Milton Olupot
3 February 2008
Juba — A document circulated by the US representative on the observer team, threatened to derail the peace process in Juba on Saturday.
The newly-appointed Lord's Resistance Army negotiating team chairman, Dr. David Nyekorach Matsanga, in a meeting with the Chief Mediator, Dr. Riek Machar and the government team, protested what he called underhand methods.
The unsigned document titled "Scenario for Peace and Justice in Northern Uganda," details what is needed to achieve peace, justice and the necessary guarantees for the LRA fighters, including its chairman, Joseph Kony.
"That document has created a lot of discomfort in the LRA camp. The American government has been handling it with some LRA individuals in Kampala behind the LRA high command's back," Matsanga said yesterday.
"We are not against the US being on board in the mediation process, the issues raised are debatable but they should not have been introduced under the table."
A source yesterday said Kony had instructed his team not to sign any document without his approval. The source also said the issue of secret meetings led to the sacking of Lt. Col. Ray Achama and Dennis Okiror, members of the LRA cessation of hostilities monitoring team.
The document proposes that the LRA case be withdrawn from the International Criminal Court (ICC) on the basis that the indicted LRA leaders have agreed to be tried in Uganda.
It also provides for the protection for the LRA leaders by their own units. It adds that upon return to Uganda, Kony and other indicted members present themselves before the Acholi paramount chief and their clans for mato put (traditional justice system).
The document also states that the ICC meets and decides to drop the case as the LRA leaders serve time under house arrest.
Meanwhile, the signing of agenda item number three on accountability and reconciliation has been delayed to allow the LRA team opportunity to consult Kony.
The signing was due at the Juba Raha hotel in Juba before Machar, but was put off last minute, when Matsanga said his team needed to meet Kony before they could sign the document.
Both the Ugandan team led by Dr. Ruhakana Rugunda and the chief mediator, Machar, did not object to LRA's request. But the Uganda team expressed concern about actions that could delay the signing of the final ceasefire expected by the end of this month.
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