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| Ugandans reach war crimes accord | |
| (about 2 hours later) | |
| Ugandan rebels have agreed to let local courts deal with alleged war crimes - one of the obstacles to a final peace deal, a government spokesman says. | Ugandan rebels have agreed to let local courts deal with alleged war crimes - one of the obstacles to a final peace deal, a government spokesman says. |
| Captain Chris Magezi says a final deal would now be signed "soon". | Captain Chris Magezi says a final deal would now be signed "soon". |
| The Lord's Resistance Army rebels have refused to disarm, while three of their leaders are wanted by the International Criminal Court. | The Lord's Resistance Army rebels have refused to disarm, while three of their leaders are wanted by the International Criminal Court. |
| The government has given the LRA until 28 February to end the war which has uprooted some two million people. | The government has given the LRA until 28 February to end the war which has uprooted some two million people. |
| Capt Magezi said a special division of the Ugandan High Court would be set up to deal with serious rebel crimes, while traditional justice would be used for lesser offences. | Capt Magezi said a special division of the Ugandan High Court would be set up to deal with serious rebel crimes, while traditional justice would be used for lesser offences. |
| "This is an indication that soon we will be signing the final peace agreement," he said. | "This is an indication that soon we will be signing the final peace agreement," he said. |
| LRA deputy negotiator James Obita confirmed the deal. | |
| "In negotiations you never get it all but the LRA is happy with the agreement and is committed to the contents," he told Reuters news agency. | |
| The talks in the South Sudan capital, Juba, resumed on Monday. | The talks in the South Sudan capital, Juba, resumed on Monday. |
| South Sudanese officials have complained of LRA attacks killing dozens of people in recent weeks. | South Sudanese officials have complained of LRA attacks killing dozens of people in recent weeks. |
| Hiding | Hiding |
| Last week, a Sudanese deputy provincial governor told the BBC that hundreds of rebel fighters had left assembly points and were heading towards the Central African Republic. | Last week, a Sudanese deputy provincial governor told the BBC that hundreds of rebel fighters had left assembly points and were heading towards the Central African Republic. |
| The Ugandan government has expressed concerns that the death of senior rebel Vincent Otti would hamper peace talks. | The Ugandan government has expressed concerns that the death of senior rebel Vincent Otti would hamper peace talks. |
| Otti, second in command of the Lord's Resistance Army rebels, was reportedly killed by LRA commanders last year. But his death was only officially confirmed last month. | Otti, second in command of the Lord's Resistance Army rebels, was reportedly killed by LRA commanders last year. But his death was only officially confirmed last month. |
| Otti was one of four LRA commanders wanted by the International Criminal Court (ICC) for war crimes committed during their insurgency. | Otti was one of four LRA commanders wanted by the International Criminal Court (ICC) for war crimes committed during their insurgency. |
| LRA leader Joseph Kony, who has also been indicted, is in hiding in the remote north-east of the Democratic Republic of Congo but the Congolese government has ordered his troops to leave their base in the Garamba National Park. | LRA leader Joseph Kony, who has also been indicted, is in hiding in the remote north-east of the Democratic Republic of Congo but the Congolese government has ordered his troops to leave their base in the Garamba National Park. |
| Around 20 years of fighting with the LRA has killed tens of thousands of people and uprooted some two million people. | Around 20 years of fighting with the LRA has killed tens of thousands of people and uprooted some two million people. |
| The LRA are notorious for mutilating victims and kidnapping children to be fighters, porters and sex slaves. | The LRA are notorious for mutilating victims and kidnapping children to be fighters, porters and sex slaves. |