Kampala — THE Internally Displaced Persons (IDPs) will be back home and all their camps destroyed by December 31.

Relief and disaster preparedness minister Tarsis Kabwegyere said during President Yoweri Museveni's visit to Amuru district on Sunday, "The camps must be empty. The soonest it can be, the happiest I will be. Anybody who will delay the process will be answerable to the people and God. December 31 is the deadline for the camps to be left empty.

"Nothing will stop us from achieving this because we have everything in place. The disaster management and security committees are there. We have also recruited 29 resettlement officers to ensure that by December 31 all the camps are empty."

During the rally at Reckiceke Primary School, Museveni said, "We are in full gear to resettle you in your villages. We have mobilised some money to resettle you."

Museveni said he had met UPDF commanders at Gulu Barracks to explain to him why some rebels under the leadership of Kwoyello were still hiding in Kilak.

"The commanders gave me some explanation, but I have got information that some are lazy and don't respond to information given to them about LRA movements," he said.

He asked Acholi leaders to encourage LRA chief Joseph Kony and his fighters to give up rebellion.

"The Government is ready to forgive these people and help them solve their problems with the ICC. But if they continue to cause trouble the army will hunt for them," he said.

"We prefer that they come out peacefully so we don't waste resources hunting for them in southern Sudan or DR Congo. It is good for Kony, Otti and the people of this area," he said.

Museveni said the slogan for everybody in northern Uganda should be 'Kuc kumbedi ber ki danu ducu' (peace now is good for us all). "Tell those people not to waste time because the army is more developed compared to what it was in 1986. They are now capable of facing any challenge," he said.