Talks in critical phase â€" Egeland
Oct 14, 2006
THE emerging peace process in northern Uganda, where hopes are high that a brutal, 20-year conflict may be finally over, has reached a highly delicate stage, the UN’s top humanitarian official has warned.<br>
New York, Friday — The emerging peace process in northern Uganda, where hopes are high that a brutal, 20-year conflict may be finally over, has reached a highly delicate stage, the UN’s top humanitarian official has warned.
Under-Secretary-General for Humanitarian Affairs Jan Egeland told a press briefing in Geneva that while “dramatic progress†had been made in the peace process, it was a struggle to keep the momentum going.
“The next weeks will be absolutely crucial for whether or not we can bring to an end one of our generation’s worst wars. It is an extremely fragile process,†he said, referring to ongoing peace talks in Juba, southern Sudan, between the Government and the rebel LRA.
“I’m hopeful that we can now see an end to it all but then we have to be creative, we have to be courageous and we have to be flexible in assisting this African-led peace process.â€
Senior members of the LRA, including its leader Joseph Kony, face International Criminal Court (ICC) indictments for alleged war crimes.
Egeland said he was concerned that some members of the LRA have left camps in southern Sudan, where they were supposed to settle under the cessation of hostilities agreement because of recent nearby movements by Ugandan military forces.
He added there was also concern that the assembly points lacked adequate services, and the UN Office for the Coordination of Humanitarian Affairs last week launched the Juba Initiative Fund to support the peace talks and help the local civilian population.
LRA has been notorious for abducting children and using them as soldiers.
Under-Secretary-General for Humanitarian Affairs Jan Egeland told a press briefing in Geneva that while “dramatic progress†had been made in the peace process, it was a struggle to keep the momentum going.
“The next weeks will be absolutely crucial for whether or not we can bring to an end one of our generation’s worst wars. It is an extremely fragile process,†he said, referring to ongoing peace talks in Juba, southern Sudan, between the Government and the rebel LRA.
“I’m hopeful that we can now see an end to it all but then we have to be creative, we have to be courageous and we have to be flexible in assisting this African-led peace process.â€
Senior members of the LRA, including its leader Joseph Kony, face International Criminal Court (ICC) indictments for alleged war crimes.
Egeland said he was concerned that some members of the LRA have left camps in southern Sudan, where they were supposed to settle under the cessation of hostilities agreement because of recent nearby movements by Ugandan military forces.
He added there was also concern that the assembly points lacked adequate services, and the UN Office for the Coordination of Humanitarian Affairs last week launched the Juba Initiative Fund to support the peace talks and help the local civilian population.
LRA has been notorious for abducting children and using them as soldiers.