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LRA Split On Peace Talks

New Vision (Kampala)
NEWS
November 16, 2006
Posted to the web November 17, 2006

By Emmy Allio
Kampala
A split in the external political wing of the Lord's Resistance Movement/Army
(LRM/A) is developing over the mode of approach to end the war in northern
Uganda and could derail the Juba peace talks.
The split is between two camps, one led by London businessman and former
chairman of LRM/A external wing Powell Onen p'Ojwang, alias Ladit Balgara, and
another led by former UN special representative for children in armed conflict
Olara Otunnu, who is backed by the New York-based LRA spokesman Okidi-Olal
Jaramoi.
The Otunnu-Jaramoi camp controls the Juba LRA delegation, but Onen's camp is
opposed to the Juba talks and refers to the LRA peace delegation as "self-
seekers, people looking for financial gain and seeking inclusion into
government."
Sources said the influence of both camps on the LRA military chiefs Joseph Kony
and Vincent Otti is responsible for the indecisions and lack of commitment by
the LRA peace team in Juba.
In August, Onen formed the Uganda People's Liberation Front (UPLF) and is
pushing for the alliance between LRA, ADF, the People's Redemption Army and the
West Nile Bank Front.
Sources said Onen wants UPLF to be the umbrella body for all these groups.
In two statements in August and October, Onen said UPLF was based in Ituri and
named its secretary for foreign affairs as Samson Nyekogulu, on telephone
+447877356883 or on email, samsontorac@hotmail.co.uk.
Onen referred to LRA fighters in Garamba National Park in Congo as 'deserters'
and said a peace settlement cannot be "simply negotiated in the bush of Juba or
Congo by a group of commanders who fled the frontlines."


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