudan Liberation Army (SLA) – with very different ideological backgrounds that sparked off war against the Khartoum administration.

However, SLA later on split in different factions. By late 2005, the SLA had splintered into three different movements led by Abdel Wahid, Minni Minawi, and a group of Abdel Wahid’s former commanders.

The ICGLR initial role in Sudan as part of the wider operation against the negative forces there will be to investigate human rights abuses committed by both the rebels and the Sudanese forces.
A committee has already been set up to investigate allegations of genocide in south Kordofan and the Blue Nile whose findings will be presented at the end of next year. The ICGLR says it has received complaints from the International Refugees Rights Initiative, Darfur Consortium of NGOs and reports of the United Nations on allegations of serious violations of human rights that could amount to the crimes of genocide, war crimes and crimes against humanity in the region of south Kordofan and Blue Nile.

The organization’s committee on the prevention of genocide that has been charged with the investigations says it will undertake a fact-finding mission in Sudan and present its findings to the ICGLR inter-ministerial committee at the end of 2012.

Sexual Gender Based Violence Summit in Uganda important to the world, says UN

BY UGAMEDIA

The United Nations Entity for Gender Equality (UN Women) and the Secretariat of the Africa UNiTE campaign to end violence against women and girls, have said, the agenda of the Summit in Kampala is important, not just for the region, but also for all women in Africa and beyond. 

“It is a measure of the level of awareness among the leaders of the ICGLR of the seriousness of SGBV, and its link with the goals of peace, security, stability and development in the region,” the UN WOMEN and Unite campaign said in their presentation this morning to the Regional Inert--Ministerial Committee.

“For the ICGLR is showing leadership in involving its highest policy organs and building consensus on strategic actions necessary to prevent, end impunity and provide services to survivors of SGBV,” the two said in joint presentation presented by Mrs. Florence Butegwa, a representative to the African Union and UNECA.

On January 30, 2010 the Chairperson of the African Union and the UN Secretary General launched the Africa UNiTE campaign to end violence against women and girls in Addis Ababa, Ethiopia.

Africa UNiTE is the Africa component of the global UNiTE campaign launched by Secretary General Ban Ki Moon in February 2008. The ultimate aim of the UNiTE campaign is to mobilize and support governments in fulfilling their commitment to ending violence against women and to empower women and their communities in stopping gender-based violence and demanding accountability.

The campaign aims to contribute towards six outcomes namely, the adoption and enforcement of national laws to address and punish all forms of violence against women and girls, in line with international human rights standards, the adoption and implementation of multi-sect oral national plans of action that emphasize prevention and that are adequately resourced.

Other aims include the establishment of data collection and analysis systems, on the prevalence of various forms of violence against women and girls, the establishment of national and/or local campaigns and the engagement of a diverse range of civil society actors in preventing violence and in supporting women and girls who have been abused.

The last but not least other two is the systematic efforts to address sexual violence in conflict situations and to protect women and girls from rape as a tactic of war, and the full implementation of related laws and policies and ensuring safety for women and girls in public space.

Many of these outcomes are directly or indirectly relevant to the ICGLR Protocol for the Prevention and Suppression of Sexual Violence against Women and Children in the International Conference of the Great Lakes Region.

“It is acknowledged that there is a continuum between violence against women in peacetime, conflict and post-conflict situations with aggravated and widespread sexual violence during armed conflicts,” Mrs. Butegwa said.

The meeting was informed that Mr. Ban Kimoon has obligated all UN organisations to join hands to support countries to launch campaigns and take concerted actions towards the prevention of Violence against women and girls.

“There is great potential in the ICGLR tapping into opportunities created by the UNiTE campaign by partnering with the UN System and other partners in their respective countries to make progress on the three aspects of the theme of this Special Session on SGBV – namely preventing, ending impunity and providing support and services to survivors of SGBV,” the two organisations noted in their presentation. “There are many good practices in the ICGLR that can benefit other regions of Africa through the UNiTE infrastructure and vice versa” they added.

The Africa UNiTE campaign in collaboration with several international and African partners are organizing an Africa UNiTE Mount Kilimanjaro Climb initiative under the theme ‘Speak Out, Climb Up’, Butegwa said. 

She said, the climb is scheduled to take place from 5 to 9 March 2012, to symbolically coincide with International Women’s Day on 8 March, and will involve a series of activities and events. Participating will be over 80 climbers, 54 of whom will represent each of the AU member states selected in national consultative processes.

The objectives of the Climb are to raise awareness and the visibility of violence against women and girls as a key issue for development, peace and security in Africa and to mobilize national commitments from all African governments to be implemented by 2015. The commitments will be carried to the summit of Mount Kilimanjaro (the rooftop of Africa!).

She invited member states of the ICGLR to see this initiative as an opportunity to mobilize stakeholders in their respective countries towards implementation of the ICGLR Protocol and the commitments in the Declaration to be adopted at this 4th Ordinary Summit and special session on SGBV.

“I invite you to actively get involved in the nomination of and support for the country’s representative to climb Mt. Kilimanjaro, and to organize comparable or other activities in their respective countries,” she added.

UN Women, during the commemoration of this year’s International Day for the Elimination of Violence against Women, outlined a policy agenda with 16 steps to end violence against women. They are namely ratifying international and regional treaties that protect the rights of women and girls, and ensure that national laws and services meet international human rights standards.

The second is to adopt and enforce laws to end impunity, bring perpetrators of violence against women and girls to justice and provide women with reparations and remedy for the violations perpetrated against them.

The third step is to develop national and local action plans for ending violence against women and girls in every country that bring the government, women’s and other civil society organizations, the mass media and the private sector into a coordinated front against such human rights violations.

The other is to make justice accessible to women and girls by providing free legal and specialized services, and increasing women in law enforcement and frontline services and the fifth being to end impunity towards conflict-related sexual violence by prosecuting perpetrators in conflict and post-conflict contexts and fulfilling survivors’ right to comprehensive reparations programmes that are non-stigmatizing and have a transformative impact on women and girls’ lives.

The six step is to ensure universal access to critical services at a minimum, women’s and girls’ emergency and immediate needs should be met through free 24-hour hotlines, prompt intervention for their safety and protection, safe housing and shelter for them and their children, counseling and psycho-social support, post-rape care, and free legal aid to understand their rights and options.

The other step is train providers of frontline services especially the police, lawyers and judges, social workers and health personnel to ensure that they follow quality standards and protocols. Services should be confidential, sensitive and convenient to women survivors.

The other is to provide adequate public resources, disseminate national data on prevalence, invest in gender equality and women’s empowerment to tackle the root causes of violence against women and girls, enhance women’s economic empowerment, increase public awareness, work for and with young people and donate to the UN Trust Fund to End Violence against Women.

Butegwa saluted the efforts of the ministries responsible for gender and women’s affairs and the civil society organisations, whose advocacy and leadership role, under fairly difficult and resource constrained conditions, have contributed to the achievements that the ICGLR have made to date.

“UN Women will continue to work with you and with the ICGLR Secretariat as you build onto the important decisions at this Summit and special session on SGBV,” she concluded.

Sexual Gender Based Violence undermining Great Lakes Development Agenda-Mulamula

By UGAMEDIA

 

The Executive Secretary of the International Conference on the Great Lakes (ICGLR), Ambassador Liberata Mulamaula has said Sexual Gender Based Violence (SGBV) is undermining the regional efforts to develop further.

“Iam pleased to report that for the last five years of existence of the ICGLR, significant progress has been made in the search for peace and stability in the region,” Ambassador Mulamula told the regional inert-ministerial committee preceding the ICGLR Summit and Special session in Kampala, Uganda yesterday. 


“However, these achievements notwithstanding, we are gathered here in this august body to tackle collectively the SGBV in the region has eluded us , the pandemic still persists and continue to undermine all efforts,” she observed.

Ambassador Mulamula called for more efforts to concretize the commitment regional Leaders pledged as stipulated in the Dar-es-Salaam Declaration of 2004 in combating, criminalizing, and punishing acts of sexual violence both in time of peace and war.
She noted that the Protocol on Prevention and suppression of sexual violence against women and children is an important legal instrument that provide solutions and address this protracted challenge of SGBV. The Executive Secretary particularly thanked Ministers in Charge of Gender from the region for their efforts in supporting ICGLR against SGBV.

“It is an indisputable the fact that Sexual and Gender Based Violence inhibits the ability of women to contribute to and benefit from development. It also limits them to enjoy human and peoples rights and fundamental freedoms in public or private life,” Mulamula said. 


“The fear of sexual violence is even more heightened in armed conflicts areas. The causes and consequences of sexual and gender based violence have crippled human resources and skills development and constrained economic production and productivity,” she noted.

Uganda’s Deputy Prime Minister, Gen. Moses Ali, who presided over the opening ceremony called for regional efforts to stop negative forces roaming the area. He said, the negatives forces are responsible for perpetrating the violence against women.

The Prime Minister said there was need to train regional armies so that they do their work professionally in an effort to stop the Sexual Gender Based Violence vice.

The meeting also received the report from ICGLR Minister in charge of Defence and Security on the fight against negative forces in the region, following RIMC directive in Brazzaville in May 2011, that Secretariat in collaboration with the Member States organize a meeting of Ministers of Defence of the ICGLR Member State to deliberate and address the problem of negative forces in the Region.

Subsequently, the meeting was successful held on 9th September 2011, in Kigali, Rwanda.

She took the opportunity to extend her appreciation to RIMC for the trust, support and guidance during the last five years of discharging her duties as well as GIZ for its generosity and invaluable support.
Honourable Chishimba Kambwili, Minister of Foreign Affairs of the Republic of Zambia and Chairperson of the RIMC addressed the meeting as well.

Uganda offers to host Sexual Gender Based Violence regional training facility

BY UGAMEDIA

Uganda has offered to host the Great Lakes regional training centre that will impart skills to handle sexual violence cases, which initiative is part of the region’s efforts to scale-down sexual and gender based violence.

Under the International Conference on the Great Lakes Region (ICGLR), 11 African countries agreed to establish a research and documentation centre to enhance collection of gender disaggregated data on gender-based violence but also train and sensitize judicial officers, police units, social workers, medical officers and other categories of persons who handle sexual and gender based violence in the Great Lakes.

The ministers of gender at their high-level consultation meeting on sexual and gender-based violence in Arusha recommended that the training centre be part of the Levy Mwanawasa Regional Centre for democracy, good governance, human rights and civic education base in Zambia.

However, Uganda and other countries argue that juxtaposing the training centre with the Levy Mwanawasa think tank would require amendment of the pact on security, stability and development yet no country has expressed to amend the pact.

“The Levy Mwanawasa Regional Center is responsible for Democracy, good governance, human rights and civic education. These functions are numerous and including the special regional facility on SGBV will overburden the centre. Besides the, the issues of SGBV may not be given adequate attention,” said Syda Bbumba, Uganda’s Minister for Gender, Labour and Social Development during the ICGLR inter-ministerial meeting.

Uganda agued that to put the Special Regional facility under the Levy Mwanawasa Centre requires amending the pact on security, stability and development in the Great Lakes region, Article 34 on amendments and revision which requires a member state to propose an amendment in writing, six months.

|”In this particular case, Uganda is not aware of any country that has expressed interest to amend the pact in this direction,” Minister Bbumba said. “The Levy Mwanawasa Regional Centre is responsible for civic education, think tank, observatories and research, which strains it further in addition to other responsibilities,” she added.

Uganda observed at the meeting that as the deliberation of the special session on SGBV have pointed out, the vice poses threat on the security and development of the Great Lakes region, it is therefore important that all actors who are addressing these issues should be equipped with skills on how to prevent, end impunity and provide support to SGBV survivors.

Uganda also proposed to fast tracking the establishment of the regional training facility to address the problem. Uganda also said that the facility should enhance equitable sharing of the ICGLR centres citing the Documentation centre in DRC, ICGLR Secretariat in Burundi, Forum for Parliamentarians in Sudan and Levy Mwanawasa Centre in Zambia.

“Uganda, therefore requests the ICGLR member states for support to host this centre,” the Minister added. Sexual violence against women has been one of the main features of conflicts in the Great Lakes region, which has been used as a weapon by all sides of the conflicts: rebels groups and national armies.

It is difficult to find reliable statistics on the number of women who have been raped and sexually assaulted but crude estimates by different NGOs indicate that about 250,000 women were raped during the war and genocide in Rwanda.

No official statistics exist for Burundi and the DRC although some UN agencies and local human rights organizations working in eastern DRC estimate that between 40,000 to 60,000 women were raped between 1996 and 2002.

The massive rape cases have risen very serious public heal issues. For instance, a high number of rape victims are infected with HIV/Aids. According to Human Rights Watch 4.6 percent of combatants involved in the war in the eastern part of DRC, are HIV-positive, which means that there is a high risk of infection.

Ambassador Liberata Mulamula as she moves out

Ambassador Liberata Mulamula, the Executive Secretary of the International Conference on the Great Lakes Region winds up her five-year term of office at the end of the organization summit on December 16 this year (2011).

In this post, Mulamula was charged with the responsibility of establishing and making the secretariat operational. She also coordinated activities of the ICGLR, which includes ensuring implementation of the region’s Peace, Security and Development accord; which seeks to build durable peace and stability in the region.

UGAMEDIA talked to Mulamula also commonly referred to as ‘Mama Great Lakes’ about her trials and tribulations while overseeing the Great Lakes region.

Qn: How have been you tenure?

Ans: It has been most challenging. I had to establish the organization from scratch and I have seen it grow within its mandate of establishing peace and stability. The region was very insecure five years ago. For instance there was rebellion in Burundi but today they are able to hold elections. In Dr Congo, the problem of Laurent Nkunda (Congolese rebel leader) has been settled. Generally, the guns in DRC have gone silent. This has given me a lot of satisfaction.

Secondly, in a period of only two years about nine countries have held elections, which required us to deploy observers. Overall, convening power of this Conference (ICGLR) has given me pride because it brings all civil society groups, the donor community and governments together.

Qn: Are the resolutions you make binding. What should be done to enforce them?

Ans: First of all I should clarify that we have legally binding resolutions since we operate under a pact (legal regime). The issue of implementation is what is still lacking. Although the Heads of State tend to agree on a set of things during the summit, they deviate from the common regional position back at home because according to their priorities. The ownership of implementation is still lacking. The other issue is lack of the institutional capacity to implement those resolutions. Again, lack of political will and limited resources frustrate our efforts.

Qn: We sense there is duplication of roles by different international and regional agencies like you (ICGLR), IGAD, EAC, AU and others; are there efforts to harmonize them?

Ans: our mandate as ICGLR is peace and stability to enable economic communities grow. Usually, however, our roles are complementary although that is not what the public see. There is no duplication as such but what happens is organizations making competing decisions, which is where we find problems. Fortunately, we have signed Memorandum of Understandings with other regional organizations.

Qn: What has been your personal relationship with the Heads of State?

Ans: It has been very cordial. As I leave office I can say I have met all the Heads of State in the 11 member states and they have all been very good to me. Their doors were always open for me. Even re carpets were laid for me.

QN: How have you managed all of this with your family?

Ans: It is a balancing act as a mother and wife I have responsibilities. There is also so much sacrifice. You have no life of your own. By now I should be planning a birthday party for my son but I am here. There is a lot of understanding from my two children and my husband.

But my father modeled us in this way. In terms of leadership, he said, you have to be respected but live to your commitments and integrity.

Who is Ambassador Liberata Mulamula

Ambassador Mulamula joined the Foreign Service in 1981 as Third Secretary in the Legal and Multi Lateral Department of the Ministry of Foreign Affairs.

Her early experience in Foreign Service included participation in all meetings of the United Nations General Assembly in New York as a delegate from Tanzania held annually from September to December. She was then posted to the country’s Permanent Mission to the UN in New York as the Ambassador’s Advisor in Political affairs and Decolonization issues.

She worked there in different capacities from 1985-1992. For three years (1989-1992), she was also a member of the UN/OAU Expert Group on the Denuclearization of Africa leading to the Treaty of Pelindaba.

From 1992-1994, Ambassador Mulamula participated in the Rwandese peace talks in Arusha Tanzania as part of the Facilitators team; attended UNITAR training workshop on conflict resolution and management, Vienna, Austria, 1996; and was appointed Special Assistant to the Permanent Secretary of the Tanzania Ministry of Foreign Affairs from 1996-1999.

In that capacity she attended bilateral, regional and multilateral meetings, including successive UN General Assembly sessions, SADC and EAC Summits, Great Lakes Region peace initiatives and others. During the same period she was also a part-time lecturer on the “Art of Negotiations” at the Centre for Foreign Relations, Dar-el-Salaam.

She also served at the Tanzania High Commission to Canada as Minister Plenipotentiary and Head of Chancery from 2002 to 2003 when she returned home after being appointed Ambassador and Director of Multilateral Cooperation; the post she held up to the year 2006.

At the same time Ambassador Mulamula served as Tanzania’s National Coordinator at the International Conference on the Great Lakes. In recognition of her abilities, she was in December 2006 she was appointed by the Great Lakes Summit in Nairobi the first Executive Secretary of the Secretariat of the International Conference of the Great Lakes Region (ICGLR).

In this post, she was charged with the responsibility of establishing and making the secretariat operational. She also coordinates the activities of the ICGLR, which includes ensuring implementation of the region’s Peace, Security and Development accord; which seeks to build durable peace and stability in the region.

Great Lakes Region to write own human rights story

By UGAMEDIA 

In what may widely be seen as a signal to the western world that Africa is taking charge of its own affairs a group of 11 Great Lakes countries have agreed to redefine research standards for human rights abuses.

Under the umbrella organization, the International Conference on the Great Lakes Region (ICGLR), member states including Uganda, Tanzania, Kenya, Burundi, Rwanda, Angola, Sudan, DRC, Central African Republic and Zambia have started a home-grown human rights initiative that gives priority to evidence-based research and root causes of human rights abuses.

The new governance project to be undertaken by an ICGLR think-tank is likely to water down misrepresentations about Africa as portrayed by the outside and their allied media.

The Levy Mwanawasa Regional Centre for Democracy and Good Governance think-tank, which has started collecting data in Zambia and DR Congo will fully roll out its operations in the other Great Lakes region member states next year to try and present the true picture of Africa’s story on human rights violations.

“Ours won’t be armchair research based on media reports. We are interested in credible analysis and evidence-based reports. This implies that we shall be on the ground to establish a realistic picture rather than depend on media reports,” said Frank Okuthe, the think-tank Executive Director during the ICGLR special session on sexual gender based violence in Kampala, Uganda from December 11 to 16.

The think-tank was named after the late President Levy Mwanawasa of Zambia died during his term as the chairperson of the ICGLR. The regional centre is poised to provide a strong foundation to the ICGLR’s programme of action on the promotion of good governance and democracy.

It appears the ICGLR has decided to take this latest approach after having been unfairly criticized on its human rights record which have recently culminated in the indictment of African politicians.

However, the decision by the Great Lakes region to have its way in redefining the context of human rights could pit Africa against the outside world most likely will place the two on a rugged path.

According to Mr Okuthe, the think-tank’s findings will help redesign governance policies in the region after adoption by partner States. “Since the data will be generated by ourselves (Africans) we hope our leaders will listen and buy our recommendations,” said Okuthe.

However, what remains unclear is how those Great Lakes regional leaders whose administrations ignite state-sponsored human rights violations will be made to account since those to conduct the investigations are under their jurisdictions.

“That will not be a problem at all. What is our main interest is to investigate the root causes of those violations to help us come up with appropriate policies,” said Okuthe.

Although foreign non-governmental organizations report extensive human rights abuses in several parts of Africa, often under the oversight of the state, the member states in Great Lakes region say there has been exaggeration and therefore, “the time has come for us to make our own research and determine our own standards.”

African leaders believe that partly it’s because of this exaggeration of human rights abuses that some of their colleagues like Sudan President Omar al Bashir and Laurent Gbagabo (Ivory Coast ex-President) were indicted.

Various forms of human rights abuses and mass atrocity crimes have been committed in numerous African states, ranging from genocide and crimes against humanity to war crimes. Most notable of these crimes have been unlawful killings of civilians and aid workers, the use and forceful recruitment of child soldiers, and sexual violence against women and children.

Rwanda leads in eradication of blood mineral trade

BY UGAMEDIA

Rwanda has assured it will issue the first regional certificate guaranteeing conflict-free sources of minerals at the beginning of early next year as required under the International Conference on the Great Lakes Region arrangement.

The east African country will be the first state to fully commit itself to the ICGLR Protocol against the Illegal exploitation of natural resource even though in the past it has been accused of fuel illicit mineral trade.

The DR Congo, which has also been at the forefront of fighting the illicit trade, will issue its first certificate in the second quarter of 2012 followed by Uganda in 2013. The other ICGLR member states are yet to decide on certification.

“Rwanda will deliver its first certificate between January and February next year (2012),” said Silas Sinyigaya, the ICGLR Programme Officer for Good Governance and Democracy, adding that 90 per cent of Rwanda’s minerals had been covered under the traceability mechanism.

Sinyigaya was speaking during the ICGLR special session on sexual gender-based violence summit meeting in Kampala on Monday 12 that started on December 11 and ends on 16.

The implementation of the protocol on illegal exploitation of natural resources was a basis under which the Rwanda Geology and Mines Authority early this year set up a mineral tagging and sealing scheme, internationally recognized as the iTSCi project, which aims to curb illegal trading of minerals.

It targets to curb illegal trade in four conflict minerals; gold, tin, tantalum and tantalite, between the Democratic Republic of Congo, marked as a conflict zone, and her neighboring countries.

Although in the past Rwanda mineral trade has been growing ($74 million in 2010 compared to $54.6 million earned in 2009) lately it has dropped due to mounting pressure from the regional initiative.

On 15 December 2010, the Lusaka Declaration of the ICGLR special summit to fight illegal exploitation of natural resources in the Great Lakes region underscored the commitment of respective governments to end the illicit trade in minerals.

But some member states of the ICGLR apart from Rwanda, Burundi, DRC and Uganda appear to be dragging their feet to fulfill their regional obligations under ICGLR.

How they are smuggled

The minerals are transported in small aircraft from the mines in rebel-held areas or to the orders of some rich companies from outside the continent in collusion with corrupt government officials. Minerals mined in one country are often exported clandestinely to one or more neighboring countries in order to disguise their origins.

In April, an International Crisis Group report showed that the belligerents partly finance their activities from the sale of gold, wolframite, coltan and cassiterite — minerals much prized by the electronics industry and valued at around $60 million per year.

For instance, the DRC is estimated to have $24 trillion worth of untapped deposits of raw mineral ores, including the world’s largest reserves of cobalt and significant quantities of the world’s diamonds, gold and copper.

But because of the pressure from ICGLR initiative the DRC in September 2010 slapped a six-month ban on mining and trade in minerals in the volatile eastern districts of Maniema and North and South Kivu until the government succeeded in clamping down on illegal mining, with the government arguing that rebel groups had been exploiting some of the world’s most sought after minerals to finance military activities.

Global Witness (2005) claims that at least three-quarters of the minerals exported from Katanga were leaving illicitly. According to the 2004 DRC's recorded copper and cobalt exports amounting to $390m, the illicit trade rises to as much as $1.1bn.

The United Nations has in the past accused 27 Belgian and British multi-nationals of having violated set standards of practice by looting DRC's natural resources. In Africa, South Africa tops the list of plunderers, with 12 companies being blacklisted. Other companies named come from Ghana, DRC and Zimbabwe.

It is believed that the multinational companies, powerful politicians and businessmen have hired armed groups to facilitate the illicit trade.

Ends-

Great Lakes Region to write own human rights story

BY UGAMEDIA

In what may widely be seen as a signal to the western world that Africa is taking charge of its own affairs a group of 11 Great Lakes countries have agreed to redefine research standards for human rights abuses in total disregard of the approach taken by the Europeans and Americans.

Under the umbrella organization, the International Conference on the Great Lakes Region (ICGLR), member states including Uganda, Tanzania, Kenya, Burundi, Rwanda, Angola, Sudan, DRC, Central African Republic and Zambia have started a home-grown human rights initiative that gives priority to evidence-based research and root causes of human rights abuses.

The new governance project to be undertaken by an ICGLR think-tank is likely to water down misrepresentations about Africa as portrayed by western non-governmental organizations and the media.

The Levy Mwanawasa Regional Centre for Democracy and Good Governance think-tank, which has started collecting data in Zambia and DR Congo will fully roll out its operations in the other Great Lakes region member states next year to try and present the true picture of Africa’s story on human rights violations.

“Ours won’t be armchair research based on media reports. We are interested in credible analysis and evidence-based reports. This implies that we shall be on the ground to establish a realistic picture rather than depend on media reports,” said Frank Okuthe, the think-tank Executive Director during the ICGLR special session on sexual gender based violence in Kampala, Uganda from December 11 to 16.

The think-tank was named after the late President Levy Mwanawasa of Zambia died during his term as the chairperson of the ICGLR. The regional centre is poised to provide a strong foundation to the ICGLR’s programme of action on the promotion of good governance and democracy.

It appears the ICGLR has a decided to take a radical approach after having been international embarrassed by the negative and unfair reports on human rights violations which have recently culminated in the indictment of African politicians and rebel leaders.

However, the decision by the Great Lakes region to have its way in redefining the context of human rights could pit Africa against the West most likely will place the two on a rugged path.

According to Mr Okuthe, the think-tank’s findings will help redesign governance policies in the region after they being adopted by partner states’ Heads of State. “Since the data will be generated by ourselves (Africans) we hope our leaders will listen and buy our recommendations,” said Okuthe.

However, what remains unclear is how those Great Lakes regional leaders whose administrations ignite state-sponsored human rights violations will be made to account since those to conduct the investigations are under their jurisdictions.

“That will not be a problem at all. What is our main interest is to investigate the root causes of those violations to help us come up with appropriate policies,” said Okuthe.

Although foreign non-governmental organizations report extensive human rights abuses in several parts of Africa, often under the oversight of the state, the member states in Great Lakes region say there has been exaggeration and therefore, “the time has come for us to make our own research and determine our own standards.”

African leaders believe that partly it’s because of this exaggeration of human rights abuses that some of their colleagues like Sudan President Omar al Bashir and Laurent Gbagabo (Ivory Coast ex-President) were indicted.

However, the decision by the Great Lakes region to have its way in redefining the context of human rights could pit Africa against the West most likely will place the two on a rugged path.

Various forms of human rights abuses and mass atrocity crimes have been committed in numerous African states, ranging from genocide and crimes against humanity to war crimes. Most notable of these crimes have been unlawful killings of civilians and aid workers, the use and forceful recruitment of child soldiers, and sexual violence against women and children.

DRC, Kenya, Sudan contest for ICGLR ‘hot seat’

BY UGAMEDIA

Four members of the International Conference on the Great Lakes Region have shown interest in taking over the seat of the Executive Secretary as Amb. Liberata Mulamula winds up her term of office at the end of regional organization’s Summit from 13 to 16 December in Kampala.

Kenya, DR Congo, Sudan and Zambia are candidates though Zambia a week towards the Kampala conference withdrew her candidature. Ambassador Mulamula, a Tanzanian who ends her successful five-year term this month (December 2011) leaves a remarkable record boosted by the establishment of the organisation’s infrastructure and creation of an enabling environment to end conflicts in the 11 partner states.

It is under Mulamula’s reign that warring parties in the DRC have negotiated peace, negative forces in eastern DRC have been dealt with, started election observer missions, trans-border cooperation has improved, proliferation of small arms have reduced and more recently illegal exploitation of mineral resources have reduced through certification.

Amb. Mulamula’s administration is also credited with the initiation of the establishment of the Levy Mwanawasa Regional Centre for Democracy and Good Governance, a think-tank that is poised to provide a strong foundation to the ICGLR’s programme of action on the promotion of good governance and democracy whose vision is that of "a region characterized by deeply entrenched values, principles and norms on democracy, good governance and observance of human rights".

The think-tank seeks to capitalize on methodological approaches combining the principles of subsidiarity, the promotion of synergies among stakeholders at National, Regional and International levels and comparative analysis between different countries in order to promote the dissemination of good practices.

Therefore, it is not an over statement to claim that Amb. Mulamula is leaving huge shoes for her replacement to fit in considering that people in the 11 partner states want ICGLR more visible with a more positive impact on their daily lives.

Apart from Kenya the other candidates—Sudan and DRC—have experienced civil conflicts that have in the past distablised the entire Great Lakes region. One could argue that the candidature of those two suggests that ICGLR is being taken very seriously and its role could in a few years to come propel a fundamental change in the region.

ICGLR Executive Secretary commended

By UGAMEDIA

Delegates at the National Coordinators meeting preparing the ICGLR 4th ordinary Summit of the Heads of State and Special session on Sexual Gender Based Violence have commended the work done by Ambassador Liberata Mulamula as her term as the Executive Secretary of this regional inter-government organization come to an end.

Uganda’s Permanent Secretary who is also the country’s national coordinator on SGBV, Ambassador James Mugume, said Her Excellency Mulamula’s term in office has increased the organisation’s visibility both in the region and the outside word.

“Ambassador Mulamula has been instrumental in promoting development, peace and stability in the region,” Ambassador Mugume said. “She has been able to reach out to all the constituencies right from the lower level to the Heads of State,” he added.

Ambassador Mugume’s commendation was echoed by various delegates from all the countries’ delegation that attended the meeting at the Speke Resort Hotel, Munyonyo, on the Lake Victoria shores near Kampala.

Ambassador Mulamula thanked the ICGLR member countries that have made her work and of the team at the Secretariat a success. She however, noted that there are still challenges that have to be overcome if this regional body is to achieve its mission and objectives.

“I wish in a special way to recognize the tireless efforts made by the Gender Ministry and Foreign Affairs teams in close collaboration with the ICGLR Secretariat in organising the hosting of this year’s Great Lakes Region Summit in Kampala and ensuring its success,” Ambassador Mulamula said.

She paid tribute to UNWOMEN, Norway, Sweden, Swiss Development Cooperation, USA government for their valuable financial contribution to ICGLR. The Executive Secretary presented to the meeting the summary report on the work of the ICGLR in the last five years she has been in office.

“To the national coordinators, you have been my strength and inspiration,” the Executive Secretary observed. “I thank you for making me what I am today, for allowing me to serve you and the membership with gratifying sense of accomplishment, however, modest”. 


She also thanked the Ugandan government for the unwavering support to the work of the Secretariat since its establishment.

She expressed solidarity with the peoples of the Democratic Republic of Congo in the post electoral period and called for calm to allow the democratic electoral fruits to reach its people.

Uganda’s Minister for Gender, Labour and Social development, Hon. Syda Bbumba said, as leaders, they have made significant efforts I the areas of policy and legislation. She however, noted that research, media reports and the leaders’ assessment is that there are wide gaps between policy and legislation on one hand and the actual reality on other.

“To this I pose the questions” Have these wonderful laws suffered ‘infant mortality’ or is it a case of chronic still births? Clearly, the gap between commitments and implementation must be closed,” Hon. Bumba said. 

Ambassador Mulamula meets Uganda First Lady

By UGAMEDIA

The Executive Secretary, International Conference on the Great Lakes Region, Ambassador Liberata Mulamula met the Ugandan First Lady, whom they discussed issues of Gender Based Sexual Violence in the region.

The meeting took place at The First Lady’s Office in Kampala on Saturday where the two discussed the preparation regarding the ICGLR First ladies Meeting that will precede the 11 Heads of State and Government Summit this week (December 15-16, 2011).

“During the meeting, the First lady and Ambassador Mulamula called for practical solution towards eradication of SGBV especially in assisting institutions such as the Federation of Women Lawyers (FIDA) to provide legal services to the victims,” Nathan Byamukama, the programme officer cross cutting Issues at ICGLR secretariat in Bujumbura where ICGLR has its headquarters said. 

Byamukama and the Director of regional cooperation at the Ministry of Foreign Affairs in Uganda attended the meeting.

“The First Lady said she was looking forward to receive the First Ladies in Munyonyo from December 14 to 15 and thereafter will give declaration to the Heads of State Summit,” Byamukama told the media.

Earlier in the morning, participants at the a strategic workshop for the Levy Mwanawasa Centre on Democracy, Good Governance, Civic Education and Human Rights, which was named after the late Zambian President by the 11 Heads of State, said the institution is important to the region if it is to realize democratic best practices.

“The role of the centre is important at such a time when the region is making an outbreak of the cycle of conflict and poor governance and dictatorship to establish a culture of dialogue, peace and human rights,” Ambassador Kaisho told participants at Imperial Royale Hotel. “We are here today to reaffirm the region’s commitment to harmonise relations between our states on international legal instruments and the Universal fundamental principles in democracy,” she added.