Rebel LRA accuses Ugandan army of killing ten of its forces
By Isaac Vuni
February 20, 2008 (JUBA) – Rebel Lord’s Resistance Army accused the Ugandan army of attacking its forces killing ten soldiers. The LRA said the attack occurred in the neighbouring RD of Congo.
The Ugandan parties signed a cessation of hostility extension agreement on 19th February and the final truce aimed at ending the 21 years of insurgence in northern Uganda is expected to be sign on latest 29th February this year.
A reliable sources who asked not to be named has today afternoon disclosed that LRA delegation complaint last night to the chief mediator of their forces being attacked yesterday by Ugandan forces and that ten people were killed along with one commander seriously injured as they were returning from consultation with their unit in another location within Garamba game reserve forest in Democratic Republic of Congo (DRC).
But the Ugandan government spokesperson Captain Chris said their forces have not attacked the rebel LRA since they signed the cession of hostilities with the rebel LRA besides UPDF are not in DRC.
Anyway, Chris said that LRA are supposed to have assembled at Riikwangba, the agreed assembling point, and he further wondered why LRA should go out of the agreed point; adding that government of Uganda will not allow diversion than to conclusion of the peace talk by signing final agreement as soon as possible.
Masanga had earlier accused Uganda government of having lifted LRA deserters in helicopter to DRC to attack LRA position but Ugandan government team leader who is also Minister of Interior, Ruhakana Rugunda, has denied saying it’s a calculated accusation aimed to derail the signing of final deal.
On Tuesday 19th February this year at 3.45am Sudan local time, Ugandan Government and Lord’s Resistance Army/Movement (LRA/M) rebels signed an annexure agreement to Accountability and Reconciliation they had earlier signed on 29th June 2007.
Under the annexure truce, LRA top commanders accused of rampant abuses of Human Rights will have to be tried in the High Court of Uganda including traditional justice mechanism than being trying in Hague under International Criminal Court (ICC).
(ST)