On Thursday, the ENOUGH! initiative, working with the U.S. Institute of Peace and Uganda-CAN's new 'RESOLVE Uganda' organization, will host a Congressional briefing on "prospects for peace in northern Uganda." The speakers will include Betty Bigombe, John Prendergast and Michael Poffenberger. These speakers will particularly highlight the need for the international community to strengthen ongoing peace initiatives as the ceasefire expires and the region faces a return to active violence.

The Ugandan government said today that it can only discuss, let alone sanction, a change of venue for the stalled South Sudan-mediated peace talks if the LRA negotiators return to Juba. "We have to return to Juba and discuss it and then agree or disagree," State Minister for Defence Ruth Nankabirwa said. "We cannot go to Nairobi (Kenya) or any other place to agree to a venue. It is Juba we have to talk about because there is no other venue that has been chosen." Nankabirwa's revelation, however, was overshadowed by the animosity that lingered in the Parliament after MPs voted on a motion that compels the LRA and the Government to return to Juba and no other location. Opposition MPs, who were the original architects of the motion, declined to vote saying it was wrong for Parliament to explicitly pronounce itself and limit the negotiating parties to Juba. Read more at The Monitor.

The historic Cessation of Hostilities (CoH) Agreement between the Government of Uganda and rebel Lord's Resistance Army is set to expire today, and without urgent action, northern Uganda will likely plunge back into the throes of violence and abduction. In response, we're asking you to join us in calling Members of Congress to sign a resolution introduced by Senator Feingold (D-WI) and Senator Brownback (R-KS), which calls on the Government and LRA to return to the peace talks, and for the U.S. to do all that it can to make sure this opportunity to achieve peace in northern Uganda is not lost.

To find out the contact information for your Members of Congress, click here and type in your zip code. You can also call the Capital Switchboard at 202-224-3121 and ask to be connected to your representatives. Here is an example of what you can say: "Hi, my name is _____ from ______, and I'm calling Senator/Representative _______ to express my concern about today's expiration of the ceasefire in northern Uganda. I urge Senator/Represenative _____ to vote in favor of the resolution led by Senators Feingold and Brownback, which urges the Government of Uganda and rebel Lord's Resistance Army to resume negotiations and renew the ceasefire. The lives of two million people displaced by this conflict, and tens of thousands of abducted children depend on the success of these negotiations."

A return to civil war, as may result from the expiration of the ceasefire truce, would yield disastrous results for the people of northern Uganda and for regional stability. Together, thousands of us will demand today that this new Congress shows moral leadership for peace in northern Uganda!

Ugandan President Museveni yesterday warned that he would launch a fresh fight against any LRA fighters on Ugandan soil after the ceasefire truce expires today. Vincent Otti confirmed yesterday that the LRA will not renew the truce, accusing the UPDF of violating the agreement. Museveni told reporters in Kampala: "If they [LRA] try to enter Uganda, we shall deal with them." He was speaking after holding talks with visiting US General William Ward, the deputy commander of the European Command, a structure covering US military forces in Europe and Africa. Read more at News24.

A host of Acholi leaders and key players in the Diaspora are set to meet on Thursday in Juba in a final attempt to revive the stalled peace talks. The Juba consultative meeting, funded by Denmark and Canada, will include about 100 political, religious, cultural leaders and representatives of civil society organisations from northern Uganda. The conference is organised by Acholi paramount chief Rwot David Onen Acana and will last three days. Sources said the Acholi leaders would meet together with the LRA, government delegation and South Sudan elders to chart a way forward for a resumption of the talks. Read more at The Monitor.

Uganda faces an imminent return to armed conflict unless urgent action is taken to rescue the stalled peace talks in Juba, South Sudan. Two members of the U.S. Senate have said the continuation of talks is essential.

Sen. Russ Feingold (D-Wisc.), Chairman of the Senate Subcommittee on African Affairs, said, "With the current ceasefire between the Government of Uganda and the LRA set to expire soon, the U.S. and the international community must step up our efforts to achieve a sustainable and lasting peace...As Chairman of the Senate Subcommittee on African Affairs, I will continue to push for increased humanitarian assistance, as well as diplomatic and logistical support for the talks between the Ugandan Government and the LRA, to promote progress towards sustainable peace in Uganda."

Sen. Sam Brownback (R-Kan.), a long-time advocate for increased attention to the crisis, said, "The violence must end now. With the ceasefire set to expire at the end of the month and with the peace talks stalled, we must continue to put pressure on all parties involved to remain at the table and reach a peaceful solution to the conflict."

The Ugandan government has asked the LRA to renew the truce, which expires tomorrow. "We are asking the LRA to respond to our call and renew the Cessation of Hostilities Agreement, for the sake of the Internally Displaced Persons," the State Foreign Affairs Minister said. The expiry of the truce was also debated in Parliament yesterday. MPs Betty Amongi (Apac) and Alice Alaso (Soroti) urged the two parties not to resume hostilities so as not to interrupt the ongoing resettlement programme in the North. In a further attempt to save the talks, the Acholi paramount chief, Rwot Achana Onen II, is convening a meeting of Acholi in Juba, starting tomorrow.

Finally, a coalition of 65 NGOs, united under the Civil Society Organisations for Peace in Northern Uganda (CSOPNU), has urged the Government, the LRA and the international community "not to betray the hopes of Ugandans that talks will deliver a just and lasting peace." The NGOs appealed to neighbouring governments, donors and the UN to pressure the parties into renewing the CoH Agreement and setting a timetable for the resumption of talks. They also called upon the Government to observe the rules about UPDF deployment in South Sudan, while asking the LRA to refrain from acts of violence against civilians. Read more at The New Vision.

After your letters and pressure, today's New York Times includes a letter from Patty Swahn, regional director of East Africa for the International Rescue Committee. Swahn writes, "In 'A Film Star in Kampala, Conjuring Amin’s Ghost' (front page, Feb. 18), you note that Uganda is now 'one of the safest and most stable countries in Africa.' That may be true in southern Uganda, but it is a very different reality for the Acholi people in the marginalized north...In Uganda, only half the population lives in a country where it’s secure enough to film a Hollywood picture. We should not forget the other half." Thanks to everyone who wrote letters to make sure the international press doesn't overlook northern Uganda!

The online debate continues this week on the Washington Post's PostGlobal blog about prospects and possibilities for peace in northern Uganda. Recent topics include: (1) How committed to peace talks really is the Government of Uganda? (2) Does the ICC really remain an impediment to these negotiations? (3) How influential is the LRA's external wing over the rebel army? Post your comments and join the conversation here.

Tomorrow is the last day of the Cessation of Hostilities Agreement between the government of Uganda and the LRA. The UPDF says it has strict instructions not to resume fighting against the LRA. "The Uganda People's Defence Forces still supports the Juba peace process; we believe peace talks are the best viable option for northern Uganda and we have strict orders not to attack the LRA even when the deadline elapses," said UPDF spokesman Major Felix Kulayigye yesterday. This development raises hope that failure to renew the truce will not herald resumption of hostilities, even as the LRA leaders say they would not endorse an extension of the ceasefire. Dr. Rugunda, the Ugandan Minister of Internal Affairs, said yesterday that efforts were underway to resume the Juba negotiations. Read more at The Monitor.

62% of children living in displaced persons camps in northern Uganda are victims of sexual abuse, a new study by World Vision reports. The study, called "The Future in Our Hands," found that among Ugandan respondents: 13% were victims of improper kissing; 26% said they had either been touched on their breasts, buttocks or sexual parts; 8% said they had been forced to have sex; 13% said they had been penetrated by a finger or an object. Among these victims, 34% said they were compelled to have sex in exchange for basic needs. The study further found that perpetrators of these crimes are most commonly people known to the victim personally. The report also draws specific attention to perpetrators within the UPDF.

Army spokesman for northern Uganda, Lt Chris Magezi, responded: "People should stop insinuating that the UPDF is some sort of a monster; that when it shouts, people around are just quiet. The UPDF has a strict code of conduct and if any soldier commits a crime and a report is filed, we take punitive action. The World Vision guys are just lying, but we are ready to cooperate (in investigations) if there is a soldier who has committed a crime. The biggest sexual abusers in the camps are actually residents themselves, not the army." Read more at The Monitor.

The DR Congo Interior Minister General Denis Kalume said yesterday that the army will push the LRA out of the country. He said that LRA fighters were pillaging villages in northeast Congo, near the border with Uganda, Sudan and Central African Republic. Read more at MONUC.org.

In an interview, the former governor of Western Equatoria State Col. Patrick Raphael Zamoi, has urged the removal of LRA rebels from southern Sudan. He further disclosed his initial opposition to host the LRA rebels inside Sudanese territories. Zamoi called upon the LRA forces to stop terrorizing and looting innocent natives of Southern Sudan. Read the full interview at The Sudan Tribune.

The Washington Post's PostGlobal blog is featuring an expert panel on "Achieving Peace in Uganda," moderated by Uganda-CAN. Visit PostGlobal, post a comment and join the conversation on global issues!

A World Vision report has revealed that 62% of children in northern Ugandan IDP camps have been sexually abused. 34% of children surveyed reported that they were compelled to have sex in exchange for basic needs. Although the report’s findings were based on a small sample group, they are consistent with many other reports concerning sexual abuse in northern Ugandan IDP camps. The report highlights the chronic insecurity in the camps and failure of the Ugandan government to protect its northern citizens, especially women and girls, who are the victims of most instances of sexual violence. The World Vision report also draws attention to the role of Ugandan military forces in fueling prostitution in camps and coercing IDP women and girls into sexual relations. Read more at The Monitor.

A UPDF commander said yesterday that the parties to the Juba peace talks should consider relocating LRA rebels from Owiny-Ki-Bul, one of the two assembly points for LRA rebels in South Sudan established by Cessation of Hostilities (CoH) agreement signed in August 2006. 5th Division Commander Lucky Kidega said, "They (the LRA) have instead continued to terrorise civilians and travellers on roads in the areas surrounding Owiny-Ki-Bul. All these are serious violations of the agreement and have reflected a serious lack of commitment by the LRA to talk peace." Kidega also said that the UPDF has clashed with LRA fighters trying to infiltrate Kitgum district in northern Uganda eight times since the signing of the CoH. The last incident was on February 17th, when the UPDF killed two LRA rebels attempting cross into Kitgum. Read more at The Monitor.

The State Minister for northern Uganda, David Wakikona, dismissed 12 officials from the Northern Uganda Social Action Fund (NUSAF) for corruption and mismanagement of project funds. NUSAF is a project jointly funded by the World Bank and the Government to initiate development and reconstruction projects in 18 districts in northern Uganda, and has over $100 million at its disposal. An assessment conducted from September to October 2006 by the Agency for Sustainable Development Initiative in Apac district described NUSAF projects as ineffective, inefficient, and having no accountability. Many critics of NUSAF say that chronic insecurity and mismanagement of funds has prevented it from having any real effect on the ground. Read more at The New Vision.

Over 710 IDP homes have burned to the ground this month, depriving 7,500 people of their homes and belongings. The dry season in northern Uganda, from December to March, brings with it strong winds, hot sun and little precipitation. IDP camps in northern Uganda are notoriously crowded, with the thatched roofs of neighboring homes often touching. Consequently, small fires often spread quickly and can engulf entire camps. Read more at The Monitor.

In response to media reports that the LRA will not endorse an extension to the Cessation of Hostilities Agreement, the LRA/M has issued a press statement. The statement says that, though the LRA is still refusing to return to the Juba talks, they will not resume hostilities unless provoked by the UPDF. The LRA/M also denies that its fighters are on the move to the Central African Republic. That statement finally urges the Government of Uganda to reconsider its stance on changing the venue and mediator so that peace talks can resume.

For months, the UN Security Council has gone silent about the conflict in northern Uganda. Yet, this month's Council president, Slovakia's Peter Burian, yesterday indicated that he will be requesting a Council briefing on the LRA "in the near future." The next step appears to be a briefing to the Council about the LRA by the UN Secretariat. Kofi Annan's appointed envoy, Joaquim Chisano, has not publicly been heard from and may be asked to provide a briefing. Read more at Inner City Press.

Martin Ojul, leader of the LRA delegation at peace talks, has issued a public statement that his delegation does not intent to return to peace talks until a new venue is established. The statement reads, " LRA/M has not held any meeting whatsoever with Government of Southern Sudan to express any change in the original position of LRA/M on the stalled Uganda Peace Process. Moreover, it is also not true that LRA/M intends to meet Dr. Riek Machar anywhere on the stalled Uganda Peace Process. If what has been reported in the mass media reflects the views from Dr. Riek Machar, LRA/M appeals to Dr Machar and his government to stop insisting on what will never be, and also stop interfering with efforts by other bodies that are working towards securing a new venue, host and Mediation."

GuluWalk co-founder and director Adrian Bradbury has written an Op/Ed in today's National Post. Bradbury writes, "Peace talks in northern Uganda have broken down once again. If precedent is any guide, the biggest losers in this latest development will be children." He continues, "Yet when UN Secretary General Ban Ki-Moon addressed their plight during a brief stopover in Uganda recently, he declared, 'We appreciate the role Uganda has played in assisting to resolve conflicts, especially in the Great Lakes region.' In addressing the local media, Ki-Moon went on to express his focus on the military and political challenges in Somalia and Sudan's Darfur region, where he demanded 'action and real progress.' Not one mention of the appalling conditions just 250 kilometres north of the capital city of Kampala." Read more at GuluWalk.

Dr. Ruhakana Rugunda, head of the Ugandan government’s delegation to the Juba peace talks, addressed the Ugandan Parliament yesterday on the government’s position on reconciliation and justice in northern Uganda and the International Criminal Court’s (ICC) warrants. The ICC’s arrest warrants for top LRA leaders have been a contentious issue in the Juba peace process, with LRA leaders demanding that they be dropped. Rugunda told the Parliament that the government would support traditional Acholi reconciliation mechanisms, but would not ask the ICC to drop the charges, saying “It is not possible for the ICC to lift the indictments before the question of impunity is addressed. The Government will formally engage the ICC only after a peace agreement has been reached and after the LRA has gone through the Mato oput process. ICC’s stand is that impunity should never be condoned. Uganda fully supports this stand.” Read more at The New Vision.

Major Felix Kulayigye, Uganda’s defence minister, confirmed reports that LRA commanders Joseph Kony and Vincent Otti and 400 other LRA rebels have arrived in the Central African Republic after fleeing the DR Congo several days ago. The LRA has been under pressure to leave the DR Congo by authorities in Kinshasa, which intensified last week after a meeting between Ugandan, Congolese and South-Sudanese security officials about how to handle the LRA threat. Read more at AllAfrica.com.

The Daily Monitor reports that the LRA peace negotiators have ironed out their differences and are willing to meet the LRA High Command, largely to set a date for the resumption of the peace talks. The announcement was made yesterday by the mediator Dr. Riek Machar. This comes one day after Army Spokesman Felix Kulayigye confirmed that LRA leaders Kony and Otti have left their camp in DR Congo's and relocated toward Central African Republic. "After the LRA delegates arrive, I am planning to travel with them to meet the LRA leaders and set a schedule for resumption of the talks," Dr Machar said. Read more at The Monitor.

Refugees International has put out a new press statement, calling on the Government of Uganda to live up to its protection responsibilities in northern Uganda. They write, "While movement out of the overcrowded camps, which have been notorious for squalid living conditions, human rights abuses, sexual exploitation and a general lack of protection for the displaced, is a positive one, the Government of Uganda must use this moment of peace to strengthen government efforts to protect their citizens."

They continue, "While the UPDF’s attention to reform is laudable, there still remain considerable concerns. Some UPDF commanders have become draconian in responding to reports of soldiers abusing IDPs and have carried out immediate executions with no appeals process for the accused. But the top commanders themselves are exempt from discipline and allowed to act with impunity. RI received reports that commanders of units carrying out the worst violations were simply transferred to other posts where presumably the abuses will continue. It is imperative that the Government of Uganda ensure that the military obey international and domestic laws and respect the rights of the displaced in northern Uganda." In response, RI urges increased and strengthened police presence in northern Uganda. Read the full statement at ReliefWeb.

The Amnesty commissioner in-charge of West Nile, Hajji Ganyana Miiro, today reported that about 8,000 former Lord’s Resistance Army (LRA) rebels have been granted amnesty in the last six years. "We have been talking to the rebels. We have been putting pressure on them to stop fighting and engage in developmental activities," Miiro said. This underlines the important role the Amnesty Commission has played in deescalating the conflict in northern Uganda. Read more at The New Vision.

Today's New York Times includes a compelling article about Ugandans' fascination with the award-winning film "Last King of Scotland," which portrays the reign of dictator Idi Amin. Unfortunately, when speaking about the state of Uganda today, the article completely overlooks the 21-year suffering of northern Ugandans. In it, Uganda is described as "one of the safest and most stable countries in Africa." This is hardly the case. For the last 21 years, the people have been condemned to a brutal war that has left 1.7 million people displaced (80% of the region) and over 30,000 children abducted and forced into soldiering. If this leaves you outraged, consider writing a short letter to the editor to the New York Times or write an email to the article's author Jeffrey Gettleman. The neglect of the international community and media has perpetuated this conflict, and even after 21 years, that neglect will remain alive unless we speak up.

The New Vision is reporting that at least 40 LRA rebels have crossed into the Central African Republic, where they have joined a rebel group that is fighting the Government in Bangui. Another group of about 400 LRA fighters reportedly has left their hide-out in the Congolese jungles of Garamba and is heading in the same direction. This main group, led by LRA leader Joseph Kony himself, reportedly quit Garamba on February 14 and is camping in a forest 35km of Tambura in southern Sudan. Security sources fear that the rebels will attack the SPLA forces around Tambura and Efo in a bid to force their way into the Central African Republic. This new developments come one week before the deadline for the LRA fighters to assemble in Owiny Kibul and Ri-Kwangba expires. The new move also comes as the LRA was urged by the Congolese authorities to quit Garamba. Read more at The New Vision.

Gulu District Chairman Norbert Mao has criticized the international community for insisting that LRA leader Joseph Kony must be tried before the International Criminal Court in The Hague. Speaking at the recent national reconciliation conference, Mao said Uganda is capable of utilizing its own domestically grown justice process to bring an end to the 20-year war. "We must reject everybody who says Kony must be tried in The Hague. The ICC was set up to supplement domestic judicial systems, not to usurp their powers. We can only resort to ICC when the domestic systems have failed and I don't think we have failed yet. We are still in position to show the whole world that our processes are working," he said. Read more at The Monitor.

The landmark Cessation of Hostilities truce that raised hopes for an end to 21 years of war in northern Uganda is set to expire in nine days with no clear indication of what happens next. Ruhakana Rugunda, the leader of the government negotiation team, said today that Government is keenly aware of the expiry date of the truce and the failure by both parties to meet for a review. "The peace talks, in our view, are the only viable option to finding lasting peace in northern Uganda," Rugunda said. Oryem Okello, the Minister of State for Foreign Affairs, said last week, "We want to reassure people we will not restart hostilities."

However, highly placed government sources told The Daily Monitor that key figures in the Ugandan military have been holding meetings with Congolese and South Sudanese authorities largely to prepare a military offensive against the LRA. The source said over the last two months key officers in the UPDF and Defense Ministry have held four important meetings with the Congolese Army (FARDC) and the Sudan People Liberation Army (SPLA) "planning for plan B."

Fears of a resumption of hostilities are also shared by the LRA which emphasizes the need to resume the peace process, but with a new mediator and venue. "The date of February 28 should not mean the resumption of war, and we call upon every peace-loving person to impress it upon the Uganda government not to take that line," said LRA spokesman Godfrey Ayo. "We are working around the clock to make sure the peace process resumes," he added. Read more at The Monitor.

The Catholic Church in Kenya has asked the Kenyan government to reconsider its decision not to host the northern Uganda peace talks that collapsed in Juba last month. Archbishop John Njue, the Chairman of the Kenya Episcopal Conference begged the Kenyan government to do everything in its power to ensure war does not break out again in Uganda. "All we are requesting is for Kenya to do anything that will ensure the suffering people of Northern Uganda start living a better life," he said. His comments comes only days after the Uganda Joint Christian Council (UJCC) appealed to the Ugandan government to restrain from taking any unilateral action that may lead to the resumption of hostilities between the UPDF and LRA. Read more at The Catholic Info. Service for Africa.

The Catholic Archbishop of Gulu in Northern Uganda John Baptist Odama has asked for quick and immediate international action to save the situation in northern Uganda after peace talks between the Ugandan government and Lord's Resistance Army have faltered. Archbishop Odama also asked the UN special envoy to northern Uganda Joaquim Chisano to find ways of restarting the talks. "The cessation of hostilities between the two groups expires on February 28 and war could break out if the peace talks would not have resumed," Archbishop Odama said. Read more at Catholic Info. Service for Africa.

UNICEF Uganda and its partners have put education in the spotlight this week with the launch of their ‘Go to school, back to school, stay in school’ campaign to help 1.3 million children get primary education in the country’s conflict-affected north and northeast. Eighty per cent of children there aged 7 to 18 have never been to school – a majority of them girls. "Low levels of primary school enrolment, retention and completion represent a basic violation of child rights and an urgent priority for action by all stakeholders," says UNICEF Representative in Uganda Keith McKenzie. "The immediate impact of low education levels on individual health, HIV/AIDS prevention and protection from various forms of neglect, abuse and exploitation is critical."

Save the Children has issued a new press release, expressing concern that, "with less than two weeks to go before the Cessation of Hostilities Agreement runs out in Uganda, the safety and security of Uganda’s children lies in the balance." They write, "As the deadline of February 28 approaches, both the Government of Uganda and the LRA are refusing to fully commit to further peace talks. Both sides must dedicate the political will and energy desperately needed to find a peaceful resolution." Save the Children urges "the international community to make clear to the Government of Uganda and the LRA that they will receive no international political support or allies should one or both sides return to war."

Clashes between Karamajong warriors and UPDF forces in the past three days have killed 80 Karamajong warriors, six other civilians and four soldiers. The clashes were sparked three days ago when Karamajong warriors ambushed civilians and reportedly tried to recover stolen cattle recovered by the UPDF. The army has deployed heavy weaponry during the fighting, including helicopter gunships, infantry fighting vehicles. Responding to calls by Karamajong local leaders to negotiate an end to the violence, an army spokesman said that they would only talk with warriors if they gave up their guns. The UPDF has been carrying out a controversial forcible disarmament programme in Karamoja since last summer. Read more at The Monitor.

Internal Affairs Minister Ruhukana Rugunda, who heads the government delegation at the peace talks, returned from Juba yesterday where he delivered a special message from President Museveni to the President of South Sudan Salva Kiir. "The message was about the peace process," Rugunda revealed. "It re-affirmed Uganda’s support for the peace process, for Juba as the venue of the talks and for the Government of South Sudan as the mediator." He only disclosed that in his assessment, the talks would resume in Juba soon. "Both the government of Uganda and the government of South Sudan are in contact with the LRA. We expect the peace talks in Juba to resume soon and we are working for that," Rugunda said. Read more at The New Vision.

The International Criminal Court (ICC) has so far received 49 applicants willing to testify against Joseph Kony, the indicted leader of the LRA. The applicants are all victims of the 20-year rebel insurgency that has ravaged northern Uganda. Claudia Perdomo, the ICC outreach coordinator, said that the applications are currently under scrutiny. Kony faces 33 counts of crimes against humanity and war crimes. He, however, vehemently denies the allegations. The other co-accused are Vincent Otti, second in command, Dominic Ongwen, Okot Odhiambo and Raska Lukwiya (RIP). In the face of stalled peace talks between the rebels and the Uganda government, the ICC has gone ahead to prepare guidelines for the hearing process. Read more at The Monitor.

The BBC News reports that the Ugandan Parliament has agreed to send 1500 Ugandan troops to Somalia as part of a African Union (AU) peacekeeping force to take over from Ethiopian forces currently occupying the country. According to the report, the troops have a six-month mandate to engage in peacekeeping operations, support the transitional government to stabilise the country, and help out with humanitarian aid. The cost will come out of the existing Ugandan defence budget with the AU to fund any extra costs. Read more at BBC News. This decision is controversial not only because of resistance to the peacekeepers within Somalia, but also the issue of priorities. Insecurity and displacement continue to ravage northern Uganda in one of the world's worst (and most neglected) humanitarian nightmares.

Gulu District Chairman Nobert Mao has urged the government to investigate what he called "external forces that are advising the rebel Lord's Resistance Army to stay away from the South Sudan mediated peace talks." "I think the LRA are being cornered. The Ugandan intelligence should investigate whether there is a third party interest trying to confuse the talks," Mao said on Monday. Mao said the Uganda government should not blame the LRA for pulling out of the talks but instead identify and expose those people against the talks. "We need to identify the spoilers, dismantle their connections rather than merely blaming LRA," he said. Read more at The Monitor.

Results of nationwide O’level test scores for 2006 reveal that students from war-torn regions in northern Uganda and Karamoja performed significantly worse than their counterparts in central and western Uganda. The results, released by the Uganda National Examinations Board, are further proof that even the relative security created by the ongoing Juba peace talks is no substitute for lasting peace and sustained investment in recovery and development in the north and east. Read more at The New Vision.

The chief Government negotiator, Dr. Ruhakana Rugunda and the LRA head of delegation to the Juba peace talks, Martin Ojul, have committed themselves to resuming the peace process. Rugunda, Ojul and the LRA spokesman Godfrey Ayoo, spoke during a teleconference on Friday. It was moderated by Fortunate Sewankambo, the World Vision communications director. In a press statement, World Vision revealed that although the LRA was reluctant to return to Juba, both Rugunda and Ojul agreed that the issue of a venue should not be an obstacle to peace. Read more at The New Vision.

At least four UPDF soldiers and seven Karimojong warriors have died in two days of clashes between the two groups in Kotido in northeastern Uganda. Twenty warriors are also reported injured. The clashes began on Monday. The clashes, the first this year, reportedly began after the army recovered over 2,000 head of cattle from the warriors. Read more at The Monitor. Also, be sure to check out Paul's latest analysis piece on the dynamics and impact of insecurity in Karamajong.

The improved security brought about by the Juba peace talks has led to improved humanitarian access to IDP camps in northern Uganda and the return of 300,000 IDPs to their homes. Although much attention has been placed on hopes that the Juba talks can bring peace to northern Uganda and allow IDPs to return to their homes, the LRA conflict is not the only cause of displacement in northern Uganda. Over the past several months Pader district has seen an increase in raids by warriors from Karamoja, the region to the the east of northern Uganda. Many residents of Pader have had cattle stolen or been sexually abused during the raids, and fear that continued raids could force IDPs to stay in camps even if a lasting peace deal is signed between the LRA and Ugandan government. Read more at The Monitor.

Insecurity within Karmoja, caused by the proliferation of arms and the government’s controversial forcible disarmament programme, has also intensified in recent months. Two weeks ago two women were killed by UPDF soldiers in a ‘cordon and search’ operation, a primary facet in the disarmament programme which has been denounced by UN human rights chief Louis Arbour as prone to "indiscriminate and excessive" use of force. Read more at The Monitor.

The Ugandan government has revealed that it remains in close contact with the LRA top leadership. The Minister of Internal Affairs, Dr. Ruhakana Rugunda, said yesterday: "The Government is very committed to peace. We want peace to prevail in northern Uganda. We are in close contact with the LRA leadership and we are optimistic that the talks will resume." Rugunda, who is also the head of the Government peace talks negotiating team, hinted: "The issue of change of venue can be considered if it is for peace. The peace process is very precious and we have now reached at a point of no return. The Government will do everything possible to ensure that the peace talks resume." Read more at The New Vision.

The New Vision has published Uganda-CAN's latest Op/Ed: "Who's to Blame if the Juba Peace Talks Collapse?" We write, "All parties – the Government, LRA and the international community – have, by their obstinacy, obstructed the progress of negotiations." We conclude, "The current impasse highlights the critical need for external confidence-building, inducements, sanctions and technical assistance to rejuvenate the peace process. Among other actions, the international community could strengthen the CoH Monitoring Team, inject accountability into the process, assist the mediator, sanction 'spoilers' in the LRA external wing, and bolster security for the displaced. Generic statements from the diplomatic community do not go far enough; only serious action will bring regional stability in not only Uganda, but also Sudan and DR Congo. Read the full text at The New Vision.

The directors of War Dance, a documentary film about an improbable dance team from an IDP camp in northern Uganda, have won the Sundance Film Festival's documentary directing award.

A recently-released World Development Report has confirmed an earlier "Survey of War Affected Youth" report that at least 66,000 youth have been forcibly recruited into the Lord's Resistance Army (LRA) over the course of the 20-year war. This is more than double the usual estimate of relief organizations. UNICEF, for example, has always put the number of children abducted by the LRA at 25,000. In addition, Save the Children put out a press statement last week saying that 10,000 Ugandan children are still unaccounted for, including 1,500 that are still believed to be held by the LRA. Read more at The New Vision.

The Sudan Tribune has published an Op/Ed from Uganda-CAN, titled "Who's to Blame if the Juba Peace Process collapses?" In the Op/Ed, we write, "All parties – the Government, LRA and the international community – have, by their obstinacy, obstructed the progress of negotiations. At the current stalemate, the parties remain blind to their interests in a politics of peace: a blindness whose legacy will only be more blood and bad faith."

Regarding the Ugandan government, we write, "President Museveni and the Government have received much praise for their openness to these negotiations...This is deserved, however this acclaim may be averting scrutiny of recent decisions made by Kampala. Security officials in southern Sudan have reported that the UPDF is violating the CoH Agreement and pursuing LRA rebels, some of whom may even be blocked from reaching the designated assembly points." We continue, "While the LRA may not be able to return to Uganda en force, northerners still lack faith in the ability and will of the UPDF to provide security for their return home. Government’s 'responsibility to protect' means a responsibility to fully and flexibly engage the peace talks..."

On the LRA, we write, "LRA intransigence and political maneuvering have also presented significant obstacles to the process...Divisions between the High Command, negotiating team, and external wing are undermining the LRA’s ability to present a coherent, and even consistent, political agenda. In addition, security officials have confirmed that LRA rebels committed several of the recent attacks on civilians near Juba, violating the CoH Agreement. Given increasing international scrutiny and mounting pressure on the ICC to deliver arrests, the LRA is foolish to abandon this opportunity, which may likely be their last, to secure a peace end to the war."

Finally, on the international community, we write, "However, current intractability of the situation can also be blamed on the international community, which has retained a largely passive position. The current impasse highlights the critical need for external confidence-building, inducements, sanctions and technical assistance to rejuvenate the peace process. Among other actions, the international community could strengthen the CoH Monitoring Team, inject accountability into the process, assist the mediator, sanction 'spoilers' in the LRA external wing, and bolster security for the displaced." Read the full text at The Sudan Tribune.

Onyango-Obbo,former editor of The Monitor and well-known commentator on East African politics, writes today on the Washington Post's Post Global blog about "why Ugandan peace talks go nowhere." He writes, "Though Uganda has made impressive progress in the 21 years of Museveni’s rule (going from a country once synonymous with economic collapse through the 70s and 80s to become Africa’s 'economic success story' in the 90s), successes were always overshadowed by the war, dragging down the country’s image...For Kony, the end formal end of one-party rule in 2006 siphoned away LRA supporters in the Diaspora who once gave respectability to their campaign. It was left to the dynamics inside southern Sudan, following the Comprehensive Peace Agreement with the Khartoum government, to force Museveni and Kony’s hands." He concludes, "That the talks have been rocky suggests the belligerents are trying to achieve at the negotiating table what they couldn’t on the battlefield -- a clear victory. But that charade cannot go on forever." Read the full entry and comment at PostGlobal.

Acholi leaders have been asked by the UPDF to speak out against the LRA demand for a change of venue of the peace talks. Speaking at the Army Day celebrations in Pader district, the UPDF 5th division operation and training officer, Lt Col. Sam Kavuma, said that while the Government showed commitment to the talks by signing the Cessation of Hostilities Agreement, the northern politicians had done nothing. "I want to hear from local leaders. They have kept quite as if nothing has happened. I think as long as they remain silent, Kony will think that what he is doing is good," he said. However, Gulu LC5 chief, Norbert Mao, on Thursday said that the army's attack on politicians was misdirected. "Those of us who have been talking to the LRA have told them that Juba and the offer by the government of South Sudan to mediate is the best." Read more at The New Vision.

The New Vision is reporting today that the governments of Uganda, DR Congo and South Sudan have resolved to jointly fight "terrorists" operating along their common borders. They have agreed to exchange information, have joint military teams to verify the location of rebel groups and set up joint verification missions in the respective countries.This was during a one-day security meeting in Kasese last week chaired by the UPDF Second Division commander Brig. Hudson Mukasa. If peace talks do not resume soon, this will may have significant impact on the LRA, which is based primarily now in Garamba Park in DR Congo. Read more at The New Vision.

The Governor of Eastern Equatoria State announced yesterday that he has deployed the army to protect the population from attacks by LRA rebels. Governor Aloisio Emor Ojetuk further denounced the persistent atrocities and killing of people in the region. Governor Ojetuk said the major challenge facing SPLM in the Eastern Equatoria state is insurgency being posed by the LRA fighters, especially in Magwi and eastern Torit counties. Read more at The Sudan Tribune.

The Governments of Uganda and South Sudan have called for international pressure on the LRA to return to the negotiating table. The appeal was made by foreign minister Sam Kutesa and South Sudan regional cooperation minister Dr. Barnabas Marial Benjamin yesterday, after the two signed a historical trade pact. "We urge the international community to exert more pressure on the LRA," Kutesa said. "They acted in bad faith. They wanted (to move the talks to) Kenya and South Africa. Both countries have categorically stated that they will not host the talks." Read more at The New Vision.

Yesterday, Presideny Museveni rejected fresh demands by the LRA rebels for a change in the peace talks and defended the existence of camps for displaced people in the north. In the interview, Museveni said, "The idea of going to a new site [for peace talks] with a new mediator is not acceptable - because it is just designed to avoid reaching a solution. A new mediator will have to learn about the issues, because these issues are not all that well known by outsiders." He continued, "The return back home [for IDPs] is irreversible irrespective of what happens with the peace talks. This is because the army is now more capable, stronger." Finally, asked if he regrets the encampment of the north, Museveni responded, "Not at all. You see, living in camps was the second-best arrangement other than living in their own homes. If they had stayed in their own homes, many would have been killed or abducted; and abducted may actually have meant being killed." Read the full interview by UN IRIN News.

Two suspected LRA rebels were lynched by an angry mob in Pader district on Wednesday evening. The two unidentified victims were killed in two different incidents in Awere and Kalawinya villages of Aruu county. "The residents mobilised and invaded the rebels' hideouts. They rounded them up and beat them to death," Pader RDC Santo Okot Lapolo said. Read more at The Monitor.

In an effort to salvage the stalled peace talks, Acholi leaders plan to organize an all-inclusive Acholi conference in Juba, led by the Acholi Paramount chief Rwot David Onen Acana. The Governments of Sweden and the Netherlands have pledged $250,000 towards the initiative. The conference plans to draw in leaders from the national down to sub-county level, leaders of IDP camps as well as Acholi living in the diaspora. Gulu RDC Walter Ochola announced that the conference would deliberate on the fate of the peace process in Juba and the way forward. The conference is expected to take place in the first week of March, after a group of Acholi leaders have returned from a one week fact-finding mission to Owiny-ki-Bul. Read more at The New Vision.

The Lord's Resistance Army (LRA) today released a detailed statement explaining why they quit the Juba peace talks at the end of last year. The statement cites 32 reasons. "LRA/M never mandated Dr. Riek Machar to be (chief) mediator of the talks. LRA/M had mandated Professor Asefa and Dr. Simon Shimonsi to mediate the talks," the document says. The LRA, in their statement, allege that Dr Machar often coerced their negotiators and sometimes forced them at gun point to sign documents. In addition, the LRA say that Juba was full of spies and state agents. The document also discusses ill will between the LRA and SPLA. The LRA alleged that SPLA operatives ransacked their hotel rooms whenever they were out negotiating with the government team. The LRA allege they were once put under captivity by the Sudan government and were not free to leave their hotel rooms. Read more at The Monitor.

Investigation is needed to see if any of these allegations are true; however the LRA is deeply discrediting itself by leaving the talks without showing more commitment to compromise on the technical details of the talks. Columnist Opiyo Oloya wrote a powerful Op/Ed earlier this week in The New Vision on this very point. Read it at The New Vision.

The Canadian government has pledged to contribute $2.5 million towards peace building efforts in northern Uganda. This is a fresh incentive for the parties to resume the talks already beset by a breakdown of trust. "The current peace process represents the best opportunity in two decades to build a lasting and peaceful solution to the conflict in northern Uganda," Canada's foreign affairs Peter MacKay said. "This opportunity must not be lost since a return to hostilities would be tragic for the people of Uganda and other areas affected by the hostilities, including Sudan and the DR Congo." Read more at The Monitor.

Brig. Gen. Aloisio Emor Ojetuk, the governor of the South Sudan Eastern Equatorial State, has ordered LRA fighters to leave his area, which includes Owiny ki-Bul, one of the two designated assembly points for the rebels. Brig. Gen. Ojetuk said the LRA have broken out of their designated assembling point at Owiny ki-Bul and are now terrorising people in Magwi and Western Torit counties with impunity. "I now want Ugandan rebels to go back to their country because they have no reason to fight in our land. If they do not want to leave, force will be used to evict them from Eastern Equatoria state," the governor reportedly said. Responding, the LRA peace delegation spokesman Olweny Obonyo said, "I don't have any comment about the governor's statement. The Government of South Sudan is a party to the Cessation of Hostilities Agreement, which is still valid up to the end of the month." Read more at The Monitor.

Uganda-CAN has received reports of two confrontations between the UPDF and small groups of LRA rebels in Pader District in northern Uganda. Apparently some of the LRA fighters in these groups have surrendered. We will report more details when we have that information.

The Community of Sant’Egidio, an Italian Christian organization that has been involved in peace mediation, has said the Juba peace talks offer the best opportunity and most concrete hope for peace in northern Uganda. In a statement, the group denied reports that it wants talks between the Government and the LRA rebels to take place in Rome. "Ever since the beginning we believed that there could not be any alternative to dialogue in order to reach a lasting peace. We welcomed the decision of the Ugandan President (Yoweri) Museveni and of South Sudan President Salva Kiir Mayrdit to begin a dialogue in Juba," Vittorio Scelzo wrote. Read more at The New Vision.

Responding to the rejection by the Kenyan and Ugandan governments of an LRA proposal to move the peace talks between the LRA and Ugandan government away from South Sudan, LRA commander Vincent Otti threatened a return to violence. Otti said, "If [President] Museveni does not want to shift to anywhere out of Sudan, then that is the end of the peace talks. We need somewhere else. If they reject, we can go back to war." Though the survival of the Juba peace process has been uncertain for most of the past eight months, the current impasse over the venue and mediator to the talks represents perhaps the greatest threat yet to hopes for peace. A return to violence would most likely reverse the improvements in security and humanitarian access to displaced persons’ camps in northern Uganda that have been made since July 2006. Read more at The Monitor.

The deployment of 2,000 police constables to northern Uganda has been slowed because they have not been provided with sufficient funding and accommodations. Strengthening the civilian police force in northern Uganda is crucial restoring law and order, protecting civilians and providing an alternative to the Ugandan military, whose record in northern Uganda is rife with human rights abuses. Read more at The Monitor.

As this and other reports of mismanagement of development and reconstruction initiatives in northern Uganda accumulate, many IDPs are also returning to camps, fearing that a collapse of the Juba peace talks could lead to renewed insecurity. Despite these obvious signs that the Ugandan government’s commitment to the development and security of northern Uganda is needed now more than ever, the Ugandan military is preparing to commit 1,400 soldiers to a peacekeeping mission in Somalia. The question must be raised - does the Ugandan government have its priorities straight?

Today’s Monitor reports that hundreds of LRA rebels are fleeing their bases in southern Sudan and the DR Congo and are headed in the direction of the Central Africa Republic (CAR). Although it remains unclear exactly how many LRA rebels are moving towards the CAR or what their motivation is, the head of the Ugandan government’s delegation to the Juba peace talks confirmed the reports of the rebel movements. Internal Affairs Minister Ruhakana Rugunda said, "We are aware there have been movements in the general area towards the border of the Central African Republic.” Last year it was rumored that LRA leader Joseph Kony expressed interest in a peace agreement that would guarantee him asylum in the CAR.

If the reports are proven to be true, it would be a major setback to the Juba peace process. Under the terms of the Cessation of Hostilities Agreement signed between the Ugandan government and the LRA in August 2006 and extended three months ago, LRA rebels must gather in two assembly points in southern Sudan. The past several weeks have seen several other troubling developments, such as LRA demands that the venue and mediators of the peace talks be changed and reports that the Ugandan military and LRA rebels are preparing for renewed hostilities. However, the Juba talks remain the best chance for peace in northern Uganda, and renewed international support for the peace process would significantly boost their chances of success. Read more about “What’s at Stake in the Juba Peace Talks” and how YOU can add your voice to those urging our leaders to support peace in northern Uganda!

The Kenyan government yesterday rejected a request from the LRA delegation to the Juba peace talks that they host peace talks between the LRA and Ugandan government. In recent weeks the LRA delegation has demanded that the venue and mediators of the peace talks with the Ugandan government be changed, accusing the South Sudan officials mediating the current talks in Juba of being biased in favor of the Ugandan government. Kenya’s Foreign Minister Raphael Tuju said, “While Kenya will be ready to play a positive role in the resolution of this problem, we have no reason to cast doubt on the process currently going on in Juba. We have therefore decided that we will not be offering to host these talks so that the current momentum already set in Juba may proceed unimpeded.” President Museveni of Uganda also reiterated his government’s commitment to the Juba peace talks and mediator Dr. Reik Machar, saying that the LRA demands to move the talks were “diversionary.” Read more at The New Vision.

Alice Lakwena, who led the rebel Holy Spirit Movement (HSM) in the 1980s, was buried today in Bungatira, a village in northern Uganda. Lakwena formed the HSM following the rise to power of current Ugandan President Yoweri Museveni in 1986. The HSM, composed of northern Ugandans distrustful of Museveni, marched on Kampala before being defeated in 1987. Lakwena then fled to Kenya, where she lived in exile until her death last month. The HSM gave rise to the Lord's Resistance Army (LRA), and both Lakwena and the LRA's Joseph Kony have used a potent mix of Acholi beliefs and Christian symbolism to hold sway over their followers. Read more at Reuters AlertNet.

LRA leader Joseph Kony and four of his collegues who were indicted for war crimes have hired two international criminal lawyers to represent them at the International Criminal Court (ICC) in The Hague. Kony's deputy Vincent Otti said today that the LRA had identified two lawyers who would travel to The Hague to meet the ICC team and present their case on the government's role in the 20-year war in northern Uganda. "Ever since the ICC issued the warrants on us, it is only the government that has been going to The Hague to meet the ICC to tell lies about us. We also want to meet them to present our issues against the government," Otti said. The Daily Monitor has established that one of the delegates expected to go to The Hague is Prof. Omii Olara. Read more at The Monitor.

The U.S. State Department has issued a press statement expressing concern with the delay of the Juba peace talks. The statement reads, "The United States appreciates the Government of South Sudan's efforts to mediate a peaceful resolution to the 20-year old conflict with the Lord's Resistance Army...We are concerned that demands to change the mediator and venue of the talks will only delay peace in the region and further the suffering of displaced northern Ugandans. Our priority remains peace in northern Uganda."

Sixteen diplomatic missions and the UN have called on the Ugandan government and LRA to resume the stalled peace negotiations in Juba. "We the undersigned Heads of Diplomatic Missions in Kampala wish to express our concern that the talks in Juba have not yet resumed. We call on all parties to prove their commitment to the talks and make the most of this opportunity to build a lasting and peaceful solution to the conflict," the diplomatic missions said in a statement yesterday. The signatories to the statement are Austria, Belgium, Canada, Denmark, European Commission, France, Germany, Iceland, Ireland, Italy, Japan, Netherlands, Norway, Sweden, UK and United Nations Development Programme (UNDP). The UN Security Council, the African Union and the wider international community have all welcomed efforts aimed at bringing to an end one of Africa's longest conflicts, which has undermined security in the wider region. Read more at The Monitor.

Vincent Otti, the LRA's deputy commander, has said his rebel army is ready to handle any threats from the United Nations. Otti was reacting to the new UN chief's pledge to "flush out terrorists" based in DR Congo. UN Secretary General Ban Ki-Moon on Wednesday assured President Museveni at the just concluded African Summit in Addis Ababa that he would deal with the terrorists in Congo as a way of addressing Uganda's security problem. "If the UN chief is serious with his commitment to flush terrorists in the Congo, it means fighting us but we shall also fight whoever comes here to fight us. We shall not sit and look on," Otti said. Otti, however, said those who claim LRA is a terrorist a group are wrong. "Our struggle is well known to the entire world. We are not terrorists but freedom fighters, fighting for a true cause and our rights as Ugandans," he said. Otti's hostile stance is not surprising; he is believed to be very close to the a group in the LRA's external wing that has split with the rest to criticize peace talks and push for resumed fighting. However, sources say that LRA leader Joseph Kony has not been as influenced by this group, and may still be trying to salvage the talks.

President Museveni announced yesterday that families who lost their relatives to the LRA terror will be compensated. He announced this at the closure of a two-day leadership seminar at Adwari Secondary School in Otuke county, Lira District, receiving thunderous applause. "We are going to compensate the victims of LRA terrorism in northern Uganda. Those families who lost their relatives, those whose lips, ears and noses were cut off by the LRA will be compensated as part of mato oput (reconciliation)," Museveni said. The President denied claims that he or his government had grabbed land in the North. He stressed that according to the constitution land belongs to the people. Read more at The New Vision.