缅北禁地

19 September 2017 鈥� Yoweri Kaguta Museveni, President of the Republic of Uganda, took the podium expressing support for the theme of the United Nations 72nd General Assembly 鈥� 鈥楩ocusing on People: Striving for Peace and a Decent life for all on a Sustainable Planet鈥� 鈥� questioning why the world鈥檚 elites failed to see its pertinence.

鈥淲ho would lose if all the people on the globe led a decent life,鈥� he said, namely by having enough food; inoculations for 鈥渋mmunizable鈥� diseases; drinkable water; education; clean electricity; fair-paying jobs; and respectable homes. 鈥淧arasitism is the only obstacle to global affluence, prosperity and peace,鈥� he added.

Turning to 鈥渢he dangerous situation on the Korean Peninsula,鈥� he believed that, as 鈥渒ith and kin,鈥� the Republic of Korea (ROK) and the Democratic Republic of Korea (DPRK) would do well to alone discuss their re-unification. He cited a unified Viet Nam, as well as that of Germany in 1990. Noting the strength of a unified Korea, he posed the queries, 鈥淲hy do some actors fear strong nations in the world? Why should the Koreans themselves (North and South) allow external forces to continue to divide them?鈥�

鈥淲e always strive not to allow actors, foreign or local, to divide the African peoples, regardless of the complications involved,鈥� he underscored, saying that Uganda accommodates many African refugees on account of a conscious ideological position 鈥� 鈥渘ot to allow any actors to divide us. We only fight traitors.鈥�

On 鈥渢he small issue鈥� of enforcing sanctions against the DPRK, Mr. Kaguta told the Assembly that Uganda is in compliance. 鈥淲e do not have to trade with North Korea. We are, however, grateful that, in the past, the North Koreans helped us to build our tank forces,鈥� he concluded.