Henry Mukasa and Milton Olupot
30 November 2008
A MEETING between the LRA leader, his team and elders from northern Uganda at Ri-kwangba dragged on yesterday and delayed the anticipated signing of the final peace agreement.
Joseph Kony had last week promised to sign the peace agreement with the government to end the two–decade insurgency that has killed thousands and displaced two million people. The ceremony was scheduled to take place yesterday at Ri-Kwanagba.
Dejected members of the Government delegation, led by chief negotiator Dr. Ruhakana Rugunda, who had been joined by defence state minister Ruth Nankabirwa, flew back to Juba in the evening aboard a UN helicopter. They travelled with the UN envoy to LRA-affected areas, former Mozambique president Joaquim Chissano.
"We are back (in Juba)," a source who travelled with the team said.
"We reached Ri-kwangba and they were not ready. They were still discussing, but we are going back tomorrow (today)," the source added.
The source said LRA leadership was meeting their delegation to the Juba peace talks, elders and religious leaders from northern Uganda, on the text in the peace deal. The elders were led by the Acholi Paramount Chief, Rwot David Achana and religious leaders led by Archbishop John Baptist Odama.
Another source said Kony had set three new conditions:
Chief mediator and South Sudan vice-president Riek Machar told reporters on Wednesday that Kony had said he would sign the agreement on Saturday (yesterday).
Rugunda, Nankabirwa and the delegation spokesperson could not be reached as their Juba phones were off. On April 14, Kony failed to show up for the scheduled signing of the agreement at Ri-kwangba.
His aides said he wanted clarifications on the operations of the special division of the High Court being set up to try his culpable fighters, the traditional justice that will be used to atone for lesser crimes and the ICC indictments.
Mediators and the world now watch whether Kony will blow what appears like the last chance for him to end the rebellion peacefully and halt two years of protracted peace talks in Juba.
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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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