Juba Peace Talks Resume
Rebel leader's mother encourages her son to lay down arms
After a three-week delay, peace talks between the Lord's Resistance Army and the Ugandan government resume in the southern Sudanese town of Juba.
In August, the Lord's Resistance Army (LRA) and the Ugandan government signed a landmark truce in the town of Juba, Sudan. The terms of the agreement for a full peace accord called for LRA rebels to assemble at two separate camps in Sudan. But the peace process has been delayed several times due to various setbacks. In the most recent incident, LRA negotiators walked out of talks in late November, claiming the Ugandan army had attacked them. But a recent chat with his mother and a phone call with the Ugandan president has reaffirmed that LRA leader, Joseph Kony, is committed to peace. Talks are scheduled to resume on December 14.
For several months, the LRA and the Ugandan government have been meeting in Juba, trying to negotiate the terms of an agreement that will end 20 years of war in northern Uganda. During this unrest, tens of thousands have been killed, a further 1.7 million have been displaced and up to 30,000 children are reported to have been forced into the ranks of the LRA. The two sides have been deadlocked over issues regarding the International Criminal Court's (ICC) warrants for Kony and four of his commanders who are wanted for war crimes and crimes against humanity.
Both sides have been vocal about blaming the other for violating the ceasefire and independent monitors recently verified that fault is mutual, so the purpose of the December 14 meeting is to review the terms of the truce. But mistrust on each side remains strong. The Ugandan government has suspected that the LRA is using the truce to reorganize and rearm, which is something the rebels have done in the past. The LRA, on the other hand, fear that the government might use the the peace talks to capture Kony and the four other LRA indictees. The LRA high command have yet to visit talks and remain in their jungle hideout in the Democratic Republic of Congo's Garamba National Park.
While an end to these talks appears to be several months away, it is encouraging to know that the process continues to move forward, albeit slowly. Despite Kony's insistence that the ICC warrants be dropped before he signs any deal, he is still willing to send representation to Juba. Last week, Uganda's president, Yoweri Museveni, provided Kony with three phone lines so that the two men could engage in direct talks. They have already spoken on at least one occasion for half an hour, the first conversation during the 20-year insurgency. Apparently, direct discussion was the advice of Kony's mother, Nora Anek, who not seen her son in 17 years. The Ugandan government chartered a plane to fly Ms. Anek to see Kony at a cost of approximately $15,000. And perhaps it may have been a wise move. Kony has been listening to his mother, who has imposed a two-week deadline of her own, during which time her son is to lay down his arms and commit to peace.
