Uganda’s peace deal implementation begins without signature

By James Gatdet Dak

September 25, 2008 (JUBA) – The Uganda government has started to unilaterally implement agreed items in the would-be Final Peace Agreement with the rebels of the Lord’s Resistance Army (LRA).

Government of Southern Sudan’s mediated peace talks between the two parties, which began in July 2006, officially ended in March this year, but the LRA leader, Joseph Kony refused to sign the final text of the agreement, fearing International Criminal Court’s (ICC) arrest warrants issued against him and his four other colleagues.

Donors have begun to send contributions to the Uganda government towards implementation of the unsigned agreement.

According to the Ugandan New Vision website, “last month, the World Bank and the Government signed the first grant agreement of $2.85 (sh4.7b) to reintegrate former Lord’s Resistance Army (LRA) rebels into their communities.”

On Monday this week, Internal Affairs minister Dr. Ruhakana Rugunda said: “The LRA returnees will benefit whether their leader Joseph Kony signs the final peace agreement or not.”

His speech was delivered by Matia Kasaija, the Internal Affairs state minister, at the launch of the demobilization and reintegration project at Hotel Africana in Kampala.

Dr. Rugunda is the leader of the Uganda government delegation to the Juba peace talks with the LRA.

In his June’s summarized statement on the status of the peace process after Kony refused twice to sign the agreement, the Vice President of the Government of Southern Sudan and Chief Mediator of the Uganda peace talks, Dr. Riek Machar Teny, appealed to the Ugandan government to start implementing items in the agreement that would improve lives of the people in northern Uganda.

World Bank Country Manager, Kundhavi Kadiresan, said the reintegration support would include counseling and follow-up services, education and specialized services for vulnerable groups.

He said communities hosting the returnees would also need support in projects that can sustain the whole community.

About 2 million people – now reportedly returning to their places of origin – were displaced by the 21-year LRA war and forced to live in dire conditions in camps mainly in northern Uganda.

The LRA chief negotiator and Spokesperson, David Matsanga, while in Juba last week warned against implementation of the Final Peace Agreement before signature.

He however said the LRA would not mind if the Uganda government implemented items in the agreement that did not need involvement of LRA.

Matsanga also said his leader, Kony, had reacted to the implementation initiative of the Government by nominating Justin Labeja, member of LRA negotiating team, to lead the LRA component of the would-be established Joint Liaison Group (JLG) per the agreement to oversee implementation of the peace accord.

Unconfirmed reports attributed to the Ugandan government also stated that the LRA leader wanted to delegate one of his senior commanders, not indicted by the ICC, to sign the Final Peace Agreement on his behalf.

This would be a shift from Kony’s earlier decision to sign the agreement himself despite the ICC’s indictments and warrant of arrest.

(ST)