Army commander Maj. Gen. James Kazini wrote a reply on Sunday night to the Kony rebels on their purported ceasefire with the UPDF, reports Dennis Ojwee.

Kazini said the rebels must meet the conditions set by the UPDF (the Government) if they (LRA) want a true ceasefire with the Uganda Peoples Defence Forces (UPDF). The statement was read on Mega Radio in Gulu at 9.00 pm.

"The UPDF received the request for ceasefire from the LRA and has these statements to make:

"The LRA should stop ambushing civilians and UPDF vehicles on roads and abducting civilians (children). They (LRA) should stop attacking UPDF, Local Defence Units (LDUs) and all army (UPDF) locations the way they are still doing.

"The LRA should relocate themselves to Owiny-Kibul and Kisenga in southern Sudan and unpopulated parts within the northern parts of Uganda."

Kazini said the UPDF would provide a safe passage for the Lord's Resistance Army rebels to travel to the official allocated places or areas in southern Sudan and other places in the north.

The places will be linked up with roads that can be used by the World Food Programme (WFP). He said the Government would take for them medicine to treat (LRA) fighters and captives who are ill.

"If these conditions are met by the LRA rebels, the UPDF will accept a ceasefire to be signed with Joseph Kony, the leader of the LRA," Kazini said.

The Kony rebels through Col. Sam Kolo, who was quoted in the local Sunday press, set three conditions for the UPDF as a basis for a ceasefire. They demanded the UPDF stops attacking LRA positions, should not move within one kilometre of LRA positions or commit any acts of provocation that may draw suspicion.