Stakeholders aim to restart peace talks in north

Stakeholders in northern Uganda’s troubled districts have joined a number of international relief agencies to draft a new resolution which it is hoped will restart peace talks between the government and Lord’s Resistance Army (LRA) rebels. Oduru Kuc – which in the northern Acholi language translates as “peace call” – is a new body comprising religious leaders, international agencies, MPs, local councillors, elders, women representatives and influential Acholis from the diaspora. It was officially inaugurated on Friday, at the conclusion of the two-day “peace workshop” in Gulu town after behind-the-scenes talks. The committee is supposed to be a response to the criticism that previous efforts at peace talks failed because would-be mediators sent mixed messages to the rebels’ senior commanders. Its aim is to bring together all the various parties under a single committee so that they can talk with one voice. Gulu Catholic Archbishop Martin Odama, who is to chair the committee said he thought this was the one important outcome of the peace workshop. “Oduru Kuc is the most positive development to come out of conferences like this in a long time,” he told IRIN, “Previously every initiative was going on its own, without proper coordination. Now our efforts can be united.” But Father Carlos Rodriguez, a key mediator with the LRA, warned that it could work "but only if a new ceasefire zone can be created”. Army spokesperson Major Shaban Bantariza told IRIN that currently there were no plans for creating a ceasefire zone, although he said any LRA rebels who wanted to turn themselves in would be protected.