Govt, LRA disagree on cabinet posts

Feb 06, 2008

THE Government and the Lord’s Resistance Army peace teams on Tuesday night failed to reach an agreement over power-sharing, distribution of jobs and government contracts.

By Milton Olupot
in Juba

THE Government and the Lord’s Resistance Army peace teams on Tuesday night failed to reach an agreement over power-sharing, distribution of jobs and government contracts.

A meeting between the two parties, chaired by the Southern Sudan Vice-President Riek Machar, went on deep into the night without any prospect of a consensus, a source who attended the meeting said.

The LRA team, led by David Nyekorach Matsanga, on Monday tabled a demand for 35% of cabinet positions for people of north and north-eastern Uganda.

They also wanted 35% of all ranks in the army and other security agencies, as well as 35% of employment opportunities in government departments, diplomatic service, commissions and other statutory bodies.

In addition, they asked for 35% of government contracts to go to companies and organisations owned by the people of the two regions.

The parties reportedly agreed on a number of other issues, such as facilitation for settlement of IDPs, participation in politics and ownership of land.

The government paper, responding to the demands of the LRA, argued that the issue of power sharing would be handled by the Equal Opportunities Commission.

“The Government, on advice of the Equal Opportunities Commission, shall develop and support special programmes to remedy any imbalances or disparities for the north and north eastern parts of the country,” it said.

Government spokesperson Capt. Chris Magezi said the LRA team was pre-empting the work of the Equal Opportunities Act. “Everything they are bringing up is catered for in the principal agreement.”

But the LRA team insisted that it does not give the modalities for the implementation of the agreement.

“If you are going to marry my daughter, saying so is not enough. You have to tell me how many cows you are going to give and when,” Dr. Obita said.

On representation in the army and other security agencies, the Government vowed it would continue to ensure that the composition of the forces reflected the national character, but insisted that recruitment should be based on merit.

On the system of governance, the Government team said power belonged to the people, who should exercise it in accordance with the constitution.

They reaffirmed the freedom of Ugandans to democratically choose and promote a system of governance.

Meanwhile, the European Union (EU) has appealed to the LRA to release the abducted women and children still in their ranks.

“As a confidence building measure, the EU calls on the LRA to release women and children”, said a statement issued yesterday by the French embassy on behalf of the Presidency of Slovenia.

Pledging its support to the Juba peace talks, the EU said it attached great importance to reaching a peace deal “which provides both peace and justice”.

The deal, it added, should pave the way for reconciliation and be compatible with the wishes of the local communities, national law and the Rome Statute of the International Criminal Court.

“Credible accountability mechanisms are necessary, in particular for the most serious human rights violations.”

The statement further said the EU hoped that a final agreement would be signed shortly so that the conflict could come to a definite end.

It stressed that several EU countries, the European Commission, Canada and Norway had made important financial contributions to the peace talks and the redevelopment of northern Uganda.

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