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LRA Talks Called Off

New Vision (Kampala)
NEWS
August 17, 2004
Posted to the web August 17, 2004

By Julius Mucunguzi
Kampala
THE military offensive against the Lords Resistance Army (LRA) rebels by the
Government has halted the planned peace talks between the two groups.
The Rev. Grace Kaiso, the executive secretary of the Uganda Joint Christian
Council, which has been liaising with the Kenyan mediator, Prof. Washington
Okumu, the Government and the Acholi Religious Group for possible talks told
the press yesterday that they were waiting to be active in the post conflict
period.
Government earlier this year requested Okumu to mediate its talks with the LRA
rebels.
Last month, Okumu told the press that he had started making preliminary
contacts with the LRA.
But Kaiso said since the capture of Brig. Kenneth Banya by the UPDF, efforts to
reach LRA rebels had proved very difficult for the mediator.
"The environment is not stable for meaningful talks to take place. The process
is now on hold," Kaiso said in a telephone interview yesterday.

   

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