Juba talks resume
Sep 07, 2006
Talks between the LRA and the Government resumed on Wednesday night at Juba Raha Hotel in Southern Sudan.
By Henry Mukasa
Talks between the LRA and the Government resumed on Wednesday night at Juba Raha Hotel in Southern Sudan.
“The talks have resumed now,†the leader of the government team, Dr. Ruhakana Rugunda, said when the delegations came out for a break at 9:00pm.
Rugunda said they had discussed the performance of the Cessation of Hostilities Agreement (CHA) signed before the two parties went on recess.
“We looked at the weak points and suggested mechanisms that will ensure the implementation of the agreement,†Rugunda said.
He added that his team had also raised the issue of the absence of the two LRA representatives on the Cessation of Hostilities Monitoring Team (CHMT).
Yesterday morning, the delegations were expected to continue discussing the CHA implementation and commence talks on comprehensive solutions to the causes of the war, which included political participation and economic and social development of the north and east.
However, the morning session flopped. The government team arrived at 11:15am but the LRA delegation was absent. Chief mediator Riek Machar arrived promptly at 9:00am.
After half an hour of waiting, Rugunda’s team returned to its camp, Civicon Oasis.
The LRA team came a few minutes to noon and after briefly talking among themselves, left. They declined to talk to the press.
The resumption of the talks had delayed because Machar was in Owiny Ki-bul, one of the assembly points for LRA fighters, to deliver food and educate residents on the process.
He returned on Tuesday night. The following day, he had to attend the opening of the second session of the Southern Sudan Legislative Assembly presided over by president Salva Kiir.
Both delegations were invited for the occasion held in the Southern Sudan Legislative Assembly chambers but it was only Rugunda who attended.
“We are privileged to have Dr. Rugunda, the minister from Uganda heading the delegation in talks with the LRA,†Kiir said before he began his address to the parliament.
“The peace talks between the government of Uganda and the LRA are on course. The two sides have now committed themselves to an agreement for the cessation of hostilities and two assembly points for the LRA,†Kiir told the legislators.
“This war has devastated northern Uganda and had spilled over to Southern Sudan, causing a lot of damage,†Kiir said.
Ends
Talks between the LRA and the Government resumed on Wednesday night at Juba Raha Hotel in Southern Sudan.
“The talks have resumed now,†the leader of the government team, Dr. Ruhakana Rugunda, said when the delegations came out for a break at 9:00pm.
Rugunda said they had discussed the performance of the Cessation of Hostilities Agreement (CHA) signed before the two parties went on recess.
“We looked at the weak points and suggested mechanisms that will ensure the implementation of the agreement,†Rugunda said.
He added that his team had also raised the issue of the absence of the two LRA representatives on the Cessation of Hostilities Monitoring Team (CHMT).
Yesterday morning, the delegations were expected to continue discussing the CHA implementation and commence talks on comprehensive solutions to the causes of the war, which included political participation and economic and social development of the north and east.
However, the morning session flopped. The government team arrived at 11:15am but the LRA delegation was absent. Chief mediator Riek Machar arrived promptly at 9:00am.
After half an hour of waiting, Rugunda’s team returned to its camp, Civicon Oasis.
The LRA team came a few minutes to noon and after briefly talking among themselves, left. They declined to talk to the press.
The resumption of the talks had delayed because Machar was in Owiny Ki-bul, one of the assembly points for LRA fighters, to deliver food and educate residents on the process.
He returned on Tuesday night. The following day, he had to attend the opening of the second session of the Southern Sudan Legislative Assembly presided over by president Salva Kiir.
Both delegations were invited for the occasion held in the Southern Sudan Legislative Assembly chambers but it was only Rugunda who attended.
“We are privileged to have Dr. Rugunda, the minister from Uganda heading the delegation in talks with the LRA,†Kiir said before he began his address to the parliament.
“The peace talks between the government of Uganda and the LRA are on course. The two sides have now committed themselves to an agreement for the cessation of hostilities and two assembly points for the LRA,†Kiir told the legislators.
“This war has devastated northern Uganda and had spilled over to Southern Sudan, causing a lot of damage,†Kiir said.
Ends