Britain arrests top LRA negotiator

Kampala

A former top envoy of the Lord’s Resistance Army (LRA) rebels at the failed Juba peace talks has been arrested at Heathrow International Airport in London.

Mr Willy Oryem alias Achila, the last administrator of the LRA peace team, confirmed to this newspaper in a brief telephone interview, last evening, that he was still in detention. He gave no reason or details of his arrest, saying; “The Immigrations authority here has to give me permission before I can speak to the press.”

It emerged last night that UK authorities were investigating Mr Oryem, who has largely lived in Nairobi, in relation to his alleged dealings with the Joseph Kony-led rebel group.

The Permanent Secretary in the Ministry of Foreign Affairs, Amb. James Mugume, said last night that he learnt of Mr Oryem’s arrest early this week but has no updated information, having been on official duty upcountry.
“The British [government] will have to tell us the reason (for his arrest).”

By last evening, British High Commission officials in Kampala said they were unaware about the development. The Home Office in London said in reply to our enquiries that: “We do not normally make specific comments on individual cases.”

It is, however, understood the UK authorities want to determine if Mr Oryem, who has previously worked with indicted LRA leadership, should be allowed to pass through the country. Ms Peggy, whom Mr Oryem identified to us as his solicitor in the UK, had not returned our telephone calls or responded to voice messages left on her handset.

Five wanted
The International Criminal Court in 2005 issued arrest warrants for Joseph Kony and four of his top commanders, accusing them of committing genocide, war crimes and crimes against humanity during their brutal two-decade military campaign in northern Uganda. Three of the indictees are reported to have died.

Yesterday, Ambassdor Mugume said Mr Oryem is not among LRA suspects Uganda is pursuing. The Washington-based Enough Project, which works worldwide to forestall genocide, announced last month that the LRA is on rampage and killing or kidnapping civilians in DRC, South Sudan and the Central Africa Republic unchecked.