[Ugnet] Talks Still On, Says Rugunda

Internal Affairs Minister, Dr Ruhakana Rugunda, has dismissed reports that peace talks between the government and the Lords Resistance Army have ended with the absence of the chief mediator.

Ms Betty Bigombe, the chief negotiator, returned to the United States where she works but Rugunda insists the talks with the LRA are still on.

"Bigombe has gone for a short time. She will be back soon," Rugunda said yesterday. "We are still in touch with the LRA and our policy remains multi-pronged," he said.

"We still encourage the rebels to embraced the Amnesty Law 2000. We encourage more and more to come out and the sooner the better and so long as the rebellion exists in northern Uganda, the UPDF will continue to quell it," Rugunda said.

The peace process that begun in November 2004 suffered several hitches that led to the failed signing of the ceasefire agreement on New Years eve and the surrender of the LRA peace team leader Sam Kolo.

The other factor, according to civil society organisations, was the continued investigations of the LRA top leadership by the International Criminal Court (ICC).

The Government unilateral ceasefire expired on February 22.

Rugunda is optimistic that the government's multi-pronged policy on the war will pay off. Bigombe, who works in the post conflict unit of the World Bank, had taken time off to try and bring the 19-year war to an end.

Her talks with LRA's leader Joseph in 1993 collapsed after President Museveni accused the rebels of using the ceasefire to plan more attacks.

meanwhile .. in Apac

Rebels of the Lords Resistance Army frustrated the first phase of immunising children against polio in Ngai sub-county.

Sources said the rebels, who were armed, attacked a Uganda Peoples Defence Forces army detach at around 1:00 am and shot dead two soldiers.

The sub-county Chief, Mr Patrick Otile, said the immunisation campaign, which began successfully, was frustrated on the second day by the fear caused by the attack.

"Although parents from both internally displaced people's camps and the community turned up in big numbers to immunise their children on the first day, most of them stayed indoors on the second day due to fear of being abducted on their way to immunisation centres," Otile said.

He said the campaign was successful in areas that were free of rebel threats in the district. Apac district was among the 15 districts bordering Sudan where the immunisation campaign was being implemented to protect Ugandan children under the age of five years against the importation of the polio virus from Sudan.

Other districts include, Gulu, Lira, Kitgum, Pader, Adjumani, Arua, Masindi Nebbi, Kotido, Moyo, Yumbe, Moroto, Nakapiripirit, and Katakwi.

Cases of the polio virus were confirmed in Sudan in December last year.

About 120 children under the age of 10 in Sudan have so far been identified with the virus.

The outbreak prompted the Ministry of Health to organise two phases of Sub-National Immunization Days ( SNIDs) in the selected districts to protect Ugandan children against contracting the virus. Children under one year were vaccinated against measles while women of child bearing age were vaccinated against tetanus.

The immunisation effort in the 15 districts was synchronised with similar activities in Sudan. The Unicef representative in Uganda, Mr Martin Mogwanja, said all partners should work together to accelerate efforts of preventing the importation of the disease.

The first phase of SNIDs ran from February 26 and 27. The second phase will be on May 7 and 8.

[Ugnet] Talks Still On, Says Rugunda

Reply via email to