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Uganda: Govt Rejects LRA $2 Million Demand
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New Vision (Kampala)
26 July 2007
Posted to the web 27 July 2007
Justin Moro
Kampala
The Government has said the Lord's Resistance Army (LRA) demand for $2m for travel is unrealistic.
Speaking during a talk show on Mega FM yesterday, Stephen Kagoda, a member of the Government peace team in Juba, said consultations with the rebel commanders should instead take place in Uganda.
The LRA wants the money to ferry 500 people from northern Uganda to visit the rebels' base in Garamba and facilitate others to go abroad and research on how to end conflicts.
"The LRA is looking for $2m to ferry people, including musicians, to go to Garamba for consultation.
It will not be cost-effective as the real war victims will not reach the LRA leaders. The LRA should consult with the victims in Acholi, Lango, Teso and West Nile sub-regions," said Kagoda.
LRA representatives also hoped to visit South Africa, Sierra Leone and Argentina to help them learn how they addressed conflict, justice and reconciliation.
But Kagoda noted: "The victims are not in South Africa, Argentina or in the diaspora. Why should the LRA want money to go to those countries for consultations? The people in the diaspora have got the means and capacity to come here."
He also explained that the International Criminal Court (ICC) indictment and arrest warrants issued against the five top LRA commanders helped the Government hold the peace talks in Juba, South Sudan.
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He said the warrants would not be withdrawn unless the rebels fulfil some obligations.
These include signing the final peace agreement with the Government, abandoning rebellion, observing total ceasefire, disarming and integrating into the Acholi community.
"That is when Uganda will tell the United States, the ICC and the world that the LRA have met all the required conditions and should be removed from the terrorist list thus the cancellation of the ICC warrants," Kagoda said.
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