World Vision Joins Ugandan Peace Talks

The Ugandan government and the Lord's Resistance Army (LRA) peace delegation have reaffirmed their commitment to pursuing peace in northern Uganda, World Vision reports.

World Vision staff, the Ugandan government's chief negotiator Dr Ruhakana Rugunda, the LRA's peace team leader Martin Ojul and spokesman Godfrey Ayoo were all present at the hour-long meeting.

The peace talks last stalled in 2006 when the LRA protested against 'bias in favour of the Ugandan government' on the part of chief mediator, South Sudan Vice President Riek Machar.

During the teleconference, moderated by World Vision's communication and advocacy director, Fortunate Sewankambo, however, the two parties reiterated their commitment to resuming the peace process, and agreed that the peace talks - while bound to have challenges - should aim to resolve areas of disagreement.

"We are ready to work with LRA to resolve some of the problems barring the peace talks," said the Government's chief negotiator, Dr Rugunda. "By the time the talks broke off at Christmas, we had developed good rapport between the two delegations that pushed us forward."

Speaking from Nairobi, LRA spokesman Godfrey Ayoo said, "The people should be assured that the LRA will not go back to war, and will do everything in its power to deliver peace."

Sewankambo told the parties that World Vision's commitment was "to the people who have for the last 20 years known nothing but war". She said the wish of the organisation was "to see a peaceful northern Uganda for the tens of thousands of children in the region".