Uganda 'must arrest LRA leaders'
2008-05-24 10:29
Kampala - The leaders of the rebel Lord's Resistance Army (LRA) must be arrested to face war crimes charges, a senior official with the International Criminal Court told Ugandan officials on Friday.
Silvana Arbia, registrar of the ICC, met officials from Uganda's foreign affairs, justice and internal affairs ministries in the Ugandan capital Kampala, the ICC said in a statement.
"She urged the government of Uganda to intensify its efforts in order to ensure its obligations under the Rome Statute and, in particular, to enforce the outstanding arrest warrants against Joseph Kony, Vincent Otti, Okot Odhiambo, and Dominic Ongwen, issued by the Court in 2005."
In July 2005, The Hague-based court issued the arrests warrants accusing the commanders of responsibility for the rape and mutilation of civilians, forcibly recruiting child soldiers and the massacre of thousands of people.
Kony had vowed never to sign a final peace accord with the Ugandan government unless the ICC withdrew the warrants - but he had said he would be ready to face a traditional Ugandan tribunal.
The ICC said the warrants were there to stay and urged regional governments to ensure Kony was brought to face trial at The Hague.
The LRA rebellion had left tens of thousands dead and displaced two million people, mainly in northern Uganda since 1988.