Uganda delegation 'en route' to meet rebel leader

A delegation of about 150 people from northern Uganda has arrived in Maridi, Western Equatoria State of southern Sudan, on their way to meet the leader of the Lord's Resistance Army (LRA), Joseph Kony. The delegation, including religious leaders led by the Archbishop of Gulu, John Baptist Odama, political leaders headed by Gulu district commissioner Walter Ochora, and Kony's relatives, was awaiting the arrival of Sudanese Vice-President Riek Machiar and Kony's mother, Nora Oting, before travelling for about 80 miles to the venue of the meeting. "These elders are being brought to meet Kony to build the confidence of the LRA leadership and assure them that the Ugandan government is really for peace," Ochora told IRIN in Maridi on Wednesday. Two of Kony's wives, an uncle and other relatives are among the delegation. "We are certain to convince our husband to accept peace," one of the wives, Evelyn Amony, said. "He is a man of peace. The problem has been the Ugandan government." Sources said the meeting was likely to take place on Thursday in Nabanga, near the border with the Democratic Republic of Congo. The LRA, the sources added, had been holed up in this area and in Garamba national park for some time now. The proposed meeting followed a week-long break in talks between the Ugandan government and the LRA in Juba, being mediated by Machiar. A spokesman for the Ugandan delegation to the talks said discussions would resume on 31 July after consultations. Sources in Juba said after the adjournment that a ceasefire and other issues such as disarmament and reintegration of fighters would be on the agenda. However, Uganda has said it will not agree to any ceasefire before a comprehensive agreement is signed, saying the LRA had abused such ceasefires to recruit and re-arm. The LRA, which has fought the Ugandan government for 21 years, ostensibly in a bid to replace President Yoweri Museveni's administration with one based on the Ten Commandments, has bases in southern Sudan and northern DRC. Almost two million people have been displaced by the fighting. kt/mw/eo