Photo: Voxcom/IRIN

LRA soldiers in Sudan, April 2007: Uganda People's Defence Forces said Caesar Achellam, a major general in Joseph Kony's outfit of about 200 fighters, had been captured in an ambush along the banks of the River Mbou in neighbouring Central African Republic.

Former Lord's Resistance Army commanders already out have asked government to pardon their fellow captured combatant, 'Maj. Gen.' Ceasar Acellam for peace and harmony.

Views from some of the ex-LRA commanders New Vision online spoke to on Monday in Gulu appealed to government to forgive and treat Acellam fairly the way they and many others have been treated.

This, they said, will ensure that he becomes a human resource that might provide better and fresh military intelligence serviced to the UPDF.

The former LRA commanders were captured by the UPDF from various battle fields but who were similarly captured by the UPDF from various battles and pursuits in South Sudan, Democratic Republic of Congo and northern Uganda jungles.

Former LRA commander, Lt. Col. Francis Okwanga aka Alero, aged 48 and born in Amuru district was captured by the UPDF troops in 2002. He said:

"I was very happy with the news that my brother, Maj. Gen. Caesar Acellam Otto was captured and he is now in Kampala. We hope to see and talk to him as well and welcome him back home among us. I got Acellam already in the bush from the National Resistance Army (NRA)," he said.

Okwanga said Acellam was the Chief LRA/M coordinator (called Ambassador) with the Northern Sudan by then.

"He was the one who was linking the LRA command from Joseph Kony and the government of North Sudan under leadership of Gen. Omar El-Bashir. He [Acellam] is a very good, humble and bright or intelligent LRA commander who would listen to all views even from junior commanders and senior commanders and treated the commanders at par."

Acellam was the advisor to Joseph Kony on international relations and coordination.

Only Dominic Ongwen and Okot Odiambo wereindicted in 2005 and most wanted by the International Criminal Court (ICC) and Acellam Smart.

Others are identified only as Too-Kema, Abucingo, Opuuk, Alit, Obol and Okot-Odek among others.

Retired Bishop 6th Anglican Bishop of Northern Uganda, Nelson Onono-Onweng who made the first contact with the LRA while he was the then founder chairman of Acholi Religious Leaders' Peace Initiative (ARLPI) in 1998 said "Acellam is son to his maternal cousin."

Ex-LRA's commander, Lt. Col. Charles Otim - Munu, captured by the UPDF in 2005, asked government to forgive his colleague Acellam so as to get more resources from him that might be viable to further defeat the LRA still in the bush.

"I feel that he [Acellam] should be given fair treatment by the government in order get more fresh information that will be essential for the UPDF to hunt for the LRA commander because he is still the most fresh top LRA commander captured", Otim added.

Captain Ray Apire, 55, who surrendered to the UPDF from Sudan in 2004 said: "It is a very good development that the UPDF captured Acellam and brought him back to Uganda alive. His capture should also send a signal to other commanders of the LRA still in the bush to if possible try to give in to the UPDF in order to save their lives as well.

"Acellam Caeser is a good man. I feel he should be pardoned by the government. His captured has left a big gap in the LRA top command that can be capitalized on by the UPDF to weaken the LRA the more", said Apire.

The capture of Acellam brings to over 20 the number of top LRA operations and field commanders so far captured by the LRA since the Operation Iron first and subsequent operation Lightning Thunder in the Garamba Forest in the DR-Congo.