ARMED: An LRA fighter moving to one of the assembly points

By Chris Ocowun, Arthur Okot and Caroline Ayugi

“IT seems peace talks have only really started now, with the arrival of my mother,” LRA leader Joseph Kony said while meeting his mum for a third successive day.

“My mother is second to the Almighty God to me. I cannot but heed her advice to stop fighting and come back home. But we want the Government to meet some of the demands we are putting across.”

The message was conveyed by journalist John Lacambel of Radio Mega FM in Gulu, who accompanied the team.

Talking to The New Vision from Garamba in the DR Congo, Lachambel said Kony requested direct talks with President Museveni.

The LRA leader allegedly also proposed to stay together with all his fighters and commanders in one place, rather than being scattered, because of the presence of the UPDF in South Sudan.

Kony further asked the Government to facilitate his mother’s return to her home village in Gulu, Odek, now that people in the north are heading home. “The discussions are going on very well,” commented Owiny-Dollo, the former minister of state for foreign affairs, who is part of the team.

“The visit of Kony’s mother has been tremendously useful, even beyond our imagination. We will report to the President first before we can brief the press.”

The leader of the LRA team at the peace talks, Martin Ojul, who traveled from Juba, hailed the Government for organising and facilitating the visit of Kony’s mother.

He said such initiatives were helpful in terms of confidence-building and would boost the negotiations in Juba.

On Sunday, Museveni talked by satellite phone to LRA deputy chief, Vincent Otti, in Garamba in the first direct talks with the top LRA leaders.

A team of Unicef officials also arrived at the scene on Monday. They were scheduled to have discussions with the LRA leadership, probably about the release of women and children.

Meanwhile, boreholes are being drilled by some NGOs at Ri-Kwangba, one of the assembly points, to provide the rebels with water.

Some fighters have reportedly arrived at the designated area, though because they are scattered, their number could not be established. The team headed by Gulu RDC Walter Ochora has extended its stay and is expected to return to Uganda on Friday.