UN mediators fooled again by LRA leader Joseph Kony
From the Institute of War and Peace Reporting
After announcing that he would sign a peace deal with the Ugandan government on Saturday, November 29, Ugandan rebel leader Joseph Kony again drew a crowd to the jungle camp of Nabanga on the border between South Sudan and the Democratic Republic of Congo, DRC.
As Kony has done in the past, he balked, leaving a host of his Acholi tribal and cultural leaders waiting and wanting, along with the United Nations special envoy Joachim Chissano, the talk’s chief mediatory, South Sudan vice- president Riek Machar and a flock of international observers.
While the signing of the agreement would certainly have been a milestone in the history of Uganda, it remains a meaningless document despite the vast amount of time and money spent by international community on the talks, including the provision of food and other supplies to the rebels, over the past couple of years…
Kony has been able to manipulate the international community with his repeated peace overtures. He has devised the perfect ploy: talk peace, and do the opposite.
What’s clear is that Kony will be around for a long time, doing what he wants, when he wants, in part due to the painful indulgence of the international community.
Sadly, the innocent and the defenceless suffer. Maybe now, finally, the international community will wake up.
Richard Wilson's blog 
In the History of the Great Lakes of Africa, it seems to me that it has become the norm to use brutality,violence to be then considered for the demands you are putting forward.
I don’t know how long it will take for the UN to break the cycle of violence.Imagine if Alquaida was to be considered for Peace talks, how would the Western societies.
Desire Katihabwa
December 2, 2008 at 1:48 pm
In the History of the Great Lakes of Africa, it seems to me that it has become the norm to use brutality,violence to be then considered for the demands you are putting forward.
I don’t know how long it will take for the UN to break the cycle of violence.Imagine if Alquaida was to be considered for Peace talks, how would the Western societies feel about that?
Whether it be Ugandan LRA Rebels,different Rebels operating in DRC,Rebels of Burundi,it is imperative that they be dealt with accordingly. I am afraid that if the international Community continues to support Peace talks with People who have practiced violence against unarmed civilians, this will only encourage more People to rise and use the very same violence.
Desire Katihabwa
December 2, 2008 at 1:51 pm