From Reuters, Dec. 19:

The World Court in The Hague found on Monday that Uganda violated the sovereignty of the neighbouring Democratic Republic of Congo and was responsible for human rights abuses there during a 1998-2003 war.

The court added Uganda was responsible for acts of plunder in Congo by failing to ensure that its soldiers respected the country's natural resources.

The Congo -- rich in gold, diamonds and timber -- was the battleground for rebels, local factions, tribes and neighbouring countries, including Uganda, in a 1998-2003 war in which 4 million people died, mainly from hunger and disease.

Congo took Uganda to the World Court, also known as the International Court of Justice, in 1999, accusing it of responsibility for human rights abuses and armed aggression and calling for compensation for what is said were acts of looting, destruction and removal of property.

The ICJ is the United Nations' highest court, and its ruling is final and cannot be appealed.

See our last posts on Uganda and Congo.