War reparations have been at the heart of debates in the International Court of Justice since Tuesday. In 2005, this UN court found Uganda guilty of interfering in the affairs of the Democratic Republic of the Congo and ordered compensation for the damage caused during the Ugandan army’s occupation of Ituri, in particular. billion dollars in Kampala.
as reported from The Hague, Stephanie Maupas
For Uganda, Congolese claims are “unfounded”, “disproportionate” and “destructive”. Kampala says the Democratic Republic of Congo has failed to provide evidence of war losses.
The Ugandan state also refuses to pay for any damage caused between 1998 and 2003, given the shared division of responsibilities, as Justice Minister William Byaruhanga explained to the court: “There were actually several conflicts involving the armies of at least nine states – Angola, Burundi , Chad, the Democratic Republic of Congo, Libya, Namibia, Rwanda, Sudan and Zimbabwe – and at least 21 irregular armed groups in place at the same time. “
If the judges of the ICJ were to withhold the amount demanded by the DRC, Uganda would almost be destroyed, the Minister of Justice argued. “Ordering Uganda to pay the approximately $ 13.5 billion that the Democratic Republic of Congo claims would mean that almost double Uganda’s consolidated annual public spending would have to be transferred to the Democratic Republic of Congo. The cost to the Ugandan people would be enormous. And it would also undermine Uganda’s programs to promote peace and stability throughout the Great Lakes region. “
The hearings continue in The Hague. Four experts appointed by the judges will appear in the court bar on Friday 23 and Monday 26 April.
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