Uddrag af omtalen af programsamarbejdslandet Uganda i det amerikanske udenrigsministeriums årsrapport for 2004 om menneskerettighedernes stilling verden over.
President Yoweri Museveni was elected to a second five-year term under the current constitution in March 2001. Museveni came to power in 1986, and the constitution requires that he leave office at the end of his current term in 2006.
However, Musevenis supporters are seeking to change the constitution to remove the term limit, despite assurances from Musevenis political organization during the last presidential campaign that this would be his final term.
Ugandas democratization process is incomplete. Legal restrictions on political parties seriously constrain freedom of association. Parliament and the judiciary are weak relative to the powerful executive. Corruption is serious and widespread.
The rebel Lords Resistance Army (LRA) carried out numerous gross violations of human rights, including killings, rapes, torture and abduction. There are credible reports of illegal arrests and abuse by security forces in non-official detention centers known as “safe-houses.”
Security forces committed unlawful killings. Torture by security forces and beating of suspects to force confessions were serious problems. Prison conditions remained harsh and life threatening. The Government punished some security force officials who were guilty of abuses; however, impunity remained a problem.
Forced labor, including by children, occurred, and child labor was common, mostly in the informal sector. There were reports of trafficking in persons. Vigilante justice remained a problem.
More positively, Uganda has a vigorous free press and a populace that does not hesitate to air its political opinions. Uganda has also created a representative system of elected local government, which is increasing its capacity to govern and deliver services effectively at the local level.
The U.S. human rights and democracy strategy in Uganda promotes democratization, respect for fundamental human rights, strong institutions, decentralization and transparency. The strategy also combats domestic violence, child labor and trafficking in persons.
U.S. officials engaged President Museveni and cabinet-level officials throughout 2003. In June, President Bush and Secretary of State Powell encouraged President Museveni to accelerate democratic reforms, and the Secretary raised democratization again when he met with Museveni in November.
The United States urged Uganda to prepare for a peaceful and democratic political transition under current constitutional rules. The Ambassador actively participated in the Donor Democracy and Governance Group, which identified specific steps the Government needed to take to make progress toward these goals.
Utilizing public affairs programs and the Democracy and Human Rights Fund (DHRF), the Embassy also engaged Ugandans through the media and at the grassroots to promote human rights and support governmental and non-governmental human rights institutions. Development programs, primarily through the U.S. Agency for International Developments Democracy, Governance and Conflict Team, were central to the efforts.
U.S. officials promoted the protection of human rights by security forces and investigated alleged abuses. Embassy personnel visited prisons to inspect conditions and participated in an advocacy campaign for better treatment of detainees and prisoners.
Embassy personnel also encouraged human rights groups to collect information from victims about alleged human rights abuses. The Embassy contributed to the Ugandan militarys respect for human rights by sending military officers to civil-military training classes in the United States.
The Embassy in Kampalaaddressed gross violations of human rights associated with the brutal LRA, a bizarre and cult-like group responsible for the displacement of more than one million Ugandans and the abduction of over 20.000 children.
The LRA has conducted an insurgency in northern Uganda for 17 years, and has been operating from bases in southern Sudan. Embassy funds were used to help reintegrate rebels granted amnesty under a law passed in 2000. The Embassy provided funds through a consortium of international non-governmental organizations (NGOs) for community peace-building and support for formerly abducted and other war-affected children and victims of torture.
U.S. officials supported the strengthening of democratic institutions. Embassy funds were used to improve the capacity of parliament and parliamentary staff to carry out their representative, legislative and oversight responsibilities.
Contributions to the Office of Parliamentary Professional Development enabled lawmakers to better research issues and monitor and influence pending bills. A successful course on legislative drafting made individual Members of Parliament better prepared to initiate and amend future legislation.
Other successful seminars focused on parliaments role in the budget process, review of a World Bank-mandated poverty reduction strategy and prospects for media reform. The U.S. Treasury Departments Office of Technical Assistance developed an anti-money laundering strategy for the Government of Uganda and helped draft legislation to deal with the problem. The legislation is now pending before parliament.
Another embassy program supported the devolution of central government authority to local levels and trained local elected officials and administrators for new responsibilities.
A complementary DHRF grant funded the distribution of a reference book to help local officials and community leaders better protect human rights in their communities. This reference book was also utilized in a weeklong seminar in Mbale District.
U.S. officials worked to strengthen democratic election systems in Uganda. A 2002 survey co-sponsored by the United States showed that only 21 percent of the electorate trusted the previous Electoral Commission (EC).
In response, the Embassy in 2003 began a program to strengthen the new ECs technical capacity, promote electoral reform and advocate for specific improvements in electoral administration.
Another embassy program assisted a consortium of NGOs with strategic planning to monitor democratization in the lead-up to 2006 elections. The Embassy also began a modest program to strengthen political parties and promote political pluralism.
The Embassy promoted freedom of speech and the press. A DHRF grant went to the Uganda Journalist Safety Committee to train radio and print journalists on how to cover human rights and democracy issues. The Embassys public affairs section also continued its long tradition of journalism training, with a focus on the expansion and improvement of independent rural radio.
In support of religious freedom, the Embassy used DHRF funds to sponsor a successful series of seminars promoting inter-religious harmony among Ugandans. The Ambassador and other embassy personnel spoke to Muslim groups and attended various programs.
The Embassy sponsored several fora to promote interfaith dialogue, forge interfaith coalitions to support peace-building in conflict areas and allow the Muslim population to voice its opinions on issues of bilateral interest. Grants allowed influential Muslim leaders to travel to the United States, where they shared their experiences with fellow Muslims.
The Embassy utilized two DHRF grants to promote the rights of rural women and combat high levels of domestic violence against women in Ugandan villages. One DHRF grantee in Rakai District conducted seminars to increase public awareness of the problem of domestic violence.
The organization also trained HIV/AIDS counselors and local officials on how to identify cases of domestic violence and ways to intervene to protect victims. Another grantee in Kotido District sensitized local officials to the need to protect womens rights and to prevent discrimination against women in the local court system.
To promote childrens rights and combat child labor and trafficking in persons, the United States funded several projects. The Elimination of Child Labor project targeted children engaged in commercial sexual activities, street work and domestic labor.
Another initiative sought to remove children from the worst forms of child labor in commercial agriculture. Under its Education Initiative, the U.S. Labor Department funded a program to expand the access and quality of education in war-torn northern Uganda for children at risk of exploitation as child soldiers or sexual partners.
To promote workers rights U.S. officials met with trade union officials as well as government officials during a controversial strike at a textile manufacturer, and demonstrated support for worker rights at trade union elections.
The United States also funded a four-year regional program to strengthen labor relations in East Africa, including Uganda. The program helped facilitate cooperation between the Government, employers and labor unions to better identify and resolve worker grievances.
The program also supported efforts to reform and update Ugandas employment legislation. Under another new labor program, a local NGO worked to improve employer policies on AIDS in the workplace and to reduce discrimination against employees living with HIV/AIDS.
Kilde: Det amerikanske udenrigsministerium
