Ugandan Acholis divided over Juba peace talks
Oct 30, 2006 (KAMPALA) — As talks between the Lords Resistance Army and the Uganda government stagger on in the South Sudan capital of Juba, the rift between Acholi in the diaspora and those back home has once again come into the spotlight.
For the last 20 years that northern Uganda has been ripped apart by conflict, there has always been talk that some Acholis in the diaspora have been backing the rebel force.
The appointment of the LRA peace team has been seen to confirm this.
Of those appointed by rebel leader Joseph Kony only Crispus Ayena Odongo, a Kampala lawyer stays in Uganda. The rest are from London, Nairobi and the US.
On September 31, Acholi members of Parliament led by Chua County MP Livingstone Okello-Okello left for Juba on the invitation of the mediator Riek Machar. Okello-Okello said the trip was aimed at building confidence for Kony and his fighters not to abandon the talks.
When the group got to Juba they were hit by the stark realities in differences in thinking and perspective about events back home by the LRA delegates at the talks.
“I was shocked, surprised and annoyed when Ms Josephine Apire asked how many youths we had mobilised to fight President Yoweri Museveni,” Nwoya County MP Simon Oyet said.
“I told her our mission was peace and not war. I asked her how many of her children or relatives were living in IDP camps in northern Uganda. She later alleged that we had all been bribed by the government.”
There was a time when every leader in northern Uganda took any opportunity to take a swipe at Museveni and his government.
But last week as Museveni left for Juba from Gulu Airstrip, Gulu LC5 Chairman Norbert Mao, one of Museveni’s critics, was hugging and acting as translator for the Vice President Gilbert Bukenya during the inauguration of the Rev. Sabino Ocan Odoki as Auxiliary Bishop of Gulu Archdiocese.
“It is good those who have been backing the LRA have come out to the open but their biggest problem is that they are still stuck with the politics of 1986. They [LRA delegates] seem to think being an exile is a badge of honour,” Mao said.
“If the delegates continue making unrealistic demands, they may lead to the collapse of the talks,” Aruu County MP Odonga Otto said.
However, Aswa County MP Reagan Okumu believes some of the demands being made by the LRA delegates can be found at any peace negotiation.
“Some of those unrealistic demands by the LRA people are part and parcel of any negotiations. They could have demanded for the resignation of the President,” Otto said.
Some northern leaders do not think the unrealistic demands may lead to the collapse of the talks.
“The biggest threat to the peace talks is the continued presence of the UPDF in South Sudan because this creates a hostile situation that can escalate into war. As for the LRA, they should cross the Nile so that if there is any killings in areas that they have left, then other armed groups will be to blame,” Mao said.
The LRA and the government recently signed a secession of hostilities agreement. The LRA were to assemble at Owinyi-ki-Bul. They, however, failed to assemble there claiming the area had UPDF soldiers.
In the IDP camps residents are keenly following Juba events.
“We are praying to God to give us peace. We are now not bothered about who committed which crimes. We just want peace,” Mr Cosmas Okello, a resident of Anaka IDP camp, said.
Residents want reconciliation between Kony and Museveni.
(The Monitor)