Peace talks officially opened
Dec 17, 2006
The peace talks in Juba officially resumed on Thursday night with a dinner hosted by the mediator and Vice-President of South Sudan, Riek Machar.
By Henry Mukasa
in Juba
The peace talks in Juba officially resumed on Thursday night with a dinner hosted by the mediator and Vice-President of South Sudan, Riek Machar.
Machar appealed to both parties to sign a pact on solutions to the causes of the war as a Christmas gift to the affected people in northern Uganda.
“The expectations, I believe you all know in Uganda, Sudan and the rest of the world is that progress is expected in the peace process,†Machar said.
Members of the Government and the LRA team wined and dined at the Raha Hotel, exchanging jokes that were a pleasant change of the tense atmosphere inside the discussion room.
The Government team invited the leader of the LRA delegation, Martin Ojul, to their Christmas celebration, which the latter eagerly accepted.
Machar urged both parties to respect the cessation of hostilities agreement and the addendum signed so far.
Machar declared the fourth round of talks open at around 9:00pm.
LRA delegation chairman, Martin Ojul said his team was equally committed to a faster negotiation process and the need for a timetable.
Sporadic gunfire rocked Juba town on Thursday night and Friday morning, creating fear among the participants. It appeared, however, that a brigade of Sudanese forces were firing in the air while marching to the main barracks, demanding pay arrears.
in Juba
The peace talks in Juba officially resumed on Thursday night with a dinner hosted by the mediator and Vice-President of South Sudan, Riek Machar.
Machar appealed to both parties to sign a pact on solutions to the causes of the war as a Christmas gift to the affected people in northern Uganda.
“The expectations, I believe you all know in Uganda, Sudan and the rest of the world is that progress is expected in the peace process,†Machar said.
Members of the Government and the LRA team wined and dined at the Raha Hotel, exchanging jokes that were a pleasant change of the tense atmosphere inside the discussion room.
The Government team invited the leader of the LRA delegation, Martin Ojul, to their Christmas celebration, which the latter eagerly accepted.
Machar urged both parties to respect the cessation of hostilities agreement and the addendum signed so far.
Machar declared the fourth round of talks open at around 9:00pm.
LRA delegation chairman, Martin Ojul said his team was equally committed to a faster negotiation process and the need for a timetable.
Sporadic gunfire rocked Juba town on Thursday night and Friday morning, creating fear among the participants. It appeared, however, that a brigade of Sudanese forces were firing in the air while marching to the main barracks, demanding pay arrears.