| UGANDA 11/4/2005 16:29 | |
| NEW HOPE FOR PEACE PROCESS | |
| Peace/Justice, Brief | |
|
Former minister Betty Bigombe, entrusted by president Yoweri Museveni to hold peace talks with the Lord’s Resistance Army (LRA) said that new positive developments might emerge in the following weeks. Bigombe said that she talked on the phone frequently over the last few weeks with Joseph Kony, LRA leader, and that he has accepted the possibility of speaking directly with the minister face to face within the next 2 weeks. "I have spoken with Kony twice, he seemed serious this time, and we just have to wait now to see what will happen in the next 2 weeks,” said Bigombe to the pro-government daily 'New Vision'. A new negotiator will be brought in, as the previous one, Sam Kolo, surrendered to the government forces early this year taking advantage of the amnesty offer. Peace talks were started by Museveni last November. The favorable start faced some obstacles in January, when many LRA negotiators surrend ered to government authorities. The press in Kampala, meanwhile, says there was a new attack yesterday north of Gulu, where the LRA is said to have kidnapped ten, or so, youth. The “New Vision” also said that in recent fighting, 22 rebels were killed by Ugandan armed forces in three separate clashes between Friday and Saturday in the north of the country. From 1986, according to estimates, rebels have killed more than 100,000 people, kidnapping 25,000 minors and causing more than 1 million refugees[CO] | |
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