Breakthrough in Northern Uganda Peace Talks as 1,000 Activists Descend on Washington
February 23rd, 2008 by alison in: Media Releases
WASHINGTON D.C. (25 February 2008) – This weekend's signing of a permanent ceasefire between the Government of Uganda and rebel Lord's Resistance Army (LRA) is a historic step toward ending Africa's longest running war, but crucial efforts from all stakeholders—including the U.S. and international community—are needed to ensure compliance and implementation. On Tuesday, 1,000 U.S. citizens will travel to Washington to lobby their policymakers to provide such leadership in supporting a peaceful resolution to the 22-year war in northern Uganda and ensuring the implementation of any viable peace agreement reached.
"With its unique regional influence, the U.S. has a critical role to play in encouraging this historic breakthrough and acting as a guarantor for a final agreement," said Michael Poffenberger, executive director of Resolve Uganda. Resolve Uganda is the lead organizer of this week's second-ever Lobby Days for Northern Uganda, co-sponsored by eighteen human rights and humanitarian organizations.
The first such event in October 2006 led to the appointment of a senior diplomat, Mr. Tim Shortley, to coordinate U.S. policy in the war-affected region. "The presence and engagement of a senior U.S. official has added a boost of confidence to the peace process," said Poffenberger. Now, advocacy groups believe that Shortley's presence must be backed by consistent support and sustained resources from the State Department. "Sporadic military threats from senior U.S. officials have frustrated the peace process and perpetuated mistrust of U.S. engagement. Keeping the negotiations' momentum alive necessitates both consistency and sensitivity," said Poffenberger.
Negotiations in Juba, southern Sudan, between the Government of Uganda and LRA began in mid-2006 and have made rapid progress in the past week. On Tuesday, the parties signed an agreement specifying national mechanisms to deal with war crimes alternative to outstanding International Criminal Court (ICC) indictments on top rebel leaders. On Saturday, the parties signed a permanent ceasefire. Only a technical agreement on disarmament and demobilization is left before a final comprehensive deal can be signed.
While this is unprecedented progress, the negotiations are not yet concluded and it is not guaranteed that rebel leader Joseph Kony will abide by the agreement. "The looming uncertainty throughout the negotiations has been whether the LRA delegation has Kony's full backing and whether he will ultimately come out of the bush," said Resolve Uganda Senior Researcher, Peter Quaranto. Recent allegations of fresh attacks in southern Sudan and a group of rebels headed toward Central African Republic have raised fears. "A peace agreement in Juba is worth celebrating, but without Kony's compliance, peace will remain a dream deferred for northern Ugandans," said Quaranto. "For that to become a reality, the ICC is going to have to demonstrate flexibility, and set a strong precedent for balancing peace and justice as the situation demands."
"Too often the signing of an accord is seen as the end of the peace process, when in fact, it must be the beginning," Quaranto added. "Sustained investment is essential to make sure that the agreement holds and that war survivors see tangible benefits in their lives."
For more information, see www.resolveuganda.org and www.ugandalobbyday.com
Press Contact #1: Michael Poffenberger, Executive Director
Press Contact #2: Peter Quaranto, Senior Researcher
Email: michael@resolveuganda.org; peter@resolveuganda.org
Phone number: (202) 548-2517, (574) 229-1301
About Resolve Uganda: Resolve Uganda is a U.S. based coalition of humanitarian, faith-based and human rights organizations advocating for the international leadership necessary to end to the 21-year crisis in northern Uganda.