The Ugandan government called on rebels to disarm and demobilize to end a two-decade-long insurgency that has destabilized Africa's Great Lakes region.
On Sunday's first day of substantive peace talks between the foes in Juba, the south Sudanese capital, the government delegation headed by Interior Affairs Minister Ruhakana Rugunda said the Lord's Resistance Army (LRA) should "renounce and abandon all forms of terrorism ... cease all forms of hostilities ... dissolve itself and hand over all arms and ammunitions in its possession together with their inventory."
In the position statement, the government assured rebels of full amnesty if the peace process succeeded.
South Sudanese Vice President Riek Machar is mediating the negotiations behind closed doors.
While the government has been accused of abuses, the LRA is accused of waging a campaign of murder, rape and abductions. Led by the elusive Joseph Kony, the rebels' political agenda has been unclear. They replenish their ranks by abducting children and forcing them to become fighters, porters or concubines. Kony has been indicted for war crimes by the International Criminal Court's prosecutor.
The position of the LRA delegation was not made known on Sunday, but remarks made by their delegation spokesman Obonyo Olweny during the ceremonial opening of the negotiations indicated a desire to address political grievances fuelling the conflict.
Olweny said the LRA was fighting for "marginalized populations" in the north and east of Uganda.
The delegation was unavailable for comment at the end of the day's meetings.
Machar told journalists that both sides had presented their positions and that mediators were to examine them and set the agenda for the continuation of talks yesterday.
The spokesman of the government delegation, earlier said that the government was concerned that rebel negotiators -- who include people from abroad representing the rebels' political wing -- may not reflect the hardened insurgents who have set up rear bases in the Garamba National Park, in lawless eastern Congo.
The talks failed to begin on Saturday. The government rejected the rebels' statement Friday, which demanded Ugandan authorities accept responsibility for their role in the conflict
Rugunda warned the rebels not to use the peace talks to cleanse themselves of their crimes.
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