Seven day truce declared in Uganda
Monday, 15 November 2004
Seven day truce declared in Uganda
Ugandan President Yoweri Museveni has declared a seven day truce with the rebels of the Lord's Resistance Army.
A presidential spokesman said on Sunday, that the move is designed to allow the insurgents to confirm that they are ready for peace talks.
Earlier this month a rebel commander called for peace talks, hoping to end the country's 18-year civil war. The week long unilateral truce will begin on Monday, and cover a limited area in the north of the country.
The conflict, in Uganda, has seen more than 20,000 children abducted by the rebels. About 1.5 million people have been displaced. The United Nations have described the situation in northern Uganda as the most neglected humanitarian crisis in the world.
The BBC correspondent, Will Ross, in Kampala, Uganda, says that Mr Museveni's response to the rebels' overture will give the peace process a chance.
The Lord's Resistance Army has been severely weakened in recent months.
The army has said that only 200 rebel fighters remain, which is down from an estimated 2,000 to 3,000 in 2002 - though this claim is impossible to verify.
President Museveni is pictured above
