Uganda and the LRA - time slips away.

Uganda faces an imminent descent into chaos and a return to armed conflict unless urgent action is taken to rescue the stalled peace talks in Juba, South Sudan.

The historic Cessation of Hostilities (CoH) Agreement between the Government of Uganda and rebel Lord's Resistance Army is set to expire today.

A return to civil war, which will inevitably result from the expiration of the ceasefire truce, would yield disastrous results for the people of northern Uganda and for regional stability.

The Ugandan government has asked the LRA to renew the truce,

"We are asking the LRA to respond to our call and renew the Cessation of Hostilities Agreement, for the sake of the Internally Displaced Persons,"

The expiry of the truce was debated in Parliament yesterday. MPs Betty Amongi (Apac) and Alice Alaso (Soroti) urged the two parties not to resume hostilities so as not to interrupt the ongoing resettlement programme in the North. In a further attempt to save the talks, the Acholi paramount chief, Rwot Achana Onen II, is convening a meeting of Acholi in Juba, starting tomorrow.

Finally, a coalition of 65 NGOs, united under the Civil Society Organisations for Peace in Northern Uganda (CSOPNU), and has urged the Government, the LRA and the international community

"not to betray the hopes of Ugandans that talks will deliver a just and lasting peace."

The NGOs have appealed to neighbouring governments, donors and the UN to pressure the parties into renewing the CoH Agreement and setting a timetable for the resumption of talks.

They also called upon the Government to observe the rules about UPDF deployment in South Sudan, while asking the LRA to refrain from acts of violence against civilians.

Lord Triesman has been very active and practical but it looks as though nothing will happen whilst the ICC maintain their demands to try the LRA leaders.... which nobody wants because that will knock on to the absurd proceedings against Bosnians who were only doing waht the US wanted them to do.