Concern About London LRA Team
As the leader of the Uganda Government negotiation team leaves Juba for an alleged 'private engagement' in Kampala, his deputy Mr Henry Okello Oryem is left in charge but he has complained about the 'childish behaviour' of the London members of the LRA team. On the face of it this may seem like a negative reaction by Mr Okello Oryem towards people like Dr Walter Oweka with whom he was together in the youth wing of the Uganda People's Democratic Movement based in London under the late Otema Allimadi in the late 1980s. Mr Oryem left London to join Museveni, disappointing most in his London Acholi community. However, Mr Okello Oryem may have a valid point because from the information reaching us the concern extends beyond people in the LRA team that he did not have contact with whilst he was in London. There appears to be some fundamental weakness in the contribution of the London based LRA team members who were expected to have injected more mature, constructive and better articulated arguments at the talks. Reports reaching us indicate that instead emotions appear to be guiding their contributions. These concerns come from relaible sources from within the mediator's team who are now lamenting the imbalance in quality between the two parties. We have argued here all along that the teams, particularly that of the LRA need a more robust back up from independent lawyers and experts in international law and conflict resolution. The Community of St Edgidio who are the main players in these negotiations could fund such a team. Failing this, the Juba talks run the danger of sinking to a low level. We all pray it doesn't.