DATE=5/18/99
TYPE=CORRESPONDENT REPORT
NUMBER=2-249517
TITLE=UGANDA/AMNESTY (L ONLY)
BYLINE=RICHARD ENGEL
DATELINE=DADAAB, KENYA
CONTENT=
VOICED AT:
INTRO: ALICE LAKWENA, A PERSON ONCE REGARDED BY SOME AS UGANDA'S
MOST-FEARED REBEL LEADER, HAS FORMALLY REQUESTED THE GOVERNMENT
TO ALLOW HER TO RETURN TO KAMPALA. MS. LAKWENA NOW LIVES IN A
REFUGEE CAMP IN NORTHERN KENYA ALONG WITH 20 REMAINING FOLLOWERS.
REPORTER RICHARD ENGEL RECENTLY PAID HER A VISIT.
TEXT: KNOWN AS "MOTHER ALICE" TO HER FOLLOWERS, ALICE LAKWENA
SAYS SHE HOPES TO BE GIVEN POLITICAL AMNESTY BY UGANDA'S
PRESIDENT, YOWERI MUSEVENI -- THE SAME MAN SHE FOUGHT IN THE
1980S.
TODAY, MS. LAKWENA LIVES IN A REFUGEE CAMP NEAR THE KENYAN TOWN
OF DADAAB, SOME 70 KILOMETERS FROM THE BORDER WITH SOMALIA.
THERE, SITTING ON A WOODEN THRONE IN HER MUD HUT, SHE STILL
COMMANDS A FEW FOLLOWERS. BUT NOW INSTEAD OF PREACHING
REBELLION, MS. LAKWENA SAYS SHE IS A PROPHET OF GOD AND CAN
PREFORM MIRACLES.
///LAKWENA ACT///
IT WAS THE PLAN OF GOD TO BRING ME HERE IN KENYA. IT WAS
NOT MY PLAN. I AM A PROPHET OF GOD.
///END ACT///
U-N OFFICIALS SAY MS. LAKWENA MET WITH SENIOR UGANDAN REFUGEE
OFFICIALS LAST WEEK ABOUT HER POSSIBLE RETURN. THE REFUGEE
OFFICIALS REPORTEDLY SAID THEY WOULD LIKE MS. LAKWENA TO UNDERGO
A PSYCHOLOGICAL EXAMINATION BEFORE ANY TALK OF RETURN TO UGANDA.
MS. LAKWENA SAYS SHE HOPES TO SOON MAKE A GLORIOUS HOMECOMING.
ALICE LAKWENA GAINED NOTORIETY IN 1986 WHEN SHE LED A POWERFUL
RESISTANCE MOVEMENT AGAINST MR. MUSEVENI. MANY OF HER TROOPS
BEHAVED FEARLESSLY AFTER SHE HAD TOLD THEM THAT BATHING IN HOLY
WATER WOULD MAKE BULLETS BOUNCE OFF OF THEM AND THAT STONES THEY
THREW WOULD TURN INTO GRENADES. BUT MANY OF HER SOLDIERS DIED IN
THE TWO YEARS SHE FOUGHT THE GOVERNMENT. SHE THEN FLED TO KENYA.
NOW, MS. LAKWENA SAYS SHE WANTS TO GO BACK TO UGANDA AND DEDICATE
HER LIFE TO PERFORMING MIRACLES TO HEAL THE SICK, STARTING -- SHE
SAYS -- WITH A CURE FOR AIDS.
///SECOND LAKWENA ACT///
GOD HAS INFORMED ME THAT I MUST GO HOME AND GET MARRIED.
SO THAT MY HUSBAND WILL BUILD FOR THEM (THE SICK) AN
ALTAR. A MAIN ALTAR AND A LOW ALTAR. I MUST PLAN FOR
THAT. THEREFORE I MUST GO BACK ... IF MY HUSBAND CAN
BUILD THIS ALTAR, THE LAME (WILL) WALK, THE BLIND (WILL)
SEE, THE DEAF (WILL) HEAR.
///END ACT///
MS. LAKWENA SAYS SHE IS PREPARED TO CURE 15-HUNDRED AIDS PATIENTS
IN UGANDA AS A SYMBOL OF HER GOOD WILL.
LAST FRIDAY, UGANDAN NEWSPAPERS REPORTED THAT PRESIDENT MUSEVENI
OFFERED AMNESTY TO ANOTHER REBEL -- JOSEPH KONY (KON-NYE). HE
LEADS THE CHRISTIAN FUNDAMENTALIST "LORD'S RESISTANCE ARMY,"
WHICH WOULD LIKE UGANDA TO BE RULED ACCORDING TO THE BIBLE'S 10
COMMANDMENTS.
PRESIDENT MUSEVENI REPORTEDLY MADE THE AMNESTY ANNOUNCEMENT WHILE
TOURING UGANDA'S GULU DISTRICT. THE AREA HAS BEEN THE FOCUS OF
ATTACKS BY THE LORD'S RESISTANCE ARMY, WHICH ENJOYS THE SUPPORT
OF SUDAN. THE GULU AREA IS ALSO WHERE MS. LAKWENA'S HOME TOWN IS
LOCATED. AFTER HER DEFEAT A DECADE AGO, MANY OF MS. LAKWENA'S
SUPPORTERS WENT ON TO FORM THE BACKBONE OF THE LORD'S RESISTANCE
ARMY.
UGANDAN GOVERNMENT OFFICIALS SAY WHILE THE AMNESTY WOULD FORGIVE
THOSE WHO PARTICIPATED IN REBEL MOVEMENTS, IT WOULD NOT PROTECT
THEM FROM UGANDAN CITIZENS WHO MAY SUE FOR PERSONAL DAMAGES
CAUSED DURING THE FIGHTING. (SIGNED)
NEB/RHE/PCF
18-May-99 11:19 AM EDT (1519 UTC)
NNNN
Source: Voice of America
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