Ugandans cautious over truce

Museveni says he is prepared to be flexible

Residents in northern Uganda have broadly welcomed a unilateral ceasefire offer from the rebel Lord's Resistance Army.

But the government has accused the rebels of immediately violating the offer by killing two people in a roadside attack.

LRA spokesman Colonel Sam Kollo told the BBC at the weekend that a ceasefire would be maintained until further notice, as long as the group is not attacked by government troops, or provoked in any way.

Unholy war

The LRA says it wants to rule Uganda under the Biblical 10 Commandments

Leader Joseph Kony keeps numerous "wives", many of them abducted girls kept as sex slaves

The group is notorious for abducting children to swell its own ranks, said to be about 4,000-strong

The LRA has been fighting against the government since 1987, operating mainly in northern Uganda, where an estimated half-a-million people have been displaced by the fighting.

Two days ago, President Museveni offered to halt operations against the rebels for one week if they stop abducting children and attacking government troops.

But Defence Ministry officials said that a vehicle had been attacked and burnt outside Gulu on Sunday afternoon, killing two people.

If only

Residents of northern Uganda, however, have cautiously welcomed the ceasefire offer.

Vincent Onekatit, a building materials dealer said to Reuters news agency: "We have suffered enough... We hope the two parties make good on their statements."

Florence Ochola, a social worker with the Save the Children Fund said: "It is good news only if the rebels live to respect what they said."

Anglican Bishop Onono Onweng also welcomed the announcement.

"This is very encouraging if they stand by what has been announced," he said.

The president first made the offer of a truce when he wrote to LRA leader Joseph Kony in July.

As a condition for peace talks to begin, the rebels would have to assemble in specific areas in both southern Sudan and northern Uganda where they could be monitored by the security forces.

"We shall not allow them to stay in inaccessible areas... because doing that would mean that they intend to continue with the war," said Mr Museveni.

The one-week ceasefire is aimed at allowing them to assemble.