Ugandan Govt., UNRFII Rebels Sign Peace Agreement

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Last updated at: (Beijing Time) Thursday, December 26, 2002

Ugandan Govt., UNRFII Rebels Sign Peace Agreement

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The Ugandan government and the rebel Uganda National Rescue Front II (UNRFII) have signed a peace agreement, formally ending to insurgency in the northwestern part of the country, an official statement said in Kampala on Wednesday.

The agreement was signed on Tuesday by First Deputy Prime Minister and Minister of Internal Affairs Eriya Kategaya and UNRFII Chairman Ali Bamuze in the northwestern town of Yumbe in Uganda.

Speaking at the signing ceremony, President Yoweri Museveni expressed his gratitude to the leadership of UNRFII for choosing the constitutional path to bring peace and security that will thenenhance development in the northwestern part of the country.

"Without embracing peace no development can take place since the people desert their land and settle in other areas," Museveni pointed out, saying that "the government will respect the peace agreement and some of the former rebels will be integrated into the Uganda People's Defense Forces."

The president promised that the insecurity in the northern region, where his government is also battling the Lord's Resistance Army (LRA) rebels, will also soon come to an end.

The Ugandan government provided for the integration up to 700 out of the about 2,000 UNRFII fighters in the army, while the restwill be resettled, according to Kategaya.

The agreement was reached by the two sides last Saturday after a week negotiations between the government and the rebel group in Yumbe.

Over 2,000 UNRFII combatants based at Bidibidi on the outskirtsof Yumbe town have surrendered to the Ugandan government.

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