page_title: 2006–2008 Juba talks
section_title: Ceasefire
hierarchical_section_title: 2006–2008 Juba talks / Ceasefire
caption_attribution_description: Original caption states "The tightly packed Kitgum camp for IDP-internally displaced persons viewed from above." Kitgum District is in the Northern Region of Uganda.
context_page_description: The Juba talks were a series of negotiations between the government of Uganda and the Lord's Resistance Army rebel group over the terms of a ceasefire and possible peace agreement. The talks, held in Juba, the capital of autonomous Southern Sudan, began in July 2006 and were mediated by Riek Machar, the Vice President of Southern Sudan. The talks, which had resulted in a ceasefire by September 2006, were described as the best chance ever for a negotiated settlement to the 20-year-old war. However, LRA leader Joseph Kony refused to sign the peace agreement in April 2008. Two months later, the LRA carried out an attack on a Southern Sudanese town, prompting the Government of Southern Sudan to officially withdraw from their mediation role.
context_section_description: On 4 August 2006, Vincent Otti declared a unilateral ceasefire and asked the Ugandan government to reciprocate. Ugandan Internal Affairs Minister Ruhakana Rugunda stated that they were waiting to see the effect on the ground.  ICC indictee Raska Lukwiya was killed in battle on 12 August 2006; the LRA asked for three days of mourning though a spokesman said that talks would continue.  Ugandan President Museveni set a 12 September 2006 deadline to finalize a peace deal.  The government and LRA signed a truce on 26 August 2006.  Under the terms of the agreement, LRA forces were required to leave Uganda and gather in two assembly areas, where the Ugandan government promised they would not attack and the government of Southern Sudan guaranteed their safety. Once this is accomplished, talks on a comprehensive peace agreement would begin.  Although a final agreement was not reached by the 12 August deadline, LRA rebels began gathering in the assembly areas and the government delegation stated that they would not hold to the deadline.  Machar stated that several hundred rebels, including Otti, had gathered either at Ri-Kwangba in West Equatoria or Owiny Ki-Bul in East Equatoria.
  The government also began a process of creating "satellite camps" to decongest the main IDP camps.  In Pader, 28 satellite sites were occupied out of 48 identified as of late September 2006, while the numbers in Kitgum were 21 of 36.  IDPs farther south in Teso and Lango were being encouraged to return home directly.  However, talks continued to be delayed.  On 23 September, the LRA delegation threatened to walk out of the negotiations, claiming that the UPDF had attacked their forces at Owiny Ki-Bul and demanding that composition of the government delegation be changed and that the ICC warrants be voided before any agreement.  Uganda denied the accusation of attacks.  Both delegations met with mediator Riek Machar on 25 September 2006, but not with each other.
caption: Huts in the Kitgum IDP camp are tightly packed together
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