News update: Kony writes chief mediator, but Bashir indictment could hamper peace proces

July 16th, 2008 by paul in: Main Site, Update from HQ
Today's news flash comes as we continue to try to reclaim Uganda-CAN.org, our sister blog for conflict news and analysis, from internet pirates. Since last Friday's Weekly Roundup, stories have continued to develop concerning regional dynamics and LRA activities that ultimately impact the lives of northern Ugandans. Here's a breakdown of the latest from the wire:
  • A letter allegedly authorized by LRA leader Joseph Kony was delivered to chief mediator Reik Machar this week by top rebel negotiator David Matsanga. Kony's letter calls for a face-to-face meeting between Kony and Machar in the South Sudan village of Ri-Kwangba, but requests that food and other supplies be made available there to rebel delegates. The letter also demands that detailed information on security arrangements at the meeting place be provided to the rebel leader.
  • The Prosecutor of the International Criminal Court (ICC) requested an arrest warrant for Sudanese President Omar al-Bashir on charges including genocide. The decision has sparked strong reactions from the Sudanese government and a heated debate within the international community on whether the move will help or hinder efforts to bring peace to the country. Though it is too soon to measure the indictment's impact on the efforts address the LRA rebellion, a Sudanese official said that the charges would have “a direct negative impact” on the peace talks between the Ugandan government and the rebels. Uganda's Minister of International Affairs warned that extremists may use indictment as "an excuse to subvert the process.”
  • The impacts of LRA attacks in the region continue to reverberate this month. The UN reports that nearly 3,000 South Sudanese civilians were displaced last month after the LRA's June 4th attack on South Sudan military forces in Nabanga. LRA attacks continued this month in the northeastern DR Congo, disrupting agricultural harvests and reducing civilian freedom of movement, while UN agencies operating in the area are beginning to develop a humanitarian contingency plan should military operations against the LRA commence. A humanitarian mission to assess humanitarian needs in LRA-affected areas in the Central African Republic found that the population is living in constant fear of LRA aggression and has little confidence in the ability of the CAR military or police to protect them.