By Skye Wheeler
JUBA, Sudan (Reuters) - Ugandan President Yoweri Museveniaccused fugitive rebel leader Joseph Kony on Monday of notbeing serious about peace talks and hinted his forces couldresume operations against the guerrillas.
Prospects of an end to one of Africa's longest wars weredashed last week after Kony, commander of the Lord's ResistanceArmy, failed to attend a signing ceremony on the Sudan-Congoborder, stalling nearly two years of tortuous negotiations.
"You have been able to persist until it is clear that it'sKony who is not serious," Museveni told south Sudanesemediators during a visit to the southern capital Juba.
He accused LRA fighters of continuing to kidnap villagersfrom southern Sudan, Congo and Central African Republic andthen forcing them into the rebel ranks.
"But the people of south Sudan should know we stand withthem and we have the means to work together with them to solvesome of these problems," Museveni told reporters.
Uganda's military fought the LRA across southern Sudan, butthese clashes largely stopped in mid-2006 after peace talksbegan in Juba.
The U.N. envoy to the conflict told Reuters earlier on theCongo border that the negotiations with Kony were not dead,despite rebel infighting that apparently killed a fugitivecommander and delayed the final signing.
Joaquim Chissano, a former Mozambican president, blamed abreakdown in communication with the elusive guerrilla boss.
"The peace process is not dead. There is a lack ofeffective communication, and that's what the LRA leader wants,"he said.
"There are people who are assisting in establishing thateffective communication, and once that clarification is madethe peace process will be back on the road."
Chissano was expected to meet Museveni later in Juba.
ICC TARGET DEAD?
The 22-year civil war has killed tens of thousands ofpeople and uprooted 2 million more in northern Uganda alone. Ithas also destabilised neighbouring parts of Sudan'soil-producing south and eastern Congo, which has large mineralwealth.
Kony, who is wanted for war crimes by the InternationalCriminal Court in The Hague, had been expected to sign a finalagreement in Ri-Kwangba on Thursday. But he failed to show up.
An LRA spokesman has said the rebel leader remains ready tosign, but wants guarantees of his safety and financialsecurity.
Then on Sunday, rebel sources said disputes within the LRAover the proposed deal triggered gun battles last week thatkilled at least nine people -- including Okot Odhiambo, a topcommander who is also wanted by international prosecutors.
Kony, Odhiambo and a third senior rebel, Dominic Ongwen,were accused by the ICC in 2005 of offences including rape,murder and the abduction of thousands of children who wereforced to serve the group as fighters, porters and sex slaves.
If confirmed, Odhiambo would become the third of five LRAsuspects named by the ICC who have since died.
Kony executed his deputy Vincent Otti last October afteraccusing him of being a government spy, while fifth indicteeRaska Lukwiya was killed by the Ugandan military in August2006.
Even if Kony does sign a peace agreement, the LRA says itwill not disarm until the ICC indictments are scrapped. TheUgandan government has said it will only call for the warrantsto be lifted after a final deal has been reached.
The world court says its warrants remain active, and thatUganda has a legal obligation to arrest the targets.
(Additional reporting by Francis Kwera in Ri-Kwangba;Writing by Daniel Wallis; Editing by Richard Balmforth)
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