Gulu — The recent statement by the Lord's Resistance Army (LRA) leader Joseph Kony that he will die fighting has upset Gulu LC5 Chairman Norbert Mao who has equated it to committing suicide.

In his message written in Luo and delivered to Dr Martin Aliker, a senior presidential advisor, Kony said he would not sign the peace agreement because he feared he would be taken to the ICC, charged and hanged.

This has dashed any hope of a peaceful settlement of the two-decade long rebellion. According to Dr Aliker, Kony said he fears that if he comes back to Uganda for trial, he will be hanged because of the 'untested' local law. This, he says, informs his desire to keep on fighting rather than surrender and be sentenced to death.

Mr Mao said Kony's statement is contradictory since he (Kony) requested to talk peace. "Why is he interested in dying yet there is a better option?" Mr Mao asked on Monday. "It seems Kony is finding a problem in getting a lawyer to defend him."

Mr Mao said he still believes in the peace process since the government peace team has devoted a lot to ending the war that displaced an estimated two million people in northern and eastern Uganda.

"A lot of positive things have been put in the peace process; the international observers have been brought on board, and people have been moving freely in the region since the cessation of the hostilities agreement was signed. Now people are going back home. It is up to Kony to decide either to continue fighting or come out of his hideout and finalise the deal," he said.

The peace talks that kicked off in July 2006 in the South Sudan capital, Juba, hit a dead-end last April after the LRA disagreed on a number of issues. The International Criminal Court (ICC) has maintained that whether the Uganda government opts for an alternative justice system, it (ICC) will still pursue Kony and his co-accused.