RFI exclusive - Uganda

Kony willing to sign peace agreement

Article published on the 2008-09-11 Latest update 2008-09-12 14:48 TU

Joseph Kony in 2005.
(Photo : AFP)

In an exclusive interview, the leader of Uganda's Lord's Resistance Army (LRA), Joseph Kony, told RFI that he is willing to sign a peace agreement. He called upon United Nations forces in the Democratic Republic of Congo (DRC) as well as the DRC army not to attack his forces as it would jeopardise the peace process with the Ugandan government.

UN forces, which are based in DRC, and the Congolese government army said that in recent days they were planning an offensive against the LRA, which is also based in northern DRC.

They said that the rebel group, which had refused to sign a peace agreement, was committing atrocities in the DRC.

LRA chief Joseph Kony told RFI via telephone that he urgently wants to meet with a group of elders, and opinion leaders from northern Uganda, as well as the peace delegation he appointed, so that certain aspects of the text of the agreement can be clarified.

"After that, he would sign the agreement, but of course he said that in signing the agreement he is not going to come out of the bush immediately," O'Kadameri says.

"He will wait to see how they will implement certain aspects of the agreement and that would determine if he comes out of the bush," he added.

Kony spoke in Luo to O'Kadameri, but agreed that the information was on the record.