Museveni names LRA peace team
Jul 07, 2006
President Yoweri Museveni yesterday named an eight-man team for peace talks with the Lord’s Resistance Movement/Army due next Wednesday in the Southern Sudan capital city of Juba.
By Emmy Allio
President Yoweri Museveni yesterday named an eight-man team for peace talks with the Lord’s Resistance Movement/Army due next Wednesday in the Southern Sudan capital city of Juba.
The team is lead by the internal affairs minister, Dr. Ruhakana Rugunda, who will be assisted by the state minister for foreign affairs in charge of international relations, Henry Okello Oryem.
The list, released by the Media Centre’s Subi Kiwanuka, included the head of the internal and external security organisations, Dr. Amos Mukumbi and Makku-Igga respectively, as well as the Chief of Military Intelligence, Col. Leonard Kyanda.
Museveni also named acting commander of UPDF’s 4th Division in Gulu, Col. Eric Otema, who is also head of intelligence operations in northern Uganda and southern Sudan.
Others are the internal affairs permanent secretary, Eng. Sam Kagoda and principal state attorney Gakirabake.
According to chief mediator and vice-president of South Sudan, Dr. Riek Machar, the talks will start on Wednesday.
On June 12, rebel leader Joseph Kony appointed his peace delegation. They are Martin Ojul, Rock Okidi, Peter Ongom, Otim Okullo, Chris Ayena Odongo, Obonyo Olweny, Justin Labeja, Joshua Otukene, Yusuf Okongo Adek, Wilson Owiny, Rei Achama, Denis Okirot, Col. Leonard Bwone Lubwa, Lt. Col. Santo Alit and Sunday Achaya. Ayena Odongo is the team’s legal adviser.
Initial hurdles to peace talks were lessened when Uganda dropped its previous preconditions that Kony and four top LRA commanders already indicted by the International Criminal Court should participate in the talks.
Rugunda’s team that last week met with South Sudan President Salva Kiir also agreed to talk to Kony’s delegation, which they had previously said was not credible.
This week, Museveni offered limited amnesty to Kony.
But the ICC still remains a problem. In an interview with IRIN at The Hague yesterday, the ICC Chief Prosecutor Luis Moreno-Ocampo insisted that Kony has to face trial.
But the Lord’s Resistance Movement has already rebutted Museveni’s amnesty offer, referring to it as redundant and not applicable in negotiations.
President Yoweri Museveni yesterday named an eight-man team for peace talks with the Lord’s Resistance Movement/Army due next Wednesday in the Southern Sudan capital city of Juba.
The team is lead by the internal affairs minister, Dr. Ruhakana Rugunda, who will be assisted by the state minister for foreign affairs in charge of international relations, Henry Okello Oryem.
The list, released by the Media Centre’s Subi Kiwanuka, included the head of the internal and external security organisations, Dr. Amos Mukumbi and Makku-Igga respectively, as well as the Chief of Military Intelligence, Col. Leonard Kyanda.
Museveni also named acting commander of UPDF’s 4th Division in Gulu, Col. Eric Otema, who is also head of intelligence operations in northern Uganda and southern Sudan.
Others are the internal affairs permanent secretary, Eng. Sam Kagoda and principal state attorney Gakirabake.
According to chief mediator and vice-president of South Sudan, Dr. Riek Machar, the talks will start on Wednesday.
On June 12, rebel leader Joseph Kony appointed his peace delegation. They are Martin Ojul, Rock Okidi, Peter Ongom, Otim Okullo, Chris Ayena Odongo, Obonyo Olweny, Justin Labeja, Joshua Otukene, Yusuf Okongo Adek, Wilson Owiny, Rei Achama, Denis Okirot, Col. Leonard Bwone Lubwa, Lt. Col. Santo Alit and Sunday Achaya. Ayena Odongo is the team’s legal adviser.
Initial hurdles to peace talks were lessened when Uganda dropped its previous preconditions that Kony and four top LRA commanders already indicted by the International Criminal Court should participate in the talks.
Rugunda’s team that last week met with South Sudan President Salva Kiir also agreed to talk to Kony’s delegation, which they had previously said was not credible.
This week, Museveni offered limited amnesty to Kony.
But the ICC still remains a problem. In an interview with IRIN at The Hague yesterday, the ICC Chief Prosecutor Luis Moreno-Ocampo insisted that Kony has to face trial.
But the Lord’s Resistance Movement has already rebutted Museveni’s amnesty offer, referring to it as redundant and not applicable in negotiations.