Uganda rebels boycott peace talks until army moves

JUBA, Sudan, Sep 28: Negotiators for Uganda's Lord's Resistance Army rebels have withdrawn from peace talks aimed at ending one of Africa's longest wars, accusing the army of surrounding their fighters in violation of a truce.

But the Ugandan army denied it had deployed anywhere near the LRA's assembly camps, and accused the insurgents' delegation of looking for excuses to walk out of the talks.

In a major blow to an already fragile peace process, the LRA negotiators said they would not resume talks until the army removes forces it accuses of deploying in areas where hundreds of insurgents have gathered under a ceasefire.

''The Juba peace talks are in grave danger of failure due to the unfolding heavy military deployment of UPDF (Uganda People's Defence Forces) troops,'' LRA delegation head Martin Ojul said in a statement issued late yesterday.

''LRA has resolved not to proceed with the negotiations unless the ... issues of grave concern are addressed.'' A truce signed last month raised hopes of an end to a vicious 20-year civil war in northern Uganda that has killed tens of thousands of people and displaced nearly 2 million.

The LRA are notorious for killing civilians, mutilating survivors and kidnapping children to swell their ranks.

The rebels missed a deadline for gathering all its commanders and fighters at two assembly points in southern Sudan while peace talks continue in its capital, Juba. But President Yoweri Museveni's government has indicated it could be flexible on the timeline provided the process moves forward.

CONGO DEPLOYMENT?

Mediators said by last week nearly 1,000 LRA fighters had gathered in areas agreed under the truce, though their leader Joseph Kony and other top LRA commanders were still at large.

But talks stalled this week, with both sides accusing each other of gross violations of the existing ceasefire agreement.

The government accused the LRA yesterday of starting to leave the assembly point of Owiny-Ki-Bul, breaking the truce.

LRA deputy commander, Vincent Otti, one of five LRA commanders wanted for war crimes in the International Criminal Court in The Hague, retorted that the army was using Owiny-Ki-Bul to trap the LRA, itself violating the truce.

''The government has a hidden agenda. They want to capture some of our people,'' he told Reuters by satellite phone from an LRA bush hideout in Democratic Republic of Congo (DRC).

Army spokesman Major Felix Kulayigye denied that.

''Let them produce evidence,'' he told Reuters. ''We are not in Owiny-Ki-Bul. We have no business surrounding them there.'' He said the nearest army unit was 45 km away.

''Don't forget Sudan is not France or Germany. Forty-five kilometers on those roads is as good as two days' journey. ...

They are just looking for excuses to jump out of these talks.'' In his letter, LRA representative Ojul added that the army had also deployed in the DRC, besieging rebels at the other assembly point, Ri-Kwangba, on the Sudan/Congo border, near where Kony and Otti are hiding.

''Uganda has ... acting against the territorial integrity and sovereignty of the DRC, illegally deployed ... 11 truck loads of troops to the DRC in preparation for an assault on LRA forces assembled at Ri-Kwangba,'' Ojul wrote.

''LRA demands the immediate withdrawal of UPDF troops in...southern Sudan and the DRC,'' he added.

Spokesman Kulayigye denied the army had deployed in Congo.

REUTERS