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Truce Between Uganda and LRA

The truce between Uganda`s government and the Lord`s Resistance Army rebels, signed on Saturday, has come into force. It gives rebels three weeks to gather at points in southern Sudan where the regional government will protect them. Then will start comprehensive peace talks. Uganda has promised that it will not try to attack the rebels. Thousands have died and more than one million have fled their homes during the 20-year conflict in northern Uganda. The truce took effect at 06:00 local time on Tuesday.

Ugandan army spokesman Maj Felix Kulayigye said 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". Humanitarian organizations are ready to support 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 agreement 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 said. 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.