LRA spurn mediators
Aug 21, 2005
KAMPALA, Thursday — The Lord’s Resistance Army (LRA) has responded poorly to a recent initiative by mediators attempting to peacefully end the 19-year-long war in northern Uganda between the insurgents and government forces, sources said.
KAMPALA, Thursday — The Lord’s Resistance Army (LRA) has responded poorly to a recent initiative by mediators attempting to peacefully end the 19-year-long war in northern Uganda between the insurgents and government forces, sources said.
Launched by Uganda’s four main donors: Britain, the Netherlands, Norway and the United States, the initiative involved broadcasting radio messages to the rebels inviting them to contact the chief mediator of the peace process, Betty Bigombe.
The messages also announced the creation of a special radio monitoring post at which the rebels could pass messages to Bigombe to re-establish contact with her.
“We are in discussions with the Ugandan government about peace but we would like to impress upon you that it is absolutely vital that you re-establish contact so that the opportunity for peace talks is not lost,†the radio messages said.
“Your concerns can and should be issues for discussion. But it is impossible to do this if you do not re-establish contact - we urge you to do so without delay,†they added. “This is a window of opportunity that may be closing rapidly.â€
However, relief workers in northern Uganda said the southern Sudan-based rebels had been reluctant to heed the messages.
“The response has been much less than we expected,†one relief worker in the northern town of Gulu, who preferred anonymity, said on Thursday.
Launched by Uganda’s four main donors: Britain, the Netherlands, Norway and the United States, the initiative involved broadcasting radio messages to the rebels inviting them to contact the chief mediator of the peace process, Betty Bigombe.
The messages also announced the creation of a special radio monitoring post at which the rebels could pass messages to Bigombe to re-establish contact with her.
“We are in discussions with the Ugandan government about peace but we would like to impress upon you that it is absolutely vital that you re-establish contact so that the opportunity for peace talks is not lost,†the radio messages said.
“Your concerns can and should be issues for discussion. But it is impossible to do this if you do not re-establish contact - we urge you to do so without delay,†they added. “This is a window of opportunity that may be closing rapidly.â€
However, relief workers in northern Uganda said the southern Sudan-based rebels had been reluctant to heed the messages.
“The response has been much less than we expected,†one relief worker in the northern town of Gulu, who preferred anonymity, said on Thursday.