Uganda - peace hopes slide.

Lord Patel has received news from Uganda, that the Lords Resistance Army (LRA) rebels are leaving the assembly points in southern Sudan and threatening to leave peace talks, because they mistrust the Ugandan government. The hope built by the last four months of peace talks may be on the verge of collapse.

The Ugandan government (helped by the President, Gen. Salvar Kiir and the Sudanese Government) and LRA representatives are currently holding peace talks in southern Sudan to end 20 years of conflict in northern Uganda. These talks have been progressing fitfully since July 14th.

Under the August 26 Cessation of Hostilities Agreement, the LRA were give 3 weeks to assemble at 2 locations in South Sudan ( which expired last Tuesday) in return for an amnesty from the Ugandan government. The leader, Joseph Kony has not been positively identified as having taken part or arrived at any of the 2 centres. He and 3 other rebel commanders remain charged by the International Criminal Court (ICC) with war crimes. One of those named, Dominic Ongwen, is reported fleeing an assembly point.

600 LRA fighters had gathered at the Owiny Ki-bul centre last week, but are concerned that the Ugandan Defence Forces (UPDF) were moving to lay seige to them

The BBC report that Ugandan army spokesman, Major Felix Kulaigje reports the LRC were moving West to the River Nile and were at the time, 8km from the reception camp.

Go here to see the fillum UGANDA RISING about this 20 years of bloody conflict..

BBC pic.