Uganda wants local war crimes court

KAMPALA – The Ugandan government said on Sunday it wants to set up local war crimes courts for Lord’s Resistance Army (LRA) rebels after asking their alleged victims how they want trials of atrocities to be conducted.

“We have discussed this with legal experts… there is a possibility of forming a unique legal system to achieve lasting peace and accountability,” the chief government peace negotiator, Internal Affairs Minister Ruhakana Rugunda, told journalists.The government and rebels have been engaged in lengthy peace talks in neighbouring south Sudan aiming to end a brutal 20-year conflict that has killed tens of thousands and uprooted nearly 2 million in northern Uganda.But the rebels are wanted in the Hague-based International Criminal Court and have vowed never to sign a final peace deal unless Kampala can persuade the tribunal to drop the case – something analysts say is unlikely.Rugunda said the government would visit refugees in northern Uganda who bore the brunt of the conflict to ask them how they thought rebels should be tried in any alternative to the Hague.”We will be asking the affected communities how best we can deal with the issue of accountability …which laws we need to change, processes the LRA must undergo,” Rugunda said.The LRA, notorious for brutal attacks against civilians such as burning them to death and hacking their limbs off, said they may accept local courts but warned the government not to make unilateral decisions.The two sides signed an outline agreement last month meant to deal with war crimes committed during the conflict.Kampala does not accept the idea of putting its own soldiers accused of atrocities through the same courts, arguing its own military courts can punish their wrongdoing.Nampa-Reutersthere is a possibility of forming a unique legal system to achieve lasting peace and accountability,” the chief government peace negotiator, Internal Affairs Minister Ruhakana Rugunda, told journalists.The government and rebels have been engaged in lengthy peace talks in neighbouring south Sudan aiming to end a brutal 20-year conflict that has killed tens of thousands and uprooted nearly 2 million in northern Uganda.But the rebels are wanted in the Hague-based International Criminal Court and have vowed never to sign a final peace deal unless Kampala can persuade the tribunal to drop the case – something analysts say is unlikely.Rugunda said the government would visit refugees in northern Uganda who bore the brunt of the conflict to ask them how they thought rebels should be tried in any alternative to the Hague.”We will be asking the affected communities how best we can deal with the issue of accountability …which laws we need to change, processes the LRA must undergo,” Rugunda said.The LRA, notorious for brutal attacks against civilians such as burning them to death and hacking their limbs off, said they may accept local courts but warned the government not to make unilateral decisions.The two sides signed an outline agreement last month meant to deal with war crimes committed during the conflict.Kampala does not accept the idea of putting its own soldiers accused of atrocities through the same courts, arguing its own military courts can punish their wrongdoing.Nampa-Reuters