With the arrest of renegade Congolese rebelleader Laurent Nkunda by Rwanda and the trial in The Hague of another Congorebel leader, Thomas Lubanga, some are suggesting Uganda's Lord's ResistanceArmy (LRA) rebel leader Joseph Kony could be next.
This speculation is supported by recent jointmilitary offensive against the LRA by the armies of the Democratic Republic ofCongo, Uganda, and Southern Sudan. The attacks followed the repeated failure of LRA leader Joseph Kony tosign a final peace agreement to end more than 22 years of LRA insurgency innorthern Uganda.
There were other speculations that LRA chief peace negotiatorDavid Matsanga was on the verge of resigning his post. But Matsanga told VOAthat he will remain with the LRA until a peaceful solution is found to the northern Uganda conflict.
"Ijust want to say that one, when I left Rikwamba in 2008 on 29th of November Italked to General Joseph Kony. I reassured General Joseph Kony I will be withhim up to the end, and I am still with him up to the end until we find apeaceful solution to this conflict. I have defended LRA since the 1990s, and Iknow that the Ugandan government was wrong. It should have given us ample timeto go back to Kony after being in Kampala to tell him exactly what happened,"he said.
Matsangarejected any notion that Africa, particularly the Great Lakes sub-region may berunning out of patience with LRA leader Kony for his repeated refusal to sign afinal peace deal and could be moving toward arresting Kony like Congo rebelleader Laurent Nkunda.
"Themood is being done by the same people who have done it before. Rwanda, Ugandathey went into Congo, invaded Congo, created war in Congo. They are the samepeople turning around after killing a country to say they have arrested Nkunda.But let me come back to Uganda. Uganda's attack on the LRA was not called for.Look at the number of civilians who have died, over 700 of them being killedjet fighters from the top, helicopters combing the whole forest killing manypeople," Matsanga said.
Hesaid the LRA was still committed to peace but was calling for the creation ofan international force to safeguard the assembling of LRA fighters at Rikwamba.
"TheLRA are committed to peace. General Kony a week ago instructed me to initiate apeace condition, and I put the conditions to the government of Uganda: One,ceasefire, two create a neutral international force which will safeguardRikwamba or the areas where we shall agree. So until that neutral internationalforce from South Africa, Mozambique, Kenya and Tanzania are put in force tosafeguard the LRA combatants, nothing can move," Matsanga said.
Matsangasaid the LRA has been around for more than 22 years, and he didn't think theUgandan army would be able to destroy the LRA.
Konyhas not been heard from since the beginning of the joint military offensive bythe armies of the Democratic Republic of Congo, Uganda, and Southern Sudan.
Still Matsanga said he hasbeen in touch with the reclusive LRA leader.
"I have told frankly that Ihave had communication, and I have repeatedly said on this radio we still havecommunication with General Joseph Kony. He has expressed his desire for peace.So let's advocate for dialogue; let's have a ceasefire, let's a neutral ofTanzania, South Africa, Mozambique and Kenya," Matsanga said.
Matsanga said the agreementwhich he has been negotiating on behalf of the LRA with the Ugandan government forthe last two years is the best way forward to resolving the conflict. But hesaid the issue of the International Criminal Court (ICC) which has indictedKony and some of his top lieutenants remains a sticking point.
"This agreement is a goodagreement except it has one bad thing, that thing is the ICC. Let's look at theICC. How do we solve the ICC? This agreement cannot be signed when one you haveinvestigated one side, you have put them on trial one side, you want topersecute them one side, you want to prosecute them one side. That is what theprosecutor in The Hague has done just like Thomas Lubanga today. It is ThomasLubanga standing trial today in The Hague, but who gave Thomas Lubanga guns?Who funded Thomas Lubanga with arms?" Matsanga said.