MPs reject move to withdraw amnesty

The MPs say the amnesty window has allowed rebels to defect from dissident groups.

Parliament. The MPs on the Defence and Internal Affairs Committee yesterday rejected the government’s decision to remove the amnesty window from the Amnesty Act, 2000, underlining fears that such a move would dampen peace efforts in the country.
The view from the members is that if government removes the amnesty provision without any alternative, the move would compromise the reintegration process that has played a vital role in motivating fighters to escape or defect from the Lord’s Resistance Army (LRA) and other rebel groups.

The committee was meeting the State Minister for Internal Affairs, Mr James Baba, who defended the government decision as “a step in the right direction”.

Mr Baba said the current amnesty law does not address the concerns of the victims and warned the MPs against pushing for the interests of the people who committed crimes.

“The LRA leader [Joseph Kony] and his men were given opportunity since 2000 to seek for amnesty, but they chose to be adamant. We cannot give amnesty forever,” Mr Baba said.

ymugerwa@ug,nationmedia.com