United Nations peacekeepers escort surrendered M23 fighters in North Kivu, Democratic Republic of the Congo (DRC)
KAMPALA, Sept 12 (NNN-ALLAFRICA) — The Ugandan government has paid shs250 billion($65million) to the Democratic Republic of Congo government in partial payment for war reparations.
“The payment of this indemnity is made in five installments of $65 million. The first had just been paid,” the DRC government spokesperson, Patrick Muyaya said.
The International Court of Justice which is a United Nations’ top court in February ordered Uganda to pay Democratic Republic of Congo $325 million(Shs1.1 trillion) which was only a fraction of the $11 billion that the country had sought as reparations for the 1998 to 2003 war.
Earlier, at its height, the conflict in DRC drew in nine African countries, with Uganda and Rwanda backing rebel forces against ruling government as all parties tried to control the country’s mineral rich Ituri province.
In 2005, the UN court ruled that Uganda had violated international law when it occupied parts of Ituri with its troops and also supported other armed groups during the war in the province.
The court ordered the two countries to negotiate the compensation process but in 2005 DRC reported to the tribunal that negotiations had failed to yield anything and sought a final decision on the amount.
DRC asked for over $11 billion from Uganda for the occupation of Ituri.
The Hague based court ruled that Uganda should only pay $325 million(Shs1.1 trillion) and not $11 billion as had been requested by DRC.
“The court sets out the total amount of compensation awarded to the DRC, which is 325 million US dollars,” said Joan Donoghue, the chief judge.”
The amount was meant to cater for damage to persons including deaths, injuries and sexual violence totaling to $225 and $40 million for damage to property and $60 million for damage to natural resources that were looted.
The court notes that the reparation awarded to the DRC for damage to persons and to property reflects the harm suffered by individuals and communities as a result of Uganda’s breach of its international obligations,” the court said. — NNN-ALLAFRICA
