Lord's Resistance Army

[Veiled Princess 1]

Uganda begins ceasefire with LRA A ceasefire between Uganda's government and the Lord's Resistance Army rebels has come into force.

The truce, signed on Saturday, gives rebels three weeks to assemble at points in southern Sudan where the regional government will protect them.

Comprehensive peace talks are then meant to start. Uganda has pledged that it will not try to attack the rebels.

Thousands have died during the 20-year conflict in northern Uganda, and more than one million have fled their homes.

The ceasefire took effect at 0600 local time (0300 GMT) on Tuesday.

Ugandan army spokesman Maj Felix Kulayigye told the BBC that so far the truce was holding.

The UN's most senior humanitarian official, Jan Egeland, welcomed the ceasefire, describing the situation in northern Uganda as "the world's worst neglected emergency".

"Now, with the assistance of the Government of South Sudan, we have a real chance to make progress," said Mr Egeland, the UN under secretary general for humanitarian affairs.

Humanitarian organisations say they are ready to assist the women and children who were captured by the LRA and forced into marriage or used as slaves or soldiers, and who are to be released in compliance with the ceasefire deal.

"We are standing by to help ensure the safe and smooth release and return of women and children who have been separated from their communities for so long," Chulho Hyun, Uganda spokesman for the UN children's agency Unicef told Reuters news agency.

Trust

Those LRA soldiers who are currently in Uganda are to proceed to Sudan. Ugandan Army spokesman Major Felix Kulayigye said there was only a "small group" of LRA fighters on Ugandan soil.

"We have estimates, not exact numbers, but in northern Uganda we have not more than 100," he told the BBC's Focus on Africa programme.

"We trust the LRA will meet their side of the bargain and assemble everybody," Maj Kulayigye said.

"Their safe passage will be honoured by the UPDF (Ugandan People's Defence Force)," he said.

LRA soldiers stationed in DR Congo have already begun leaving their bases, from where they are meant to go to the assembly points in Sudan.

Meanwhile, rebel leader Joseph Kony and his senior commanders are gathering on Congolese territory near the border of the Central African Republic.

Diplomats say the plan is to fly them to the assembly points in Sudan.

Hopes

Jessica Nkuhe, a member of a women's organisation in northern Uganda, said it was too early to celebrate.

"We are hoping it will hold. Many times we have had false starts - we hope both sides have the seriousness it takes to hold the truce and then negotiate in earnest," she told the BBC's Network Africa programme.

LRA spokesman Obonyo Olweny insisted "the validity of the agreement depends on the Ugandan government adhering," but said he was optimistic the agreement would hold even if not all troops were quartered by the 12 September deadline.

"If there is not enough time it will be reviewed and an extension will be made to cover the movement of troops," he told the BBC.

The International Criminal Court (ICC) wants the LRA's top officials - among them Joseph Kony - to face charges including murder, rape and forcibly enlisting children. The LRA has abducted thousands of children and forced them to fight since the conflict began. Against the wishes of the ICC, Uganda offered amnesty to LRA leaders in exchange for the peace talks.

http://news.bbc.co.uk/2/hi/africa/5293630.stm

Not familiar with LRA? http://www.globalsecurity.org/military/world/para/lra.htm

Mostly known for kidnapping young children to use as rebel fighters or sex slaves and terrorizing fellow Africans in the name of Christianity.

Well, thank God, it looks like they'll give back the children they stole and agree to this cease fire in exchange for not being prosecuted for these heinous crimes.

[vartan 0]

why must we say they are christians? hahaha sorry I couldn't help it.. but seriously I have read all this information and see nothing about christianity involved.. please point it out.. as I must be missing it.

[Ban Hammer 13,334]

why must we say they are christians? hahaha sorry I couldn't help it.. but seriously I have read all this information and see nothing about christianity involved.. please point it out.. as I must be missing it.

yeah how do we know they are really christians? each and every one of them? and why does it have to be about religion too?

[Fuzzness 2]

can't wait to see the outcome of this one!

[dalegg 143]

It was probably Israelis pretending to be Christians trying to scare any more Africans away from Christianity.

[ual777 0]

Muslim terrorists?

1. Abu Nidal Organization (ANO)

2. Abu Sayyaf Group

3. Al-Aqsa Martyrs Brigade

4. Ansar al-Islam

5. Armed Islamic Group (GIA)

6. Asbat al-Ansar

7. Aum Shinrikyo

8. Basque Fatherland and Liberty (ETA)

11. Gama’a al-Islamiyya (Islamic Group)

12. HAMAS (Islamic Resistance Movement)

13. Harakat ul-Mujahidin (HUM)

14. Hizballah (Party of God)

15. Islamic Jihad Group

16. Islamic Movement of Uzbekistan (IMU)

17. Jaish-e-Mohammed (JEM) (Army of Mohammed)

18. Jemaah Islamiya organization (JI)

19. al-Jihad (Egyptian Islamic Jihad)

22. Lashkar-e Tayyiba (LT) (Army of the Righteous)

23. Lashkar i Jhangvi

25. Libyan Islamic Fighting Group (LIFG)

26. Moroccan Islamic Combatant Group (GICM)

27. Mujahedin-e Khalq Organization (MEK)

29. Palestine Liberation Front (PLF)

30. Palestinian Islamic Jihad (PIJ)

31. Popular Front for the Liberation of Palestine (PFLF)

33. al-Qa’ida

41. Tanzim Qa'idat al-Jihad fi Bilad al-Rafidayn (QJBR) (al-Qaida in Iraq) (formerly Jama'at al-Tawhid wa'al-Jihad, JTJ, al-Zarqawi Network)

[Ban Hammer 13,334]

Muslim terrorists?

1. Abu Nidal Organization (ANO)

2. Abu Sayyaf Group

3. Al-Aqsa Martyrs Brigade

4. Ansar al-Islam

5. Armed Islamic Group (GIA)

6. Asbat al-Ansar

7. Aum Shinrikyo

8. Basque Fatherland and Liberty (ETA)

11. Gama’a al-Islamiyya (Islamic Group)

12. HAMAS (Islamic Resistance Movement)

13. Harakat ul-Mujahidin (HUM)

14. Hizballah (Party of God)

15. Islamic Jihad Group

16. Islamic Movement of Uzbekistan (IMU)

17. Jaish-e-Mohammed (JEM) (Army of Mohammed)

18. Jemaah Islamiya organization (JI)

19. al-Jihad (Egyptian Islamic Jihad)

22. Lashkar-e Tayyiba (LT) (Army of the Righteous)

23. Lashkar i Jhangvi

25. Libyan Islamic Fighting Group (LIFG)

26. Moroccan Islamic Combatant Group (GICM)

27. Mujahedin-e Khalq Organization (MEK)

29. Palestine Liberation Front (PLF)

30. Palestinian Islamic Jihad (PIJ)

31. Popular Front for the Liberation of Palestine (PFLF)

33. al-Qa’ida

41. Tanzim Qa'idat al-Jihad fi Bilad al-Rafidayn (QJBR) (al-Qaida in Iraq) (formerly Jama'at al-Tawhid wa'al-Jihad, JTJ, al-Zarqawi Network)

hey you left me off!

[Trumplestiltskin 5,791]

The Lord's Resistance Army (LRA)[1], formed in 1987, is a rebel paramilitary group operating mainly in northern Uganda. The group is engaged in an armed rebellion against the Ugandan government in what is now one of Africa's longest-running conflicts. It is led by Joseph Kony, who proclaims himself a spirit medium, and apparently wishes to establish a state based on his unique interpretation of Biblical millenarianism. The LRA have been accused of widespread human rights violations, including mutilation, torture, rape, the abduction of civilians, the use of child soldiers and a number of massacres.

More crazies.

[ual777 0]

Muslim terrorists?

1. Abu Nidal Organization (ANO)

2. Abu Sayyaf Group

3. Al-Aqsa Martyrs Brigade

4. Ansar al-Islam

5. Armed Islamic Group (GIA)

6. Asbat al-Ansar

7. Aum Shinrikyo

8. Basque Fatherland and Liberty (ETA)

11. Gama’a al-Islamiyya (Islamic Group)

12. HAMAS (Islamic Resistance Movement)

13. Harakat ul-Mujahidin (HUM)

14. Hizballah (Party of God)

15. Islamic Jihad Group

16. Islamic Movement of Uzbekistan (IMU)

17. Jaish-e-Mohammed (JEM) (Army of Mohammed)

18. Jemaah Islamiya organization (JI)

19. al-Jihad (Egyptian Islamic Jihad)

22. Lashkar-e Tayyiba (LT) (Army of the Righteous)

23. Lashkar i Jhangvi

25. Libyan Islamic Fighting Group (LIFG)

26. Moroccan Islamic Combatant Group (GICM)

27. Mujahedin-e Khalq Organization (MEK)

29. Palestine Liberation Front (PLF)

30. Palestinian Islamic Jihad (PIJ)

31. Popular Front for the Liberation of Palestine (PFLF)

33. al-Qa’ida

41. Tanzim Qa'idat al-Jihad fi Bilad al-Rafidayn (QJBR) (al-Qaida in Iraq) (formerly Jama'at al-Tawhid wa'al-Jihad, JTJ, al-Zarqawi Network)

hey you left me off!

ROFL

[Saddle Bronc 124]

why must we say they are christians? hahaha sorry I couldn't help it.. but seriously I have read all this information and see nothing about christianity involved.. please point it out.. as I must be missing it.

yeah how do we know they are really christians? each and every one of them? and why does it have to be about religion too?

Actually, from their actions, the majority of LRA are very obviously NOT born-again Christians.

A factoid to ponder: almost cent-percent of the "Christians" leading the Crusades were of Viking descent--and generally had not given up many Viking traditions.

It is known that LRA leader Joseph Kony is an Acholi who combines Christian and animist practices and considers himself as a channel. He may have had an experience with A spirit, but for reference 1 John 4:1; I cannot say that Kony actually TESTED the spirit.

Also, Kony's claim to be a "spirit medium" gives evidence of the opposite--as there are also explicit prohibitions of mediums, consulters, astrologers, soothsayers and other occultic consulters.

[Henia 11]

ufff

[iceyspots 0]

ufff

double UFF UFF!

[Trumplestiltskin 5,791]

why must we say they are christians? hahaha sorry I couldn't help it.. but seriously I have read all this information and see nothing about christianity involved.. please point it out.. as I must be missing it.

yeah how do we know they are really christians? each and every one of them? and why does it have to be about religion too?

Would you ask the same question about muslim groups?

[Ban Hammer 13,334]

why must we say they are christians? hahaha sorry I couldn't help it.. but seriously I have read all this information and see nothing about christianity involved.. please point it out.. as I must be missing it.

yeah how do we know they are really christians? each and every one of them? and why does it have to be about religion too?

Would you ask the same question about muslim groups?

you missed the point erekose, the above is a similar version to what we get asked

[Elizabethnhenry 0]

It was probably Israelis pretending to be Christians trying to scare any more Africans away from Christianity.

Someone is gonna point out, though, that "Israelis" can be Jew, Christian, Muslim, Agnostic or whatever. Made me laugh though.