juba Peace Talks Continue

juba Peace Talks Continue
The ongoing discussions to end hostilities in Northern Uganda

© Sean Sinclair-Day

Aug 23, 2006
For more than one month, leaders from the Ugandan government and the Lord's Resistance Army have been talking peace in Juba, Sudan but isolated violence continues

Last month, historic meetings began in the southern Sudanese town of Juba, aimed at resolving nearly two decades of hostilities between the Ugandan government and the rebel insurgents, the Lord's Resistance Army (LRA). Mediating the discussions is South Sudan's Vice-President, Dr. Riek Machar. The United Nations and other humanitarian organizations have referred to the situation in northern Uganda as the world's most brutal and forgotten conflict. During this time, tens of thousands of people have been killed, over 20,000 children have been kidnapped and used as soldiers or sex slaves, and approximately 1.7 million people forced to living in Internally Displaced Persons camps. Each week, an average of 1,000 people die in this region.

Originally, Uganda's President Yoweri Museveni's government gave the LRA and their leader, Joseph Kony, until July 31 to surrender if they wanted to take advantage of the government's generous compromise of total amnesty. Museveni's offer goes against the wishes of the International Criminal Court, which has warrants for the arrests of Kony and four of his top commanders on 33 charges of war crimes and crimes against humanity. Museveni later extended his deadline to September 12. LRA negotiators have stated that it is likely they will require additional time. The two sides have been unable to reach an agreement on the terms of the peace accord but continue to exchange proposals. The LRA recently declared a unilateral ceasefire and asked for the government to reciprocate but Museveni is unwilling to accept the LRA's ceasefire until they agree to assemble in designated stations in southern Sudan. The government has also rejected the LRA's demand that the Uganda's army be reduced in size.

Despite the LRA's announcement of their ceasefire and the government's commitment to ending this bloody chapter in their nation's history, isolated accounts of brutality persist on the periphery of the Juba negotiations. There are still reports that rebels continue to raid, loot and commit acts of brutality while the Ugandan People's Defense Forces (UPDF) has not been afraid to kill insurgents acting outside the sentiments of the peace talks. On August 13, the UPDF killed one of the LRA's top leaders, Raska Lukwiya, after he apparently staged an ambush. On August 23, the Ugandan military claims an ambulance was attacked by LRA rebels, not only defying their ceasefire but disregarding traditional rules of engagement which prohibit attacks on emergency workers.

Yoweri Museveni has told the media that if the talks in Juba fail and that Kony does not agree to an accord and accept his peaceful pardon that he will meet an entirely different fate. Museveni explained that armies from Uganda, south Sudan and the Democratic Republic of Congo (DRC) would go into the DRC's Garamba National Park and attack Kony where he and his top commanders are hiding.

The copyright of the article Juba Peace Talks Continue in North African Affairs is owned by Sean Sinclair-Day. Permission to republish Juba Peace Talks Continue in print or online must be granted by the author in writing.