Acholi paramount chief Rwot Achana Onen is in Juba for talks between the LRA rebels and the Government.
Achana, leading six Acholi elders, said he had a message of hope and reconciliation from the Acholi people. “We are here with a message of forgiveness, all people of goodwill in Acholi have appealed that this time round peace should be given chance,” said Achana.
He is accompanied by George William Lugai and Francis Oryang Lagon and will be joined by Sheikh Musa Khalil, Leo Obonyo and Michael Otim.
“This is a different place and atmosphere. Our people are anxiously waiting for the outcome. We have hope because this is a new and different initiative,” said a jovial Achana.
Sources said the Vice-President of Southern Sudan, Dr. Riek Machar, invited the Bishop of the Anglican Kitgum Diocese, Nelson Onono Onweng and Achana as observers.
The sources said Fr. Orach, the head of the Orthodox Church in Acholi, has also been invited to the talks seen as a last ditch effort to end the 20-year long war.
While Achana is seen as a rallying centre for the Acholi culture, Onweng and Fr. Orach are members of the Acholi Religious Leaders Peace Initiative (ARLPI) that has for long pressured the Government to talk peace.
ARLPI has also campaigned against the trial of LRA leader Joseph Kony, his deputy Vincent Otti and his three top commanders indicted by the ICC.
The rebellion has left thousands killed, millions displaced in camps and the sub-region devastated.
It was not possible to get a comment from Machar who is still in Nabanga in Western Equatorial Province consulting Kony. Sources said Machar’s mission was hit by the vagaries of nature.
He could not meet Kony on Saturday because of the very long distance he had to travel to the DRC border for the rendezvous.
On Sunday, Kony was reportedly “unwell.”
“When they met the following day (Monday), the Vice-President told Kony that he could not go back to Juba minus any senior member of the LRA high command. Machar was told to wait for a senior LRA officer who by Monday had not arrived at the venue of the meeting. So the discussion was not conclusive. The Vice-President had to stay,” the source said.
After the talks, Machar could not cross back because a river there burst its banks, submerging a bridge.
On Tuesday, the information minister in the Government of Southern Sudan (GOSS), Dr. Samson Kwaje and the GOSS secretary general Abdon Agau told reporters that Machar was expected latest yesterday.
Officials assembled at Juba International Airport by 9:00am to receive Machar and the LRA delegates but were told that the team would not land until late. At 2:00pm officials assembled again until word trickled in that the VP was not about to arrive.
Late yesterday, reports said Otti and Kony refused to travel to Juba after raising fears that Interpol and a British colonel were waiting in Juba to arrest them upon arrival.
