Henry Mukasa
26 November 2008
Kampala — LRA leader Joseph Kony is expected to sign the final peace deal on Saturday to end his two-decade long rebellion which ravaged the north, said the chief mediator, Dr. Riek Machar.
Addressing journalists in Juba yesterday, Machar said: "(Kony) said he will sign. Indications are that he will."
Machar is also the vice president of South Sudan. "There will be signing on 29th [November]," the United Nations special envoy to LRA affected areas, Joachim Chissano, told the BBC.
Chissano, however, left room for disappointment considering that Kony has failed the peace talks many times in the past.
"I don't have reasons to doubt that he will show up. I'm more confident than a few weeks ago," the former Mozambique president said.
Chief Government negotiator Dr. Ruhakana Rugunda yesterday chaired an impromptu meeting with his team over the development.
Spokesperson Capt. Chris Magezi said after the meeting that the mediators had been informed of the "consistent signals" Kony has been sending.
"We are willing to go and participate in that function in Ri-Kwangba (South Sudan)," Magezi said. "We hope Kony is not fooling again as he has done in the past."
He also hoped that Kony would also meet his obligations after the signing. The Rugunda team, he said, would fly to the signing venue on Friday only if Machar and Chissano, who travelled to Ri-Kwangba today, confirmed the elusive rebel leader had arrived.
If he signs, it will mark a climax of the long-drawn negotiations. Kony disappointed mediators and diplomats when he failed to show up for the signing ceremony on April 14 at Nabanga.
He said he would only sign if the world court withdrew charges of war crimes and crimes against humanity against him.
He also wanted to understand how the traditional justice system and the special court which is to try war criminals would work.
However, foreign minister Sam Kutesa said Kony must first sign the peace before his indictment by The Hague is addressed.
Kutesa said Kony was the only serious obstacle to a final peace agreement.
"Our people are ready to sign any time, but Kony is the one who has been eluding us," he told the BBC.
After a flurry of diplomatic missions to his hideout by Chissano, and a consultative meeting in Munyonyo last week, Kony seems to have been persuade to ink the deal.
Kony and his fighters had moved deep into the DR Congo, where they loot and abduct youth in "preparation for war."
However, mediators gave Kony up to the end of November to sign the pact. The LRA leader had often called meetings with negotiators and elders from the north but failed to show up.
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fellow Ugandans and the international community, first settle the ICC arrest warrant before dragging Kony into signing the peace deal. Signing the deal at this stage to me is like putting a robe arround your neck. Remember Kony is like any other Human being with concience.
Thank you for your conribution but remember how many Ugandans have got robe around their necks. If Kony is ready to take the risk of being in the bush for over 20 years why not take the risk of sleeping in an air conditioned cell in Hague. Please encourage ony to sign and peace finally get to Northern Uganda.
Why does anyone write stories like this any more? Everyone knows Kony isn't ever going to sign a peace deal. It is just another cat and mouse game. Anything to keep the Ugandan army off his back for just a little longer. It is just time to kill him. You know, he has probably killed more people than Osama Bin Laden. Kony is one of the world's worst terrorists.
I agree 100%. You can not make peace with a monster! Yes he has probably killed more people than Osama Bin Laden and counting. Why is the Ugandian government wasting precious time on this evil man. If he is pardoned it will send a very bad message everywhere around the world. You can kill innocent people and then get a pardon from your local government! What a shame. Who is going to help those he has harmed! Find out where his money is and give it all to those he has harmed. I am sure he has more money than anyone knows about except the Sudanese governmnet who has helped finance his reign of terror. The Ugandan govenment should show they are in power and just kill him! Kony has destroyed several generations of his own people and other african peoples. Forget the ICC and let the people he has harmed be his judge! GOD help African countries who have used children to support the crimes aganist humanity, aganist there will. Raping little girls, that's the lowest! Those waiting on Kony to sign this peace treaty are foolish because when he had the chance to a while back and not that long ago he did not show. What country will he live in if this treaty is signed and under what conditions. He should be executed and all his followers with him. Uganda needs to be cleansed just like all the other african countries who deal with terrorist like this. This treaty will not be signed. Just another ploy by Kony to buy time to do more evil.
The Gate Keeper
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