Ugandan rebel chief in peace plea

Joseph Kony is wanted in The Hague for war crimes

The rarely-seen head of Uganda's feared rebel Lord's Resistance Army has appeared in a DVD to call for an end to a 20-year war with the government.

It is said to be the first footage for a number of years of Joseph Kony, who is wanted for war crimes by the International Criminal Court.

He appears with the vice-president of southern Sudan's autonomous government, which has offered to mediate.

Mr Kony faces charges of incitement to rape, murder, looting and abduction.

The LRA is also accused of kidnapping thousands of children and forcing them to fight in the conflict.

End to attacks

In the recording, Mr Kony is seen taking $20,000 in cash from Riek Machar, the vice-president of the Southern People's Liberation Movement/Army.

Profile: Joseph Kony

Mr Machar says the money is to halt rebel attacks in southern Sudan and is not to be used for weapons.

Mr Kony accepts Mr Machar's offer of mediation and says he has "no problem" with Ugandan President Yoweri Museveni.

"It is really possible we can end this war," Mr Kony says.

But he says he is unconvinced by Mr Museveni's desire for peace.

"If we talk to Museveni, it will take three days before he comes and attacks us," he says.

Mr Kony adds: "Most people do not know me... I am not a terrorist... I am a human being, I want peace also."

The former altar boy and self-proclaimed mystic, who has said he wants to run Uganda along the lines of the biblical Ten Commandments, agrees to end attacks in southern Sudan.

"There will be no exchange of fire between our people and your people... we are all brothers, we are all Christians, we are all blacks, we are all Africans."

Mr Kony and four other LRA commanders are wanted by The Hague criminal court.

Mr Museveni said this week he would guarantee Mr Kony's safety if peace talks were agreed by the end of July.

Tens of thousands of people have died and two million have been displaced in the LRA conflict.

The LRA is accused of brutal attacks, often mutilating its victims.