LRA 200 km from Kibul
Oct 17, 2006
THE LRA combatants are 200km from Owiny Kibul, in an area north east of Juba, defence state minister Ruth Nankabirwa has said.
By Milton Olupot and Agencies
THE LRA combatants are 200km from Owiny Kibul, in an area north east of Juba, defence state minister Ruth Nankabirwa has said.
She said the rebels have since signing the Cessation of Hostilities Agreement (CHA) been moving northwards from Owiny Kibul, one of the assembly areas.
Nankabirwa was responding to accusations by the LRA that their fighters were attacked by the UPDF at Bilinyang in southern Sudan as they headed to Owiny Kibul, the neutral camp in southern Sudan.
The rebels said this was a violation of the truce under which they were expected to assemble in designated areas.
Nankabirwa, however, said, “The alleged attack by UPDF on LRA is false and investigations have proved the following: The LRA on October 7, 2006 attempted to loot cattle in Mongalla and commandeered a canoe to help them cross the Nile westward, but were repulsed by Mondali
militia men, killing four rebels. “On October 16, the LRA again clashed with the same group but lost five fighters and a rifle.
“The UPDF has no forces where these clashes took place. The LRA has all along been trying to cross River Nile and join their leaders in the DRC.â€
Nankabirwa said the rebels must assemble at Owiny Kibul and Ri-Kwangba as agreed and that the monitoring team must go to Ri-Kwangba to verify LRA’s compliance with the pact.
She said the Government had written to Dr. Riek Machar, the chief mediator, about “this fatal violation of the agreement by the LRA.â€
AFP quoted internal affairs minister Dr. Ruhakana Rugunda, who heads Kampala’s negotiators at the peace talks in Juba, as saying the Government was aware of the LRA claim and would investigate it, but stressed that the LRA fighters wandering in southern Sudan, despite the truce requirement that they be lodged at Owiny Kibul, was more serious.
“They are supposed to be in assembly points. If they were moving to the assembly points, they should have liaised with the CHAMT and,†he said.
The LRA said on Tuesday its fighters would not return to the neutral camps unless UPDF troops are also quarantined.
“We left Owiny Kibul because they failed to provide security and they were just returning upon receiving information that they had deployed when our forces were attacked.
“SPLA should tell us whether they can provide security to our forces and if the Government is willing to abide by the agreement,†Ayena Odongo told AFP.
Ends
THE LRA combatants are 200km from Owiny Kibul, in an area north east of Juba, defence state minister Ruth Nankabirwa has said.
She said the rebels have since signing the Cessation of Hostilities Agreement (CHA) been moving northwards from Owiny Kibul, one of the assembly areas.
Nankabirwa was responding to accusations by the LRA that their fighters were attacked by the UPDF at Bilinyang in southern Sudan as they headed to Owiny Kibul, the neutral camp in southern Sudan.
The rebels said this was a violation of the truce under which they were expected to assemble in designated areas.
Nankabirwa, however, said, “The alleged attack by UPDF on LRA is false and investigations have proved the following: The LRA on October 7, 2006 attempted to loot cattle in Mongalla and commandeered a canoe to help them cross the Nile westward, but were repulsed by Mondali
militia men, killing four rebels. “On October 16, the LRA again clashed with the same group but lost five fighters and a rifle.
“The UPDF has no forces where these clashes took place. The LRA has all along been trying to cross River Nile and join their leaders in the DRC.â€
Nankabirwa said the rebels must assemble at Owiny Kibul and Ri-Kwangba as agreed and that the monitoring team must go to Ri-Kwangba to verify LRA’s compliance with the pact.
She said the Government had written to Dr. Riek Machar, the chief mediator, about “this fatal violation of the agreement by the LRA.â€
AFP quoted internal affairs minister Dr. Ruhakana Rugunda, who heads Kampala’s negotiators at the peace talks in Juba, as saying the Government was aware of the LRA claim and would investigate it, but stressed that the LRA fighters wandering in southern Sudan, despite the truce requirement that they be lodged at Owiny Kibul, was more serious.
“They are supposed to be in assembly points. If they were moving to the assembly points, they should have liaised with the CHAMT and,†he said.
The LRA said on Tuesday its fighters would not return to the neutral camps unless UPDF troops are also quarantined.
“We left Owiny Kibul because they failed to provide security and they were just returning upon receiving information that they had deployed when our forces were attacked.
“SPLA should tell us whether they can provide security to our forces and if the Government is willing to abide by the agreement,†Ayena Odongo told AFP.
Ends