Two LRA rebels surrender in Western Equatoria State

By Richard Ruati

November 29, 2009 – Two members of the rebel Lord’s Resistance Army (LRA) have surrendered to the UPDF intelligence squad in Nzara in South Sudan’s Western Equatoria State, according to military sources.

“They turned themselves in mid last week to the Ugandan Army near the border of Congo-Sudan,” reliable sources from the Ugandan Military have disclosed.

The two LRA soldiers are Ugandans of Acholi origins the main ethnic group in the Northern Uganda district of Gulu.

This group that has surrendered is from the Faradje area, according to the army.

The group’s over-all commanders, Col. Charles Arop and Charles Ukuti turned themselves in to the UPDF earlier this month after most of their men had either defected or been killed.

The unit of originally 71 rebels had been operating around the Faradje area since late last year and was responsible for the Christmas massacres that left at least 143 people dead.

Military sources estimate the total number of LRA rebels left in the Democratic Republic of Congo at 80.
The rest is in the Central African Republic, together with LRA leader Joseph Kony.

Narrating their horrendous experiences in the bush to the state journalist at Nzara UPDF Military barracks, Mr. Kabo explained that he was captured in 1995 in Lira District within Ugu area.

Mr. Kabo pointed out that, “conditions in the bush have become inhuman, torrential rains and constant movements in the wildness have forced them to surrender.

Kabo has been overwhelmed by the brotherly reception he received from the UPDF, contrary to what he thought he might endure at his surrender.

Sergeant Onen Alex appealed to his colleagues in the bush to surrender so that, “they get a chance to start new life as there is no clear achievement of the movement.”

Onen and kabo urged the remaining LRA commanders to come out of the bush, Major Ochen who is having one leg in the jungle struggle, Mr. Muk, Captain Ochen Logun, Lt. Maalaba Otoo, Dominic Ogwen, Ochan Bunia, and Kidega Tikitiki respectively.

Meanwhile, Mr. Kabo assured his colleagues that, “there is no life in the bush than what he has seen, and after coming back from the bush;”acknowledging that, “the Ugandan Security Forces are so friendly and caring.”

Military sources from Nzara barracks reiterate that, “if they (LRA rebels) don’t surrender any moment they will be caught, calling upon rebels who are still in the bush turn themselves, rather than to die in the bush without achievements.”

The UN Security Council has called on Uganda’s Lord’s Resistance Army (LRA) rebels to stop their attacks in the Democratic Republic of Congo (DRC), Central African Republic (CAR) and Sudan and surrender.

In a statement by Ambassador Tomas Mayr-Harting of Austria, who holds the rotating council presidency for November, the Security Council “reiterates the demands that the LRA immediately cease all attacks on civilians.”

The council also urged them to “surrender and disarm as required by the Final Peace Agreement.”

Commending the states in the region for their “increased cooperation,” it “welcomed the joint efforts they have made to address the serious threat posed by the LRA and encouraged them to cooperate fully with the UN.”

The Pan African News Agency (PANA) reported that the UN Security Council met behind closed doors to discuss the current situation in the Great Lakes region.

The Final Peace Agreement was negotiated between the Ugandan government and the LRA but the LRA’s leader Joseph Kony has repeatedly failed to sign the deal, citing indictments and arrest warrants by the International Criminal Court (ICC) as obstacles.

The rebel group’s over two-decade insurgency, which has waged one of the longest guerrilla wars in Africa, has left tens of thousands of people dead and some two million more homeless in northern Uganda.