Government should act after ruling on Uganda

HOW satisfying to read the International Court of Justice finding that Uganda should pay repatriation (possibly as much as $10bn) to the Democratic Republic of Congo for its role in looting during the 1998-2003 war (Examiner, December 21).

The court’s verdict represents a telling blow to the Irish Government, who have insisted on maintaining strong financial links with the Museveni regime in Uganda - despite some reservations on the part of ministers Dermot Ahern and Conor Lenihan.

My attempts over recent years, at meetings of the Joint Oireachtas Committee on Foreign Affairs, to drive home the seriousness of this situation proved unsuccessful in one meeting after another.

In fact, I was told that some of the information was inaccurate and that Uganda had not invaded the Congo.

Hopefully, this latest confirmation of Uganda’s role in the rape of the Congo will prompt the Irish Government finally to recognise the folly of channelling taxpayers’ funds (€33 million this year) through this discredited Ugandan regime.

John O’Shea

GOAL

PO Box 19

Dun Laoghaire

Co Dublin