Ugandans to consult on fate of LRA peace process – Mediator

By James Gatdet Dak

December 2, 2008 (JUBA) – The Vice President of the Government of Southern Sudan, Riek Machar Teny, who mediates the peace process between the Ugandan government and the Lord’s Resistance Army (LRA), said the rebel leader Joseph Kony again refused to sign the Final Peace Agreement and that the matter was now left to Ugandans to generate ideas on what to do next.

Machar issued the statement on Monday in Juba few hours after his arrival from the jungles at Southern Sudan and DR Congo border where he spent four days with senior officials from Uganda government, led by the Minister of Internal Affairs, Dr. Ruhakana Rugunda including members of parliament, cultural and religious leaders from northern Uganda, trying to convince Kony to sign the peace deal.

He said Kony refused to ink the agreement demanding that a warrant of arrest on him issued by the International Criminal Court (ICC) be deferred first before he could sign.

GOSS Vice-President, however, rejected the demand, saying it was not convincing in that sequence because it could have been a signed Final Peace Agreement that would help in convincing the UN Security Council to defer the warrants, but not the other way round.

He said the matter was left to the people of Uganda to consult on what to do next since the rebel leader insisted on refusal, for the third time since two attempts in April and May, to sign the peace deal.

Machar also said regional leaders, especially of Southern Sudan and Uganda, would also consult on the matter.

In a consultative meeting held on Monday evening at Juba Bridge Hotel, former President of Mozambique, Joachim Chissano, who is the United Nations Secretary General’s Special Envoy for LRA affected areas, said he is expected to render his final report on the peace process to the UN Security Council by December 16, 2008.

Chissano, whose mandate as Envoy expires by the end of December, said Joseph Kony would have nothing to lose if he signs the peace deal because he would still maintain his armed combatants at the transitional assembly area of Rikwangba during which the Uganda government would resolve the issue of the arrest warrants with the ICC.

He wondered why Kony could not sign the peace deal and then capitalize on that arrangement.

Ugandan members of parliament, religious and cultural leaders from northern Uganda pleaded for generation of other options to salvage the peace agreement without resorting to war with the rebels.

Last month, President Yoweri Museveni of the Republic of Uganda made it clear that his government would move to the UN Security Council in New York for deferment of the warrants only after Kony signs the final peace deal.

The text of the Final Peace Agreement, which was negotiated for two years in Juba by the two parties to end the 22 years of war in northern Uganda, has been made ready since April this year and awaiting only the signature of Joseph Kony, which would also be blessed by President Museveni to kick off its implementation.

(ST)