Political dialogue vital to keep the peace - ICG

An international think-tank has suggested a two-pronged approach to ensure that ongoing talks between the Ugandan government and the rebel Lord's Resistance Army (LRA) finally end the conflict that has ravaged the northern region of the country for two decades.

The current phase of the talks, mediated by the government of southern Sudan in the city of Juba, should focus on ending the war and encouraging LRA guerrillas out of the bush, as well as addressing disarmament, demobilisation and reintegration, the International Crisis Group (ICG) says in its latest policy briefing on the conflict in northern Uganda.

The second phase of the peace process would deal with the underlying political grievances held by the people of northern Uganda against the government, accused by many of marginalising them. "This should be held in Uganda and grounded in the recognition that the current conflict is not solely an Acholi or northern problem but rather a collective crisis that needs countrywide application," says the ICG.

"Sustained international engagement will be essential to keep the government motivated to deal with the difficult political problems of the north once the LRA has signed a peace agreement," it added.

The think-tank said indictments by the International Criminal Court (ICC) against five senior LRA commanders, including the group's leader Joseph Kony and his deputy, Vincent Otti, continued to be a complication in the Juba peace talks.

"Kony and Otti want a deal for personal security that shields them from prosecution. Strong justice and accountability mechanisms must be central to any agreement that can win domestic acceptance and broader international support," according to the ICG. "If a deal has to be done to bring peace to northern Uganda, the least worst option might be asylum for the indicted commanders in a country not party to the Rome Statute [under which the ICC was created], conditioned on their full compliance with the peace agreement," said the ICG.

Another challenge to peace was the Ugandan government's apparent wavering between positive engagement with the rebels and its occasionally violent rhetoric. "The government must respect the 26 August cessation of hostilities agreement and let negotiations take precedence over an effort to impose a military solution," the organisation said.

There also appeared to be some contradictions between the aims of the LRA leadership in the bush and their representatives at the talks, who in the main do not live in Uganda. The peace-talks delegates appeared to be intent on a broad political agenda focused on the causes of the conflict, while the guerrilla leaders on the ground seemed more interested on securing their personal safety and favourable terms for their return, the ICG said.

The full report is available at: www.crisisgroup.org