UGANDA: Jan Egeland calls on Uganda government and LRA rebels not loose fragile peace.

U.N. humanitarian chief Jan Egeland appealed to Uganda's government and Lord's Resistance Army (LRA) rebels on Tuesday (November 14) not to let a fragile peace process fail and to end civilian suffering caused by 20 years of war. Both sides signed a new truce this month, raising hopes to an end to the brutal war in northern Uganda that has killed tens of thousands and displaced nearly two million into camps. "The unique historic chance that we have to bring the historic carnage in northern Uganda to an end, we must not lose. We must not fail to bring an ending to the suffering. We in the international community will do a number of things to help bring peace in northern Uganda. We are funding now the peace and mediation efforts in Juba, we have gotten support from the Netherlands, Norway, Sweden, UK, Germany and Canada. Other countries have also flagged intentions to support financially and politically these historic talks," Jan Egeland said in Kampala. Despite the temporary peace in the north, aid agencies say conditions in refugee camps remain squalid, with barely adequate food and poor access to health care and clean water. Egeland said northern Uganda's plight was slowly improving. Egeland met with LRA leader Joseph Kony near his forest hideout on the Sudan/Congo border but failed to secure the release of non-combatants and the sick and wounded. The LRA became notorious during their insurgency for massacring civilians, mutilating survivors and abducting thousands of children as fighters, porters and sex slaves. "I am regretting that they did not agree to release the children or any of the other vulnarable civilians that they have taken, iam atleats heartened that they have said they would work with us on this subject and they committed that we can provide care for the women children and other vulnerable groups as they assemble," Egeland added. But he added that they had released one wounded LRA fighter for treatment in hospital in Juba, south Sudan's capital. Egeland flew to Kampala on Monday (November 13) for discussions with President Yoweri Museveni. Egeland pledged continued support from the U.N. and other donors for the peace process, including funding for the mediators, logistical support, such as helicopters for truce monitors and food to two LRA assembly areas agreed in the truce. Countries including the Netherlands, Norway, Britain, Germany and Canada had committed cash to the talks. A charity has been commissioned to provide food and drill bore holes in the assembly areas. Independent ceasefire monitors last month said that both sides were guilty of violating an August truce. The LRA leaders have said they will not make peace until the International Criminal Court drops charges against them. In 2003, Egeland called northern Uganda the world's worst neglected emergency.

ITN Source | November 15, 2006

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