Rugunda returns to Juba
Sep 25, 2006
THE Government peace negotiators arrived in Juba yesterday for the third round of talks with the LRA.
By Henry Mukasa
in Juba
THE Government peace negotiators arrived in Juba yesterday for the third round of talks with the LRA.
The delegation was scheduled to meet Southern Sudan Vice-President Dr. Riek Machar, the chief mediator.
Chief negotiator Ruhakana Rugunda said he expected the third round of talks would review the performance of the Cessation of Hostilities Agreement (CHA) but would not give details. “Let us not speculate,†he said.
“We shall review the Cessation of Hostilities Agreement and see how to strengthen its performance,†Rugunda said.
Asked if the LRA demand to withdraw the UPDF from Southern Sudan and a review of the composition of the Uganda delegation would be discussed, Rugunda said, “All the issues they raised are part and parcel of the Cessation of Hostilities Agreement.â€
A source said the LRA should have addressed queries about UPDF deployment in southern Sudan to the Cessation of Hostilities Monitoring Team and not the press.
“The issue of the UPDF in Southern Sudan is out of their reach. It’s a matter between the Government of Southern Sudan and the Government of Uganda,†the source said.
In a statement on Saturday, the LRA said it had the right to question the UPDF deployment if it threatened its security.
Minister Okello Oryem said he was confident progress would be made at the third round of talks.
In the first round of talks, the two sides came up with a harmonised paper on critical issues. The LRA at time said the north and east had suffered political marginilisation, poor economic conditions and poor social infrastructure.
“Since we are “primitiveâ€, “backward†and “uncivilisedâ€, and nobody within the present political dispensation wants to civilise us, we opt for self-determination,†the LRA said.
“We demand a proportionate power sharing arrangement that takes care of regional and population balance of the country,†they added.
But the Government rejected calls for power sharing, insisting it could only help save LRA leaders from ICC indictment when a peace agreement is signed. It said LRA could only share power through a democratic process and through elections.
“The Lord’s Resistance Army is at liberty to come and fully participate in the social, political and economic activities of our motherland Uganda, for divergent views are freely expressed in accordance with the law. The human rights as enshrined in the Constitution are fully observed,†it said.
in Juba
THE Government peace negotiators arrived in Juba yesterday for the third round of talks with the LRA.
The delegation was scheduled to meet Southern Sudan Vice-President Dr. Riek Machar, the chief mediator.
Chief negotiator Ruhakana Rugunda said he expected the third round of talks would review the performance of the Cessation of Hostilities Agreement (CHA) but would not give details. “Let us not speculate,†he said.
“We shall review the Cessation of Hostilities Agreement and see how to strengthen its performance,†Rugunda said.
Asked if the LRA demand to withdraw the UPDF from Southern Sudan and a review of the composition of the Uganda delegation would be discussed, Rugunda said, “All the issues they raised are part and parcel of the Cessation of Hostilities Agreement.â€
A source said the LRA should have addressed queries about UPDF deployment in southern Sudan to the Cessation of Hostilities Monitoring Team and not the press.
“The issue of the UPDF in Southern Sudan is out of their reach. It’s a matter between the Government of Southern Sudan and the Government of Uganda,†the source said.
In a statement on Saturday, the LRA said it had the right to question the UPDF deployment if it threatened its security.
Minister Okello Oryem said he was confident progress would be made at the third round of talks.
In the first round of talks, the two sides came up with a harmonised paper on critical issues. The LRA at time said the north and east had suffered political marginilisation, poor economic conditions and poor social infrastructure.
“Since we are “primitiveâ€, “backward†and “uncivilisedâ€, and nobody within the present political dispensation wants to civilise us, we opt for self-determination,†the LRA said.
“We demand a proportionate power sharing arrangement that takes care of regional and population balance of the country,†they added.
But the Government rejected calls for power sharing, insisting it could only help save LRA leaders from ICC indictment when a peace agreement is signed. It said LRA could only share power through a democratic process and through elections.
“The Lord’s Resistance Army is at liberty to come and fully participate in the social, political and economic activities of our motherland Uganda, for divergent views are freely expressed in accordance with the law. The human rights as enshrined in the Constitution are fully observed,†it said.