Uganda slams rebels for threats at start of talks

JUBA, Sudan, July 17: Ugandan negotiators at talks to end one of Africa's longest wars demanded that rebels withdraw claims of corruption and threats to continue their brutal two-decade insurgency.

But despite what they called the ''absolutely unacceptable'' statement by the Lord's Resistance Army (LRA) guerrillas, the Ugandans yesterday said they remained committed to discussions brokered by the government of neighbouring southern Sudan.

Preliminary talks were to start later yesterday, they said.

The LRA surprised many at Friday's opening ceremony in the southern capital Juba when they accused Ugandan President Yoweri Museveni's government of war-mongering, rampant graft and political persecution.

''The government of Uganda totally rejects the LRA statement and demands its withdrawal,'' the head of Uganda's delegation, Internal Affairs Minister Ruhakana Rugunda, said in a statement.

''In spite of the statement, the government remains firmly committed to this peace process.'' LRA officials and southern Sudanese mediators were not immediately available to comment.

South Sudan's regional government says it wants to broker an end to the LRA conflict, which has killed tens of thousands, uprooted nearly two million people in northern Uganda and destabilised southern Sudan.

BAD IMAGE For years the rebels have raided both sides of the Uganda-Sudan border. And late last year they set up camps in the lawless jungles of northeastern Democratic Republic of Congo (DRC), fuelling rampant insecurity in the region.

Uganda's statement said rebels' claims they were ready to continue fighting were ''completely out of touch with reality''.

''The presence of the LRA in the DRC clearly indicates that they are defeated,'' it said. ''Their statement is nothing but wishful thinking, empty rhetoric and does not show seriousness from the alleged peace seekers.'' The top five LRA leaders are wanted for war crimes by the International Criminal Court in The Hague. Despite that, the government said it took a ''painful'' decision to offer them amnesty, despite objections from the international community.

''This course of action was taken as a way of giving the LRA a soft landing. It was not meant to give them an opportunity to cleanse themselves,'' Rugunda said.

The statement said it was well-documented that the LRA had killed, maimed, raped and abducted thousands of civilians.

''Since they are the ones who have caused destruction and inflicted suffering, they have no moral authority to speak as such and should be humble enough to apologise. No amount of lies will save and cleanse the already bad image of the LRA.'' At least a dozen previous attempts to end the war through dialogue have failed, most recently early last year.

REUTERS