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Uganda rebels said to abduct some 100 children


    By Frank Nyakairu

    KAMPALA (Reuters) - Uganda's Lord's Resistance Army (LRA)rebels have abducted at least 100 children from neighbouringcountries to use as sex slaves and porters, an internationalhuman rights group said on Monday.

    Peace talks between Uganda and rebels appeared to stalllast month when LRA leader Joseph Kony, wanted for war crimes,failed to appear at a signing ceremony on the Sudan/Congoborder.

    "Kony and the LRA took advantage of the breathing roomgiven to them and appear to be terrorizing civilians yetagain," said Richard Dicker, International Justice Director atHuman Rights Watch (HRW).

    "Concerned governments and U.N. officials cannot sit bywhile the LRA goes on a criminal rampage, committing heinousabuses against children and other people," he said in astatement.

    Rebel officials were not immediately available for comment.

    Kony's 21-year insurgency has claimed tens of thousands oflives and displaced 2 million. Kony and two deputies are wantedfor abducting children, massacres and mutilations.

    The U.S.-based HRW accused rebels of kidnapping children inmineral-rich eastern Democratic Republic of Congo and oilproducing south Sudan as well as Central African Republic.

    "Boys are made to act as porters or subjected to militarytraining and girls are being used as sex slaves," the statementsaid.

    "Alleged LRA crimes and Kony's month-long silence intensifyquestions as to whether the LRA is committed to thenegotiations," it added.

    Uganda also questioned Kony's commitment to the peaceprocess after he failed to meet a delegation of northernUgandan elders and Riek Machar, chief mediator and south Sudanvice president.

    "Kony made everybody wait for him ... that is not a sign ofpeace," Uganda's negotiating team spokesman Captain ChrisMagezi told Reuters.

    "The Uganda Government is waiting for communication fromthe mediator and the way forward will be based on that."

    Kony has been seeking more details on Ugandan governmentplans to use traditional justice to help him avoid arrest bythe International Criminal Court (ICC).

    (Editing by Jack Kimball and Keith Weir)

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