Uganda under obligation to arrest Kony, ICC says

THE HAGUE - The International Criminal Court's chief prosecutor reiterated on Thursday that the Ugandan government had a legal obligation to arrest fugitive rebel leader Joseph Kony despite an offer to grant him amnesty.

Ugandan officials and representatives of Kony's Lord's Resistance Army (LRA) are due to begin negotiations next week in southern Sudan and Ugandan President Yoweri Museveni has offered amnesty for Kony if he responds positively to peace talks.

Chief prosecutor Luis Moreno-Ocampo declined to comment on the offer and said: "We have a legal mandate and respect the mandate of the president."

But, he added: "Uganda, DRC (Democratic Republic of Congo) and Sudan have an obligation to execute the arrest warrants." Kony and four of his top commanders are wanted for war crimes by the ICC.

However, the ICC itself has no police to enforce its arrest warrants and instead must rely on Uganda's military and the help of neighbouring states.

Ocampo told journalists in the Hague that the ICC was concerned that the LRA may be reorganising and rearming while negotiations are taking place.

"We believe the best way to stop conflict and restore security to the region is to arrest top leaders," he said.

The LRA is infamous for targeting civilians and mutilating victims, often by slicing off their lips and ears. It has also abducted some 25,000 children as fighters, porters and "wives".

The elusive Kony met southern Sudanese officials in May and June - his first known meeting with mediators in years.

The south Sudanese regional government says it wants to broker an end to his conflict with Museveni, which has forced almost two million people from their homes in northern Uganda, killed tens of thousands and destabilised southern Sudan.

- REUTERS