AFRICA/UGANDA - Government makes conciliatory gesture: suspension of reward money for capture of rebel LRA leader. South Ugandan Bishops visit northern regions to show solidarity with people exhausted by more than 18 years of war

Tuesday, 30 November 2004

Gulu (Fides Service)- “We know it will take time but now we are sure peace will come” a missionary in Gulu, main town in Gulu district of northern Uganda, told Fides with regard to the government’s suspension of reward money for the capture or killing of Joseph Kony, leader of the Lord’s Resistance Army rebel movement which has fought a blood war in northern Uganda over the past 18 years.
Yesterday 29 November the Ugandan government announced that it had suspended the 25 million Kenyan shillings reward money for the capture of Kony (about 14,700 US dollars). However the army said the suspension was only in the areas affected by the unilateral cease fire announced by the government and prolonged last week (see Fides 27 November 2004). The cease fire zone starts north of Gulu and goes as far as the border with Sudan. “If Kony were found outside the cease fire area he could be captured or killed” the army spokesman explained. The cease fire area was decided to allow peace talks between the LRA leaders and mediators with government approval.
“The cease fire holds in the agreed area but in other places rebels have attacked refugee camps. In most cases the attackers would seem to be isolated rebels who are not informed of the cease fire” the missionary told Fides.
“The cease fire has brought calm to a Gulu. Some roads are safe and the number of children seeking safety from kidnappers at night in missions is still decreasing” the missionary said. “Yesterday the whole town watched a ceremony in which former rebels, disarmed and properly trained were integrated into the regular army.”
As a sign of solidarity with the with the people in the north of Uganda, a delegation of bishops of the south is visiting three northern dioceses: Gulu, Lira and Soroti. “We are very happy because this visit shows the unity of the Church in Uganda and that all the Bishops feel solidarity with the sorely tried people of the north in these years of war. I would like to thank Cardinal Emmanuel Wamala, Archbishop of Kampala, who is always in close contact with us” the missionary said. Today the delegation of the Bishops is expected in Gulu for a prayer meeting with the local Church. (L.M.) (Agenzia Fides 30/11/2004 righe 36 parole 455)


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