Don't forget to check out Uganda-CAN's latest policy brief: "The Bush Administration and the Juba Peace Process: Missing in Action." We write, "Members of the U.S. Congress, compelled by growing concern amongst the American public, have urged the Bush Administration to act more decisively in support of the talks, but have received no response." The policy brief then outlines recent statements on the Juba process by the Department of State, along with recommendations for what the U.S. Government could be doing to consolidate momentum for sustainable peace.

Uganda-CAN has released a new policy brief, titled "The Bush Administration and the Juba Peace Process: Missing in Action." We write, "Negotiations currently taking place in Juba, Sudan to end the twenty year war between the rebel Lord’s Resistance Army and Government of Uganda offer the best chance ever to settle the conflict peacefully. Yet the United States Government, a strong partner of the Government of Uganda with far-reaching regional influence, has yet to definitively endorse the negotiations or to offer support to strengthen the prospects for the talks’ success." The brief outlines the four public statements made by U.S. State Department officials in six months, along with key recommendations for how the U.S. Government could best strengthen the peace process. Click here to read and download the full brief.

If ensuring the war ends is to truly be a priority for the Bush Administration, we urge the following steps be taken to strengthen the Juba peace process:
• A public statement should be made clearly endorsing the talks. Public support for the process can build the confidence of the parties to the talks, and would act as a form of accountability by sending the message that the actions of the parties will affect future U.S. policies.
• Constructive dialogue with the Sudanese government in Khartoum should take place to prevent the Khartoum regime from taking measures to derail the process.
• Pressure should be placed on the Government of Uganda to abide by the terms of the Cessation of Hostilities Agreement, specifically to ensure that Ugandan soldiers are pulled away from ceasefire zones to expedite the process of LRA gathering in the designated zones.
• Logistical and technical support should be provided to bolster the mediation of the Government of South Sudan and the effectiveness of the Cessation of Hostilities Monitoring Team.
• Financial support should be offered to the UN’s Juba Initiative Fund as funding gaps emerge and especially if there is an extension to talks.
• A massive increase in humanitarian and development assistance for war-affected areas should be announced, especially if the Juba talks succeed. Targeted humanitarian assistance can assist the early stages of resettlement for displaced people, community reconciliation, the protection of land rights, and other needs.
• Policymakers should develop a clear plan of action regarding how to deal with International Criminal Court indictments for rebel leaders, which could include advocating that the UN Security Council suspend the arrest warrants for one year to give negotiations space to proceed and explore alternative justice mechanisms.