Ugandan rebels issue pre-conditions for dialogue
KAMPALA, Uganda, May 5, 2004 (PANA) — Leaders of the northern Ugandan rebel group, Lords Resistance Army (LRA), have expressed willingness to talk peace if President Yoweri Museveni`s government declares an unconditional and comprehensive cease-fire.
The LRA which has fought Museveni`s government over the past 18 years demanded safety guarantees for its peace negotiating team to be named soon.
Revealing this here Tuesday evening, Samuel Odong Otto a legislator from the civil war-troubled area, said the LRA political commissar, Colonel Sam Kolo, had called him on telephone Monday evening and communicated his group`s pre- conditions.
“Kolo called me and expressed serious determination to engage in peace talks with government. He was speaking under express orders from the LRA leader.
“They demand government to declare an unconditional and comprehensive cease-fire that will allow them galvanise all LRA fighters scattered the entire northern region,” Odongo said.
In the past, LRA leader Joseph Kony had scoffed at Museveni`s renewed offer for dialogue, saying he mistrusts the Ugandan president, whom he accused of dishonesty.
“It seems the LRA doesn`t have tight control over all its units and any initiative by the leadership can`t be implemented without a conducive atmosphere for coordinating the command chain,” the Ugandan MP said.
Museveni`s government welcomed the LRA`s intention to enter dialogue, but also demanded that LRA needs to address its demands to a presidential team.
“That`s good news to here from you,” said Vice President Professor Gilbert Bukenya when the PANA correspondent in Kampala reached him by telephone Wednesday.
“We take record of that, but they better address their demands to the government peace team appointed by the president four years ago. From there, that action takes its course,” Bukenya said.
However, army spokesman Major Shaban Bantariza was more cautious, saying this is not the first time the LRA has issued pre-conditions which it breaches after the government honoured them.
The civil war has killed thousands of northern Ugandans and displaced about 1.6 million others. The LRA is also notorious for abducting children, whom it uses as children soldiers and sex slaves for girls.