Sudan VP Kiir tries to save peace talks
Sep 28, 2006
SOUTHERN Sudan President Salva Kiir yesterday held separate meetings with the Government and LRA teams to the Juba peace talks.
By Henry Mukasa
in Juba
SOUTHERN Sudan President Salva Kiir yesterday held separate meetings with the Government and LRA teams to the Juba peace talks.
The meeting with the Ugandan delegation began after 11:00am. Details were scanty by press time. However, sources said the current impasse at the peace talks was at the centre of the discussions.
Southern Sudan Vice-President Dr. Riek Machar has since July been mediating the talks to end the 20-year-long war in the north. Machar has been chairing all sessions after the symbolic opening ceremony Kiir presided over on July 14.
Kiir, who appointed a ministerial committee to steer the talks, has intervened whenever the process is threatened with collapse.
That was the case when the LRA walked out of the talks on August 8, when Kampala refused to declare a unilateral ceasefire. After a meeting with Kiir, the rebels returned to the negotiating table unconditionally.
On Tuesday, the LRA said in a statement they would not resume talks unless, as they put it, the UPDF stopped deploying heavily in southern Sudan and in the DR Congo.
“The talks are in grave danger of failure due to the unfolding heavy military deployment of UPDF troops in Uganda, Southern Sudan and the Democratic Republic of Congo,†said the statement signed by chairman, Martin Ojul.
“LRA/M has resolved not to proceed with the negotiations unless the following issues are addressed,†the statement added.
Earlier on Monday, the Uganda Government, in a confidential letter to Kiir and Machar, said the LRA was withdrawing from the two assembly points; Owiny-Kibul and Ri-Kwangba, and were violating the Cessation of Hostilities Agreement.
Yesterday, the Cessation of Hostilities Monitoring Team (CHMT) was scheduled to leave Juba for Owiny-Kibul to ascertain the trade-off between the two parties and verify the numbers of assembled LRA fighters.
However, CHMT chairman Maj. Gen. Wilson Deng told the members slated to travel with his team, “We cannot travel today or tomorrow.†He did not elaborate.
Gulu district chairman Norbert Mao, Omoro MP Simon Tolit, Rwot Onywak Ywakamoi and Sheikh Musa Khelil were scheduled to join the peace talks monitors.
in Juba
SOUTHERN Sudan President Salva Kiir yesterday held separate meetings with the Government and LRA teams to the Juba peace talks.
The meeting with the Ugandan delegation began after 11:00am. Details were scanty by press time. However, sources said the current impasse at the peace talks was at the centre of the discussions.
Southern Sudan Vice-President Dr. Riek Machar has since July been mediating the talks to end the 20-year-long war in the north. Machar has been chairing all sessions after the symbolic opening ceremony Kiir presided over on July 14.
Kiir, who appointed a ministerial committee to steer the talks, has intervened whenever the process is threatened with collapse.
That was the case when the LRA walked out of the talks on August 8, when Kampala refused to declare a unilateral ceasefire. After a meeting with Kiir, the rebels returned to the negotiating table unconditionally.
On Tuesday, the LRA said in a statement they would not resume talks unless, as they put it, the UPDF stopped deploying heavily in southern Sudan and in the DR Congo.
“The talks are in grave danger of failure due to the unfolding heavy military deployment of UPDF troops in Uganda, Southern Sudan and the Democratic Republic of Congo,†said the statement signed by chairman, Martin Ojul.
“LRA/M has resolved not to proceed with the negotiations unless the following issues are addressed,†the statement added.
Earlier on Monday, the Uganda Government, in a confidential letter to Kiir and Machar, said the LRA was withdrawing from the two assembly points; Owiny-Kibul and Ri-Kwangba, and were violating the Cessation of Hostilities Agreement.
Yesterday, the Cessation of Hostilities Monitoring Team (CHMT) was scheduled to leave Juba for Owiny-Kibul to ascertain the trade-off between the two parties and verify the numbers of assembled LRA fighters.
However, CHMT chairman Maj. Gen. Wilson Deng told the members slated to travel with his team, “We cannot travel today or tomorrow.†He did not elaborate.
Gulu district chairman Norbert Mao, Omoro MP Simon Tolit, Rwot Onywak Ywakamoi and Sheikh Musa Khelil were scheduled to join the peace talks monitors.