Army rescues nine women in CAR
Apr 15, 2010
THE army has rescued nine women abducted by the Lord’s Resistant Army (LRA) in the ongoing operations against the rebels in the Central African Republic (CAR).
By Henry Mukasa
THE army has rescued nine women abducted by the Lord’s Resistant Army (LRA) in the ongoing operations against the rebels in the Central African Republic (CAR).
The women included Ugandans, Congolese and Central Africans, according to a statement issued by the defence ministry spokesperson, Lt. Col. Felix Kulayigye.
“In another harvest also in Central Africa, a group that had been terrorising people in CAR was hit yesterday, and a 15-year old girl was rescued. Seven terrorists were killed as a result. We shall not rest until we rid the great lakes region of these marauding, merciless criminals,†Kulayigye stated yesterday.
As the army announced its achievements on the war front, the Acholi Religious Leaders Peace Initiative (ARLPI) renewed its call to pursue peaceful means to end the conflict.
“Since 1997, the initiative has been urging the conflicting parties to engage in dialogue to resolve the conflict between the Government and the LRA,†ARLPI wrote.
However, the Gulu Resident district commissioner, Col. Walter Ochora, said the North needed not “peace awards†but “actual peace†as foundation for development.
“Kony did not go out of Northern Uganda because of prayers. It was because of military action, and prayers just accompanied him,†he said.
Ochora added that the peace talks were over and they wanted implementation of the draft agreement and development programmes.
Ochora, who was a key figure in the Juba peace negotiations, said while the Government was willing to talk peace, rebel leader Joseph Kony was playing mind games.
“You can only talk to someone who has willingness to talk. I have told people several times that Kony cannot sign a peace agreement because his group is a cult,†Ochora noted.
Kony thrice kept peace mediators waiting at the Sudan and the DR Congo border to sign the peace agreement in vain.
On December 14, 2008 a joint military offensive was launched by Uganda, the DR Congo and South Sudan on LRA bases in Garamba. Kony escaped but many of his fighters were either killed or captured.
THE army has rescued nine women abducted by the Lord’s Resistant Army (LRA) in the ongoing operations against the rebels in the Central African Republic (CAR).
The women included Ugandans, Congolese and Central Africans, according to a statement issued by the defence ministry spokesperson, Lt. Col. Felix Kulayigye.
“In another harvest also in Central Africa, a group that had been terrorising people in CAR was hit yesterday, and a 15-year old girl was rescued. Seven terrorists were killed as a result. We shall not rest until we rid the great lakes region of these marauding, merciless criminals,†Kulayigye stated yesterday.
As the army announced its achievements on the war front, the Acholi Religious Leaders Peace Initiative (ARLPI) renewed its call to pursue peaceful means to end the conflict.
“Since 1997, the initiative has been urging the conflicting parties to engage in dialogue to resolve the conflict between the Government and the LRA,†ARLPI wrote.
However, the Gulu Resident district commissioner, Col. Walter Ochora, said the North needed not “peace awards†but “actual peace†as foundation for development.
“Kony did not go out of Northern Uganda because of prayers. It was because of military action, and prayers just accompanied him,†he said.
Ochora added that the peace talks were over and they wanted implementation of the draft agreement and development programmes.
Ochora, who was a key figure in the Juba peace negotiations, said while the Government was willing to talk peace, rebel leader Joseph Kony was playing mind games.
“You can only talk to someone who has willingness to talk. I have told people several times that Kony cannot sign a peace agreement because his group is a cult,†Ochora noted.
Kony thrice kept peace mediators waiting at the Sudan and the DR Congo border to sign the peace agreement in vain.
On December 14, 2008 a joint military offensive was launched by Uganda, the DR Congo and South Sudan on LRA bases in Garamba. Kony escaped but many of his fighters were either killed or captured.