Weekly Roundup for June 14-20: Dialogue remains possible, but LRA attacks continue
June 20th, 2008 by alison in: Main Site, Update from HQ
The Good: As the UN Security Council prepares for a briefing
on northern Uganda,
the US and EU
expressed support for renewed efforts led by the chief mediator to induce LRA
leader Joseph Kony to sign the final agreement.
The Bad: A group of LRA rebels reportedly clashed with South Sudanese forces last weekend in the town of Nimule,
just 20 kilometers from the Ugandan border, exposing the fragility of the peace in northern Uganda.
The Ugly: While an estimated 60,000
internally-displaced persons
in Acholi returned home in April, over half the families in the region still remain
in their original camps, despite humanitarian progress made during the Juba talks.
Peace Process:
- LRA rebels clashed with the South Sudanese military last weekend in the town of Nimule, near the Ugandan border. Earlier this month an LRA attack on South Sudanese forces in Nabanga left 23 people dead
- The South Sudanese government suspended its mediation of the Juba peace talks following the Nabanga attack, however this week chief mediator Reik Machar issued a report outlining plans to revitalize talks with the LRA.
- A Congolese military official stated that a regional offensive against LRA rebels was “forthcoming” and pinpointed the Congolese city of Kisangani as the center for coordination between military forces in the DR Congo, Sudan and Uganda.
Situation on the Ground:
- 60,000 displaced persons in Acholi returned home in April,
the largest number to do so in a single month since the launch of the Juba
peace process two years ago. 50% of Acholi displaced persons remain in the original camps, while 33%
live in smaller transition sites and 18% have fully returned home.
- However, fears that recent rebel clashes near the Ugandan border could foretell a return to war in Uganda may slow the movement of displaced persons towards home.
International Response:
- A delegation of civil society leaders from northern Uganda met with policymakers in Washington DC last week, emphasizing the need for the US government to support continued dialogue with Joseph Kony. They also urged policymakers to hold the Ugandan government accountable to promises to reconstruct war-affected communities.
- In a sign of growing international will to resolve Uganda's 22-year war, the US government and European Union released separate statements this week expressing support for the peace process. Both committed to assisting the Ugandan government in implementing aspects of the Final Peace Agreement, while the US also pledged support to regional initiatives to protect civilians under threat of LRA attacks.
- UN special envoy Joaquim Chissano is scheduled to address the UN Security Council today concerning the way forward on peace talks with the LRA and efforts to ensure regional security. The Council is expected to consider issuing a formal response next week.