Ugandan govt., LRA sign "permanent ceasefire," deal could be finalized by next week

Yesterday, the Ugandan government and LRA negotiators in Juba signed yet another landmark agreement, setting conditions for a permanent ceasefire! Since resuming one week ago, the peace talks have made rapid progress. Now that the ceasefire has been established, only demobilization and disarmament remains to be discussed at the negotiations. We could see a final peace agreement between the warring parties as early as next week.

We can all celebrate this historic step toward ending the 22-year war, however significant challenges do remain, and we can't get ahead of ourselves. There is no guarantee that rebel leader Joseph Kony will abide by the agreement and come out of the bush. Without Kony's compliance, peace will remain a dream deferred for northern Ugandans.

Strong pressure will also be needed to make sure the Government of Uganda lives up to its promises, and invests in the rehabilitation and development of war-affected areas. To return home, displaced communities will need water, schools and jobs.

To encourage this, the U.S. and international community need to commit political support and financial resources toward implementing a signed peace agreement, including assistance in the task of rebuilding areas devastated by the war. This is the message that 1,000 of us need to take to Congress as part of the Lobby Days for Northern Uganda on Tuesday.