Ugandan President Yoweri Museveni: «No plans to fight the LRA.»

© afrol / Frédéric de La Mure / Gouvt. française

afrol News, 1 March - The six months fragile truce signed between the Ugandan government and brutal rebel movement Lord's Resistance Army (LRA) expired last midnight. As there are no signs of renewing the truce, there are fears that the two parties might go back to war, especially in the face of issued threats by both sides.

LRA officials walked out of the peace talks last December. The rebel administration has insisted that there will be no renewal for truce in the absence of peace talks.

But they are now asking Uganda's President Yoweri Museveni to talk to them - otherwise they may open war with his government.

LRA deputy Commander Vincent Otti threatened that his men were ready to engage the Ugandan government into a prolonged war if they refuse to accept their demands.

But President Museveni said government armed forces will not fight with the LRA if they did not attempt to re-enter Uganda. Most LRA rebels are now based in demobilisation camps in South Sudan.

Engulfed with fears of renewed hostilities, Acholi leaders of northern Ugandan are relentless in their efforts to broker peace between the government and LRA in southern Sudan.

Ugandans were filled with joy when their government and the LRA finally agreed to stop fighting. This led to an agreement of the two sides to talk in South Sudanese city of Juba. But the two sides deadlocked on power sharing and reforms in the Ugandan army and decided to halt negotiations.

The indictments of the LRA leadership by International Criminal Court (ICC) for their gross human rights violations and war crimes also added salt to injury.

The Ugandan parliament yesterday appealed to both sides to resume peace talks and respect the cessation of the hostilities agreement they had signed last year.

Uganda's State Minister for General Duties, Adolf Mwesigye, tabled a motion before parliament, urging the LRA to return to Juba for peace talks. The issue threw parliament into stormy debate, with opposition deputies arguing that they should not restrict the venue of the Juba talks because LRA had earlier rejected to it.

The amendment was however overwhelmingly passed.

Uganda's Minister of Internal Affairs, Ruhakana Rugunda, told deputies that the talks must continue in Juba with the mediation of the South Sudan government. Minister Rugunda accused some non-governmental organisations outside the country of undermining the Juba talks, saying that the place is bereft with better hotel and accommodation facilities.

It is also believed that LRA asked for a change of the venue because Ugandan forces were deployed in South Sudan.

By staff writer

© afrol News

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