Bigombe, Kony in Phone Contact
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The Monitor (Kampala)
April 27, 2005
Posted to the web April 26, 2005
Oketch Bitek
Gulu
The chief peace negotiator, Ms Betty Bigombe, has asked the leader of the Lord's Resistance Army, Joseph Kony, to instruct his field commanders to stop committing atrocities in northern Uganda.
Bigombe spoke to Kony by telephone yesterday and advised him to order his men to stop attacking the civilian population and the government forces in the interest of peace.
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She disclosed her telephone conversation with Kony during a two-day peace workshop at North View Hotel in Gulu town yesterday.
Members of the Acholi Religious Leaders Peace Initiative (ARLPI) attended the workshop.
Bigombe told the religious leaders that she speaks to Kony frequently as part of her peace efforts to bring the two warring parties to negotiate the end of the northern conflict.
"I requested Kony on phone this morning (Tuesday) to order his commanders to stop killings, abductions and committing other atrocities on the communities if people are to take him seriously about the peace process," she said.
Bigombe said there was hope for another round of peace talks between thel LRA rebels and the government.
"There is hope for another peace meeting with the rebel leaders soon." she said. Bigombe told the religious leaders that the government had accepted to grant the LRA rebels another ceasefire for a negotiated end of the war in the region.
"The government has accepted to declare another ceasefire for peace talks to resume as long as the rebel leadership is serious," she said.
She advised religious leaders to always seek audience with the UPDF leadership and express their feelings freely on the peace process.
Bigombe told religious leaders that there is fear among the LRA returnees due to too much finger pointing by the communities around them. She cited schools and markets where the returnees find it difficult to socialise freely.
She regretted that this trend could result into another war in Acholi if religious leaders do not sensitise the people.
She also called on the religious leaders to make trips to villages and preach forgiveness and reconciliation.
Bigombe said the children at times tell her that they are suffering more at home yet they should be looked after by the communities they live in.
"These children (returnees) tell me that they had plenty of food in the bush but at home they lack money for buying soap, medicine and milk for their kids."
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Bishop Nelson Onono Onweng, Fr. Julius Orach, Sheik Al-Haji Khelil and Monsignor Mathew Odong attended the workshop.
LRA conflict war has lasted for 18 years leaving many dead and others displaced.
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