Ugandan rebels quit peace talks demanding ministerial posts

By Isaac Vuni

February 21, 2008 (JUBA) — The negotiating team of Lord’s Resistance Army/ Movement (LRA/M) have today at 5.30 pm walked out of peace talks, calling on President Museveni to come up and live up to his promise made to LRA delegations who visited him in Kampala state house recently.

“Our position is that we are demanding for five ministerial positions and Integration of our combatant into Ugandan army with all their ranks and we are demanding this not as LRA alone but for the 14 million people of northern and northeastern Ugandan who are marginalized in the current government of president Yoweri Museveni who only gave us 14 ministerial positions which translate to one minister representing one million people,” David Massanga LRA top negotiator and spokesperson told Sudan Tribune.

When asked whether the people of northern Ugandan they have recently consulted have given them mandate to demand for ministerial positions, Masanga said northern and northeastern Ugandan people have demanded for inclusiveness and participation which LRA/M together with Ugandan government have already signed it in agenda number two and that remains is the modality of how to share political power already agreed by the two parties.

“I would like to assure you, the members of the press, that we were given full mandate to speak on behalf of the entire northern and northeastern Ugandan people including those elected cabinet ministers and members of parliament democratically elected. So we have not left the peace talk but waiting for the mediator to educate government delegation on what is to be rightfully done after they have signed agenda number two with us the LRA/M.” Masanga stated.

In late June 2006, government of Southern Sudan formally invited Uganda government to attend peace talks and on 14th July that same month talks began in Juba capital of southern Sudan.

On 14th August 2006, LRA Vincent Otti declared a unilateral ceasefire and asked Uganda government to reciprocate. On 12th August same year Raska Lakwena was killed by Ugandan army in a battle forcing LRA and Government to signed a truce on 26th August 2006.

Under the terms of the agreement, LRA have to gather in two places at Owinykibul and Reiikwbwa in Western Equatoria state. Since then the talks continued to be hindered by demands and counter demands.

However Southern Sudan Vice-President and the chief mediator, Riek Machar, has confirmed that LRA/M have walked out when the government delegation were presenting their positions, the LRA decided to walked out and they mediators taught LRA/M have gone to consult and hence they remain waiting for them to return on the negotiating table.

“And if they have gone to their hotel, I will send envoy to them in order to clarify their positions which they have not yet presented.” Machar said.

“In fact we have given LRA and government what to study and we are waiting for them to give us their response when they have cool down otherwise, their differences can be narrow;” assured chief mediator.

Meanwhile Government team leader Ruhakana Rugunda who is also minister of Interior says the talks are going on well despite having what he called some minor problem which he too said would be resolve through the mediator.

Regarding LRA/M demand for five ministerial positions, Rukunda says “ministerial positions in Uganda are not simply dish out either in Juba or some where because there is a constitution that governs how many ministers to be appointed by the president then approved by parliament. So the LRA are at liberty to come and organize themselves in a political party or work with other parties and compete for any positions not just cabinet positions but administrative and even they could compete for presidency.”

He further added “It is their freedom to vice for any political or public service positions.” Rukunda assured journalist that the peace talks are still going on and that what happened today evening is just a small problem.

Earlier the Ugandan government spokesperson Captain Chris Magezi said they rejected the LRA demand for ministerial posts because a minister should be elected.

“Sharing of political power with LRA/M is simply unacceptable because access to political power in Uganda today is guided by constitution and the current cabinet ministers are democratically elected hence there is no short cut for LRA/M to ministerial position without being elected by the people.”

Captain Christ further warned LRA/M that the ongoing peace talks have come a long way therefore government don’t have much time left and hope that the mediation teams including observers will prevail on LRA delegation and ensure LRA/M come back to negotiating table so that they together can conclude the reaming items on the agenda and sign the final peace deal.

He said Juba peace talks have really offer an opportunity for the LRA to come back home peacefully because Ugandan are willing to forgive and accept them and this is the only chance they have.

“So far what remains are disarmament, demobilisation, reintegration and final ceasefire which are more technical issues that does not require negotiation.” He said.

On Thursday the Ugandan parties agreed to set up special war crimes courts locally for serious crimes. That was seen as answering the rebels’ demand for any peace deal to be dependent on their not facing prosecution at the International Criminal Court (ICC).

Out of five LRA indicted commanders by The Hague-based ICC for crimes against humanity, abduction, sexually enslavement, mutilations and killing. Most of the victims were from their own Acholi ethnic group in northern Uganda.

The survivor messes; Chairman Joseph Kony, Deputy Chairman Okot Odhiambo and Dominic Ongwen while Vincent Otti reported killed by LRA on 7th October 2007 and Raska Lukwiya by UPDF on 12th August 2006 respectively.

The ICC arrest warrants were issued on 8th July and 27th September 2005 against Joseph Kony, Vincent Otti, Raska Lakwena, Okot Odhiambo and Dominic Ongwen but it was kept under seal until 13th October 2005 when it was send to countries where LRA is active-Uganda, Sudan and Democratic Republic of Congo. These were the first warrants issued by ICC since its establishment in 2002.

(ST)