The Lord's Resistance Army (LRA) has describe as an extreme provocation a warning by the Ugandan government that they face serious consequences for failing to sign a final peace deal.
Uganda's defense minister Amama Mbabazi reportedly urged the rebels to take advantage of the stalled peace talks between the government and the rebels in the Southern Sudanese capital, Juba or face a possible military action. But the rebels say the government is employing intimidation tactics to force them to approve a final settlement.
The LRA maintains that it wants to find a lasting peace to the more than two decades of insurgency in northern Uganda, but is demanding that international arrest warrants against their commanders should be removed. Rebel leader Joseph Kony recently refused to sign a treaty, claiming he needed more clarification on aspects of peace deal.
Uganda government chief negotiator Ruhakana Rugunda told the Voice of America that the LRA are being urged to sign the peace deal or face the alternatives.
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Rugunda denied that Amama Mbabazi's call could undermine confidence-building efforts between the government and the rebels. He said that what is left after peaceful negotiations with the rebels is for President Museveni and rebel leader Kony to sign a final peace deal, which would effectively end the rebel insurgency in northern Uganda, which has lasted for over two decades.
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