afrol News, 2 November - A delegation of Lord's Resistance Army (LRA) led by Chairman Martin Ojul are in the Ugandan capital Kampala to meet President Yoweri Museveni.

Ahead of their visit, the LRA sent two of its prominent figures, Mike Anywar and Ray Achama, had first the first time in over 20 years, emerged from the bush to storm Kampala. The rebels' mission includes consultations on the progress of the ongoing peace talks between the LRA and the government.

The rebel-government talks will deal with the legal and criminal aspects of the two-decade long conflict. But the modalities of reconcialtion is considered as the heart of the talks.

At a face to face meeting with LRA in the South Sudan capital Juba last year, the rebel leaders [Josephine Apire and Ayoo] refused to shake hand with Museveni.

The rebels said their Uganda mission also includes mobilising the people who have supported their group since its establishment 21 years ago.

They expect the resumption of the Juba talks after the Uganda mission.

A rift within the leadership of the LRA has been confirmed by the group's former senior commander, Patrick Opiyo Makasi.

The warlord, who was handed over to the Ugandan authorities, confirmed newspaper reports that the northern rebel group has been limping with squabbles for more than a year and a half, as bad blood between the LRA leader, Joseph Kony and his commanders, including his deputy, Vincent Otti, escalated.

A rift between Makasi and Kony forced the former out of the bush, he told journalists at Entebbe Airport.

The deserted commander fled the rebel camp in Garamba on 2 October with his wife and walked for a week before he surrendered himself to the United Nations Mission in the Democratic Republic of Congo.

Makasi was soon handed over to the Congolese government who had since then held him. And after a high level diplomacy, he was finally flown to Uganda.

"I am overwhelmed by the welcome you have given me," he said upon arrival at the airport.

A spokesperson of the Amnesty Commission, Moses Draku, said since Makasi had given up rebellion, he would be allowed to sign amnesty papers.

Earlier three commanders of the rebel group, who fell apart with Kony and Otti over the ongoing peace talks in the South Sudan capital of Juba, surrendered themselves to the Sudan People's Liberation Movement.

The northern rebels had been accused of committing grave human rights violations, war crimes and crimes against humanity since they first took arms against the government 21 years ago.

By staff writer

© afrol News

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