Museveni orders Kony ceasefire
Nov 14, 2004
President Yoweri Museveni yesterday ordered a seven-day ceasefire with the LRA rebels in parts of Acholi.
By Emmy Allio
President Yoweri Museveni yesterday ordered a seven-day ceasefire with the LRA rebels in parts of Acholi.
The order takes effect from 6:00pm tonight till 7:00pm November 23, 2004.
The ceasefire only holds in the northern part of Patiko and northern Atanga, west of Palabek, east of Atiak up to the Sudan border. The area is about 300sq miles.
He said the ceasefire was requested by former
northern Uganda minister Betty Bigombe, who has been hammering out a peace deal with the rebels for months. Donor countries are also involved.
In a statement, Museveni’s spokesman Onapito Ekomoloit said, “President Museveni has ordered a seven-day suspension of UPDF operations in limited areas of Acholi to allow the leadership of Kony’s group to meet and confirm that they accept his offer to come out of the bush.
“In the past three weeks, Ms. Betty Bigombe has had clear indications from Kony’s group that they want to end the conflict. They are under intense pressure from UPDF. A Kony spokesman has said they want to talk peace.
“President Museveni had offered a ten-day suspension of operations so that Kony’s group gathers in an agreed area in northern Uganda and talks could begin. But UPDF pressure makes it impossible for the Kony leadership to get together to discuss this offer.
“Ms Betty Bigombe has, therefore, proposed a seven-day suspension to allow the leadership to meet. President Museveni has agreed to suspend operations north of Patiko, north of Atanga, passing west of Palabek, east of Atiak, up to the border with Sudan, to allow that to happen.
The Kony group has been provided with a detailed map of this area. Any bandit that moves into this area for the purpose of those consultations will not be attacked.
“If after the meeting, Kony’s group makes a clear, recorded statement that they accept the President’s offer, the 10-day cessation of the UPDF operations will be ordered.
However, the UPDF will continue operations against the remnants of Kony’s group in all the other areas of northern Uganda and southern Sudan until the government gets an irreversible commitment indicating their intention to end violence vis-à -vis the population and end, once for all, the terror campaign.
“The seven-day cessation of UPDF operations against Kony’s group will commence at 1800 hours on the 15th of November, 2004 and end at 0700 hours on the 23rd of November, 2004.â€
President Yoweri Museveni yesterday ordered a seven-day ceasefire with the LRA rebels in parts of Acholi.
The order takes effect from 6:00pm tonight till 7:00pm November 23, 2004.
The ceasefire only holds in the northern part of Patiko and northern Atanga, west of Palabek, east of Atiak up to the Sudan border. The area is about 300sq miles.
He said the ceasefire was requested by former
northern Uganda minister Betty Bigombe, who has been hammering out a peace deal with the rebels for months. Donor countries are also involved.
In a statement, Museveni’s spokesman Onapito Ekomoloit said, “President Museveni has ordered a seven-day suspension of UPDF operations in limited areas of Acholi to allow the leadership of Kony’s group to meet and confirm that they accept his offer to come out of the bush.
“In the past three weeks, Ms. Betty Bigombe has had clear indications from Kony’s group that they want to end the conflict. They are under intense pressure from UPDF. A Kony spokesman has said they want to talk peace.
“President Museveni had offered a ten-day suspension of operations so that Kony’s group gathers in an agreed area in northern Uganda and talks could begin. But UPDF pressure makes it impossible for the Kony leadership to get together to discuss this offer.
“Ms Betty Bigombe has, therefore, proposed a seven-day suspension to allow the leadership to meet. President Museveni has agreed to suspend operations north of Patiko, north of Atanga, passing west of Palabek, east of Atiak, up to the border with Sudan, to allow that to happen.
The Kony group has been provided with a detailed map of this area. Any bandit that moves into this area for the purpose of those consultations will not be attacked.
“If after the meeting, Kony’s group makes a clear, recorded statement that they accept the President’s offer, the 10-day cessation of the UPDF operations will be ordered.
However, the UPDF will continue operations against the remnants of Kony’s group in all the other areas of northern Uganda and southern Sudan until the government gets an irreversible commitment indicating their intention to end violence vis-à -vis the population and end, once for all, the terror campaign.
“The seven-day cessation of UPDF operations against Kony’s group will commence at 1800 hours on the 15th of November, 2004 and end at 0700 hours on the 23rd of November, 2004.â€