| JUBA/KAMPALA
In a curious move that could make the Juba peace talks collapse, the
LRA has now rejected the governments negotiation team, which it accuses
of lacking political credibility.
The government team, led by Internal Affairs Minister Ruhakana Rugunda,
also features Mr Henry Okello Oryem, state minister for International
Affairs, and Col. Leopold Kyanda, among others.
Though President Museveni said this week that he would make an
appearance in Juba when the talks resume, rebel leader Joseph Kony told
his negotiators that Museveni must show up with a new team or forget about
the talks.
The LRA delegations lead counsel, Mr Ayena Adongo, told a press
conference at the Juba International Airport yesterday that President
Museveni must reconstitute the team as a precondition for the talks to go
ahead.
The LRA also said the rebels who had assembled in Owiny-ki-Bul had been
besieged by the UPDF. They demanded the unconditional withdrawal of all
troops from the assembly point. We maintain that the delegation appointed
by the regime in Kampala does not have the mandate to handle the issues in
this critical stage of negotiation, said Adongo, who was flanked by the
leader of the LRAs delegation, Mr Martin Ojul, and one Godfrey Ayoo.
Although we were astonished by President Musevenis statements that he
is coming to Juba to join the talks, we feel exonerated that this
delegation, as we have said before, comprises mainly intelligence officers
who cannot make political decisions.
We therefore expect that Museveni not only leads the delegation, but
[also] reconstitute it with people who can take political
decisions.
Adongo and his team had just returned from Ri-Kwangba,
where they had a consultative meeting with Kony and his deputy Vincent
Otti. Though the delegations main brief had been to discuss with Kony
possible nominees to the Cessation of Hostilities Monitoring Team (CHMT),
it turned out that rejecting the Rugunda team had been the main decision
taken.
The LRA High Command, however, appointed Michael Anywar, Ray
Achana and Denis Okiror, all combatants, to the CHMT.
Adongo said the LRA delegation would no longer tolerate the
governments use of such words as surrender or even soft landing,
saying Musevenis army had for the last 20 years failed to defeat the LRA.
We are not going to act according to the whims of the regime in
Kampala
we cannot be fixed on a time frame given by the government, said
Adongo. For Museveni to give us deadlines is an absurdity.
The UPDF
Spokesman, Maj. Felix Kulayigye, said the LRA demands were unacceptable.
We never dictated who should come from the LRA. They should not
dictate who should comprise our delegation. That is some excuse to stall
the talks. We even have no reason to besiege Owiny-ki-Bul.
Kulayigye said Kony was still in his hideout in Garamba, DRC. He said
the LRA are provoking the government. They have now collected their
fighters; they can now afford to play games. We are committed to the Juba
talks..
The talks, which kicked off on July 14, are under the auspices of the
Government of Southern Sudan.
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