Kony pulls out of peace talks

Aug 03, 2006

THE Lord’s Resistance Army (LRA) has withdrawn from the peace talks with the Uganda government. At 2:00pm yesterday, LRA leader Joseph Kony, speaking through his deputy Vincent Otti, told Radio France International (RFI) that they were pulling out of the talks.

By Emmy Allio

THE Lord’s Resistance Army (LRA) has withdrawn from the peace talks with the Uganda government. At 2:00pm yesterday, LRA leader Joseph Kony, speaking through his deputy Vincent Otti, told Radio France International (RFI) that they were pulling out of the talks.

During the interview with RFI’s Billie O’Kademeri, Kony cited several reasons for their decision. Otti said the LRA had lost interest in the mediator, Dr. Riek Machar and the Government of South Sudan (GoSS).

Kony said Machar was wrong to insist that Otti should appear in Juba to lead the LRA delegation. He cited three grounds for pulling out of the talks. He said the government of Uganda should first declare a ceasefire and the International Criminal Court (ICC) should withdraw the indictment against its leaders.

Kony also said Machar was wrong to storm out of a Wednesday meeting with the LRA on the Sudan-Congo border and abandon them in the jungle.

“He abandoned our delegation in the bush. We think that he (Riek Machar) is in the wrong hands of some UPDF soldiers. He has taken sides,” Otti told RFI.

“We have lost interest in the mediator and the South Sudan government. We need another mediator and another venue but not Sudan,” he stated.

The rebels also demanded that the international community helps relocate the talks to another country and get another mediator if the talks are to continue.

“If the international community does not locate another venue quickly, then we (LRA) will do so,” Otti said.

He also asked GoSS to transport to the new location the LRA team, which he said was now stranded in the jungles of Sudan.
LRA spokesman Obonyo Olweny told the AFP from Nabanga that Machar abandoned the LRA delegation near the border of Sudan and Congo.

“The vice-president got upset and abandoned us here because he could not convince Vincent Otti to attend the talks in person.

“Despite assurances that he will be provided security by the government of southern Sudan, Otti said he would not attend the talks because of the ICC arrest warrant and the absence of an agreement of a cessation of hostilities with the Uganda government.

“The peace talks are on bumpy ground….the chief mediator is crippling the peace talks,” Obonyo said.
The head of Uganda’s peace team, Dr. Ruhakana Rugunda, said the Government would today issue a statement on the developments.

Shortly before the interview with RFI, Otti had told Reuters that he would attend the Juba talks, “but not yet.”

“This is not the time, time will come when I will go,” he said.

GoSS offered to mediate the talks after Machar met Kony in May. He gave Kony US$20,000 and 10 tonnes of food.

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