Uganda (Hansard, 9 February 2004)

§ Mr. Hancock

To ask the Secretary of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs what assessment he has made of the situation in Uganda; what recent representations he has made with regard to(a) the pace of democratisation and the introduction of multi party democracy, (b) the need for a political solution to the war against the Lord's Resistance Army, (c) ending the use of child soldiers, (d) ending the use of illegal detention centres, (e) ending the use of special military tribunals to try civilian opponents of the Government, (f) ending Uganda's role in training and arming militia armies in the Democratic Republic of Congo and the internal tribal militias and (g) bringing State security organisations under parliamentary supervision; and if he will make a statement. [153523]

§ Mr. Mullin

We are encouraging the Government of Uganda to open up political space and look forward to publication of the Constitutional Review Commission's recommendations for political change.

We regularly urge President Museveni to seek a peaceful solution to the conflict with the Lord's Resistance Army (LRA). We deeply deplore the use of child soldiers by the LRA. We are also concerned at UN reports that the Ugandan army has been recruiting underage soldiers. We have recently raised this issue with senior army commanders.

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We are aware of reports of incidences of arbitrary arrest and the lack of due legal process, especially in northern Uganda. We take seriously reports of human rights abuses, including harassment of the opposition and raise our concerns with the Ugandan authorities. The EU regularly raises alleged Government use of detention centres.

We welcomed Ugandan withdrawal of its remaining troops from the Democratic Republic of Congo (DRC) on 2 June, in compliance with UNSCR 1468 (2003). The UK urges all neighbouring states to support the Transitional National Government and not to interfere in the DRC peace process.

We and EU partners regularly press the Ugandan Government to ensure due process of law and that state security agencies are subject to the proper scrutiny.