Uganda rebels 'welcome in Sudan'

BBC News Jan 17 2007 - excerpt:

South Sudan's Vice-President Riek Machar has told the BBC Ugandan rebels have not been asked to leave his country, the venue for peace talks.

The Lord's Resistance Army (LRA) want him to be sacked as chief mediator after comments by Sudan's president saying they were no longer welcome.

LRA leader Joseph Kony and three of his top commanders are wanted on war crimes charges by the International Criminal Court and have indicated that no deal can be signed while warrants for their arrest remain in place.

Uganda tightens security at Sudan border

Jan 6 2007 New Vision/ST article:

Jan 5, 2006 (KAMPALA) - Uganda said it has deployed more troops and beefed up security measures at the border of Uganda with Sudan, the Ugandan New Vision reported.

The northern-based army spokesman, Lt. Chris Magezi told journalists on Wednesday: "We are very vigilant along the Uganda-Sudan border."

He said the Lord's Resistance Army rebels raided Luru village in south Sudan and looted several property including goats and other food stuffs.

Magezi added that the rebels also grabbed a gun and pistol from a Sudan People's Liberation Army soldier.

"The rebels have refused to assemble at Owiny-Kibul as agreed by the two negotiating teams. Instead, they are roaming around committing atrocities," the army publicist said.

Magezi added that the army had deployed enough troops along the border to ensure that the rebels do not cross to Uganda before the talks are concluded peacefully.

He stated that the recent request by rebel commander Joseph Kony to shift the peace talks venue to Uganda was a way of coming back to Uganda to begin committing atrocities.

He revealed that the ambushes took place not far away from Owiny-Kibul where the rebels are assembling.