Uganda's Lord's Resistance Army (LRA) rebel leader Joseph Kong isexpected to meet this Sunday in the southern Sudanese town of Rikwamba withmembers of his peace negotiating team for consultation on the way forward inthe LRA'S peace negotiations with the Ugandan government.
This comes after UNspecial envoy for Uganda and former Mozambique President Joaquim Chissano saidthis week that LRA leader Joseph Kony was ready to sign a final peace agreementwith the Ugandan government to end more than two decades of fighting innorthern Uganda.
The LRA and Kampala were scheduled to sign the peace deal lastApril. But Kony did not show up and the talks were suspended.
David Matsanga ischief LRA peace negotiator. He confirmed to VOA that rebel leader Kony is ready to resume peace talks.
"It is very,very true that General Joseph Kony told the world on 12 of June that he wasprepared as LRA to return to talks and to look for solution peacefully withoutany difficulties or wrangling. We know that there are problems within theagreement and we are going to look at all of these," he said.
The LRA andKampala were scheduled to sign the peace deal last April. But Kong did not showup and the talks were suspended.
Matsanga saidthe International Criminal Court (ICC) warrants against Kony and some of histop commanders remain a stumbling block for the peace process.
"In think theICC warrant is a very obnoxious situation in this agreement. The ICC warrant tome, as the leader of LRA delegation, are wrong, are redundant; they don't serveany purpose to any Ugandan population that is yarning for peace. If you go toUganda today, on the streets of Kampala, on the streets of Bale, on the streetsof Gulu, on the streets of Mbale, on the streets of Mbarara, people are sayingwe want peace more than warrants. Why should somebody come to discuss and thewarrants are put on him?" Matsanga said.
He denied Konywould again not negotiate in good faith if the ICC warrants were not lifted.
"That's why wewant to look at the agreement. Agreements can be looked after. Even the SecondWorld War agreement is being looked after today. Agreements don't die in a day.Agreements can be reopened. That is why General Joseph Kony told the world on12 June that we wanted to go back and look at the contentious issues. But inprinciple we in the Lord's Resistance Army have agreed to talk. Talks willcontinue until we sign the peaceful solution. But the warrants are a stumblingblock. And these are the things that we are telling the international communityto look at. What is the use for warrant when we have already signed foraccountability in Uganda? There is no need of saying we want to charge Kony inICC at the same time we want to charge Kong in Uganda court," he said.
Matsangaaccused the international community of double standard.