LRA faces expulsion from Juba hotel over unpaid bill
May 12, 2007 (KAMPALA/JUBA) — AS peace talks resume, the LRA delegates at the negotiations in Juba, are facing eviction over US$100,000 (about Shs172 million) in unpaid hotel bills. The management of Juba Bridge Hotel, where the delegates are residing have denied food to the LRA team. Apart from the 15 peace negotiators, the LRA has three rebel commanders who sit on the Cessation of Hostilities Monitoring Team, eight security guards and three drivers.
The cost of accommodation, medical, allowances and incidentals are supposed to be paid by the United Nations Office for the Coordination of Humanitarian Affairs (UN-Ocha), the Ugandan Daily Monitor reported.
Ocha on October 6 launched a US$4.8 million Juba Initiative Fund to facilitate the peace negotiations, along with financing from the Governments of South Sudan and Uganda. Uganda contributed US$1m (about Shs1.7bn) making a total of US$5.8m.
Daily Monitor failed to get a comment from the UN yesterday and the peace secretariat at the Juba Raha Hotel in Juba town, which is under Riek Machar, Vice-President of South Sudan.
Juba Bridge Hotel declined to comment. But the LRA peace delegation chairman, Martin Ojul and the delegates’ information and publicity secretary, Godfrey Ayoo confirmed the eviction threats.
“The Lords Resistance Army / Movement (LRA/M) would like to inform the people of Uganda and the International Community that members of LRA/M Peace Delegations resident in Juba Bridge Hotel, are being denied basic services by the hotel management which cites unpaid bills as reasons for cutting down on essential services,” a joint statement by Ojul and Ayoo said.
The rebels called upon the UN and the international community to resolve the issue
(The Monitor)