Ugandan rebels and government sign new truce

April 14, 2007 (RI-KWANGBA) — Shaking hands and embracing, Uganda’s government and Lord’s Resistance Army (LRA) rebels signed a new two-month truce on Saturday, boosting efforts to end one of Africa’s longest and most brutal wars.

The two sides also agreed to resume talks on April 26 in the south Sudan capital, Juba, to try to end the two-decade-old conflict that has killed tens of thousands.

The LRA is notorious for massacring civilians, mutilating victims and abducting thousands of children to serve as fighters, porters and sex slaves in a conflict that has forced nearly 2 million people into squalid camps.

“The people of Uganda should rest assured that this agreement sends a clear message … about the serious resumption of peace talks,” said LRA representative Christus Ayena Odongo.

The deal gave the LRA guerrillas a six-week deadline to assemble in Ri-Kwangba, near the border with Democratic Republic of Congo, while guaranteeing the rebels’ security.

Elusive LRA leader Joseph Kony, who swapped his fatigues for a beige safari suit, was present along with Kampala’s top negotiator, Internal Affairs Minister Ruhakana Rugunda.

Mozambique’s former president Joaquim Chissano, the U.N. envoy in the peace efforts, witnessed the signing and promised to attend talks planned later this month.

“I believe sincerely that this is a no-return trip towards peace in Uganda,” Chissano said.

Despite the optimism, both sides acknowledged progress towards a final peace deal was complicated by International Criminal Court (ICC) indictments for war crimes against Kony and four other LRA commanders.

The LRA has long argued for the indictments and arrest warrants to be scrapped in favour of traditional justice, but Kampala has said it wants to reach a peace accord before it considers asking the ICC to drop the case.

The ICC has repeatedly refused to withdraw the charges against the LRA leadership in what is seen as a test case for the fledgling human rights court.

Peace talks began last July in Juba, but effectively broke down in January amid mutual distrust and accusations of violations of an earlier ceasefire.

Hopes for peace were rekindled this week when a Catholic group helping mediate the Juba talks said both sides had made significant progress in a week of secret, informal negotiations on the Kenyan coast.

(Reuters)