LRA’s Kony seeks asylum in Central African Republic
Aug 23, 2006 (KAMPALA) — The rebel Lord’s Resistance Army leader, Joseph Kony, has formally approached the Central African Republic (CAR) government pleading for asylum, Daily Monitor has reliably established.
Highly placed sources said yesterday that the LRA warlord made the request for sanctuary, under the auspices of CAR President Gen Francois Bozize sometime last week.
President Bozize on receiving the request, Daily Monitor has learnt, dispatched his chief of staff, over the weekend, to meet President Yoweri Museveni over the matter.
Dr E. Jebbari arrived in the country on Saturday 19 August and met Mr Museveni on Monday 21 August, before flying back to Bangui, the CAR capital, the same day. State House officials yesterday claimed ignorance about Dr Jebbari’s visit and maintained that the visit “certainly was not on the president’s official programme”.
The president’s press secretary, Mr Onapito Ekomoloit, said, “There was no such meeting my office has covered.”
However, a source to the meeting said Jebbari met Museveni at State House, Nakasero, and told the president that his government had received Kony’s request but could not take any decisive action until it had formally contacted Kampala.
“He said that his country could not grant Kony asylum without consulting President Museveni,” the source said.
Previously, intelligence sources within the Uganda People’s Defence Forces claimed that Kony likes the CAR, and that he has a base at Bamboute, 1362 km east of Bangui. But authorities in CAR denied the reports.
Kony has in the past said he cannot settle in Uganda, even when the LRA and Kampala sign a comprehensive peace agreement. He said he would be comfortable settling in CAR, Southern Sudan and DRCongo among other countries.
LRA write to Tutu
It also emerged yesterday that the LRA has written to South African Nobel Peace Prize Laureate Archbishop Desmond Tutu asking for help to establish a truth and reconciliation commission on northern Uganda.
The letter written by the LRA head of delegation, Martin Ojul, is inviting the bishop to advise both sides on how the commission can deal with crimes committed, since the commencement of the northern conflict.
MPs to meet Museveni
In Juba, a cross section of Uganda’s team of observers who include legislators, religious leaders and cultural leaders from northern Uganda, returned yesterday to brief parliament and Museveni on the status of the peace talks. Gulu Archdioceses Bishop John Baptist Odama and his Anglican counterpart, Nelson Onono, also returned from Juba.
Ms Betty Amongi (MP Apac) and Johnson Malinga (Kapelebyong) led the group. Parliament heard yesterday that the UN and the US have promised to support the suspension of the indictment of top LRA leaders by the ICC.
Ms Among said, “The president (Kiir) has assured us that he has already consulted various governments that have pledged to support his government in stopping the prosecution, should the Juba peace talks succeed.”
In Gulu, Mr Norbert Mao, the district chairman demanded permission to join the talks in Juba, not as an observer but active participant.
(Daily Monitor)