| Submit your comments on this article |
| Africa Subsaharan |
| Uganda turns down rebel calls for dissolution of army |
| 2006-07-18 |
| The rebel Ugandan Lords Resistance Army (LRA) has demanded the dissolution of the national army at peace talks to halt nearly two decades of fighting, but the government flatly refused the call and instead demanded the insurgents give up all their weapons. The LRA position paper, presented to southern Sudan mediators at talks here aimed at ending a 19-year-old insurgency in northern Uganda, said there was an urgent need of "reorganising of the army and other forces" as well as the signing of a comprehensive ceasefire agreement with the government. "The present army, the Uganda People Defence Forces (UPDF), does not reflect a national character. It is ethnic, partisan and pledges its loyalty to President Yoweri Museveni personally and not to the nation," said the rebel position paper, obtained by AFP. "We demand its total disbandment so that an internationally supervised recruitment is done taking into account regional balance and integration of those in the LRA and other armed oppositions who have the qualification or are trainable and wish to join the army," it added. In addition, the insurgents demanded the disbandment of camps in northern Uganda housing around two million people, respect for human dignity, protection of their land and compensation from the government, the document indicated. |
| Posted by:Fred |
| #2 Memo to: LRA Subject: Your demands Dear Sirs, F*&k off |
| Posted by: Frank G 2006-07-18 14:04 |
| #1 Fyi, some pretty damn sharp Ugandan infantrymen in Viet era jungle fatiques, kevlars, and M-16's are manning guard posts in and around the Victory Base complex Iraq. Thank you Ugandan Army, I appreciate your service! |
| Posted by: Besoeker 2006-07-18 13:45 |