a)"We have repeatedly stated that they should take the talks seriously, conclude them, sign a peace agreement, go through (the ceremonies) and then government will engage the International Criminal Court," Rugunda said.
b)"He also renewed the government's call for the rebels to drop their demand for the withdrawal of war crimes charges against their top leaders, including elusive rebel supremo Joseph Kony, before a peace pact is signed."
c)Rugunda urged the rebels to assemble at two neutral sites in southern Sudan -- Owiny-Ki-Bul, near the Ugandan border and Ri-Kwangba on the Democratic Republic of Congo border -- as called for by the
truce.
d)He also renewed the government's call for the rebels to drop their demand for the withdrawal of war crimes charges against their top leaders, including elusive rebel supremo Joseph Kony, before a peace pact is signed
With regards to a) above, the question to you fellow citizens is : who between the two, LRA and UPDF , is not taking the talks in Juba seriously?
Was it not Museveni's NRM Military dictatorship, in an attempt to sabotage the talks, and contrary to Juba Cease Fire Agreement , deployed troops and tried to surround the rebels who were beginning to gather at Owiny Kii Bul?
Further, was it Not dictator Yoweri Museveni who has been issuing threats against the rebels ? Museveni claims that he will deploy "option B" (Military Option ) to deal with
the rebels should the peace talks in Juba fail?
So now what is this Rugunda talking about and what does he really mean when he states that the rebels should take the peace talks seriously?..
Regarding B) above.. I see this as a futile attempt to try to drive a wedge between the LRA leadership and the rebels. It will not work! Museveni him self and some of his NRA guerrillas need to be charged with war crimes against the people of Uganda..specifically the Luwero Massacre, the bor choro massacre, The soroti train wagon massacre to note but a few. Otherwise you people are simply wasting your time and effort with this stupid rugunda talk!
regarding C).. The rebels need NOT assemble anywhere for the peace talks to proceed ..that this should be the case, is absolute and complete NONE SENSE
In any case, if I might add, there are only two hundred rebels remain-ding in the jungles of Northern Uganda ( museveni's estimate). Why then must it be important for two Hundred Rebels to gather at Owiny kii Bul before the Regime in Kampala seriously engages the rebels in peace talks?
Regarding d) The ICC is pretty much irrelevant, so long as as long us in chooses to dispense what many refer to as selective justice... According to the ICC ..some guerrillas must be prosecuted for war crimes, while others like NRA/UPDF cannot and should not be prosecuted. what nonsense is this? I see the so called ICC move as a British imperialist move, geared toward intimidation of genuine FREEDOM FIGHTERS!!..now go sue me!!
Matek
Uganda says LRA peace talks will succeed despite
hurdles
Thu Nov 9, 1:54 PM ET
KAMPALA (AFP) - Uganda said it was confident peace talks with Lord's Resistance Army would succeed despite their sluggish pace and bring an end to northern Uganda's brutal, two-decade war.
The head of Kampala's delegation to the negotiations, Interior Minister Ruhakana Rugunda, said the talks in the southern Sudanese capital of Juba were progressing although more slowly than the government had hoped.
"We all thought that we would finalize the talks in less than two months, but we have been proved wrong," Rugunda said on his return to Uganda for a break in the talks to allow the rebel team to consult with its leaders.
"But we are confident the peace process will succeed," he told reporters here.
Earlier this
month, the two sides renewed a landmark August truce despite trading accusations of increasing serious violations of the pact, but negotiations intended to produce a comprehensive peace deal remain stalled.
Rugunda urged the rebels to assemble at two neutral sites in southern Sudan -- Owiny-Ki-Bul, near the Ugandan border and Ri-Kwangba on the Democratic Republic of Congo border -- as called for by the truce.
The LRA had begun to gather at the sites in early September after the initial truce took effect, but then left fearing attack by Ugandan troops and complaining they were ill-equipped.
"This time the essential facilities at these assembly points are in place,"
Rugunda said.
He also renewed the government's call for the rebels to drop their demand for the withdrawal of war crimes charges against their top leaders, including elusive rebel supremo Joseph Kony, before a peace pact is signed.
The charges, lodged by the International Criminal Court last year, remain in place although Uganda has offered the rebels total amnesty if they sign a deal, stop fighting and participate in local peace and reconciliation ceremonies.
"We have repeatedly stated that they should take the talks seriously, conclude them, sign a peace agreement, go through (the ceremonies) and then government will engage the International Criminal Court," Rugunda said.
The Juba talks are seen by many as the best chance to end the conflict that has claimed tens of thousands of lives and displaced two million others and is regularly described as one of the world's worst, and most-forgotten, humanitarian crises.
The conflict has raged since 1988, Kony and the LRA took leadership of a regional rebellion among northern Uganda's ethnic Acholi minority
Everyone is raving about the all-new Yahoo! Mail.
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