WASHINGTON, D.C. - July 14, 2008 - Today, negotiators complete a second year of peace talks between the Ugandan government and the rebel Lord's Resistance Army (LRA), who have fought a brutal civil war for more than 22 years. In the coming weeks, they may also see their work rewarded.
LRA leader Joseph Kony recently requested meetings with UN negotiators and the Ugandan government to clarify points of a final peace agreement. One LRA negotiator suggested that Kony could sign the agreement within the week.
In the meantime, agencies like World Vision working in war-torn northern Uganda are eager to see the agreement signed, but also caution that a piece of paper will not alone ensure peace and rehabilitation.
"Clearly, a peace agreement is crucial for the people of northern Uganda to be able to rebuild their shattered lives in peace and safety, but it's not the only factor," said Rory Anderson, World Vision's deputy director for advocacy and government relations. "The international community, lead by the United States, must not only continue to engage on the peace talks, but invest in rebuilding the region in a way that doesn't re-ignite conflict."
World Vision staff currently are calling for the following:
funding to help those displaced by the conflict to move back to their villages and begin rebuilding their homes, farms and communities
funding for infrastructure in areas that have been destroyed by a generation of war
long-term reconstruction and development
national reconciliation efforts to address the ethnic tensions underlying the current conflict
"This kind of tangible investment is essential" said Anderson. "Only last week, the United Nations reported that less than one-third of recovery programs in northern Uganda have the funding they need."
WHO: Rory Anderson, Deputy Director for Advocacy and Government Relations, World Vision, United States
WHAT: The possible signing of a peace agreement in northern Uganda and the need for investment in reconstruction and rehabilitation in the region
WHEN: This week, by appointment
WHERE: From Washington, D.C. by phone or in-person
For more information, please contact Amy Parodi at +1 253 709 3190 or aparodi@worldvision.org or Cynthia Colin at+1 202 436 1266 or ccolin@worldvision.org
[ Any views expressed in this article are those of the writer and not of Reuters. ]
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