AFRICA: SUDAN: BISHOP CALLS FOR POLITICAL SOLUTION

Agenzia Fides REPORT – "After 25 years of war, we need to find a political solution," Fides was told by Bishop Edward Hiiboro Kussala of Tombura-Yambo, in southern Sudan, where last week there was a meeting of the Regional Conference of Religious Leaders on the impact of the Lord's Resistance Army (LRA).
Bishop Kussala reports that "the meeting was attended by delegations from the four countries - Uganda, Sudan, Democratic Republic of Congo, and Central Africa – who are affected by the actions of the LRA, a total of 60 representatives. In addition to representatives of the Catholic Church, there were those of other Christian denominations and Muslims." After the meetings, a document was issued asking the governments of the four countries affected by the LRA's activity to find a political solution to the crisis.
In June 2008, after the failure of peace talks between the Ugandan government and the LRA held in Juba, the capital of Southern Sudan, the region's governments took the road of military action (see Fides 4/6/2008) to put an end to incursions by guerrillas who have now moved from northern Uganda (the birthplace of the movement) to the northeast of the DRC, southern Sudan, and eastern Central Africa. Despite the deployment of military contingents in Congo, Uganda, and Central Africa, the LRA rebels continue to attack civilians in affected areas. In the Diocese of Tombura-Yambo alone, 7 parishes have been hard hit.
"I reiterated the need to find a political solution to the LRA problem in my meeting with the Ugandan Defense Minister, whom I met with yesterday," Bishop Kussala told Fides. He also mentioned that "the LRA leader, Kony, has sent me a letter which was delivered to various other regional and international figures (including the UN Secretary General), saying that he is willing to enter into peace talks once more."
“Let's not close the door on negotiations,” concluded the Bishop of Tombura-Yambo. http://www.fides.org/aree/news/newsdet.php?idnews=27405&lan=eng

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