KAMPALA, Uganda – Agreement was reached today between the Loards Resistance Army (LRA) and the Ugandan Government. The surprise agreement comes one day after talks broke down and only three days after an agreement between the two groups regarding trials for alleged war criminals was reached. Today’s agreement does not guarantee the LRA all the positions within the government it sought, but LRA members will be able to be considered for diplomatic, military, and government positions.

The peace process in Uganda began in 2006 and the Comprehensive Peace Agreement (CPA) is expected to be signed next week. Included in the CPA will be a date upon which the LRA will lay down their arms.

BBC News – New breakthrough in Uganda talks – 22 February 2008

allAfrica.com – Uganda: Govt, LRA Sign Another Peace Agreement – 23 February 2008

Impunity Watch – Uganda’s Government and LRA Rebels Agree to Special Court for War Crimes – 20 February 2008

Jean Ping, the newly elected chairman of the African Union Commission, has said this weekend is critical for resolving the situation in Kenya and has called on both sides to agree on the exact terms of the recently agreed power-sharing plan. The remaining disagreement is likely to center around the amount of power to give the new position of prime minister.

Ping hopes that final agreement will be achieved next week. The AU has noted that the conflict in Kenya has hurt the region’s economy causing an economic slowdown.

For more information, please see:

Impunity Watch – BRIEF: Prime Minister Post Approved by Kenyan Negotiators – 21 February 2008

BBC News – AU head urges Kenya peace deal – 22 February 2008

Reuters – Africa’s top diplomat pushes Kenya rivals to agree – 22 February 2008

NAIROBI, Kenya – Amnesty International has accused the Chadian Government of persecuting political opposition members under the guise of a state of emergency. The state of emergency was declared February 14^th by President Idriss Deby after a long standing armed opposition movement launched a major offensive on the capital city of N’Djamena. This movement has led low level insurgencies on towns since 2000. The latest offensive saw the rebels lay siege to the capital for three days, before government forces drove them out of the city. President Deby’s state of emergency gave provincial governors increased powers, instituted media controls, and imposed an overnight curfew.

Amnesty believes the government issued the state of emergency solely to flush out its political opposition. In the wake of the rebel attacks at least one opposition leader was arrested, and at least two others have disappeared. Amnesty International believes the government has used the state of emergency to “flush out and arrest supporters – actual or perceived – of political opposition parties.” The London-based organization is very concerned about the missing political members, and has urged Chad to either charge or release the detainee’s. It has also reached out to France, the former colonial occupant of Chad, to reveal any information it may possess with regards to the opposition leaders’ disappearance.  French authorities claim to be prioritizing the fate of the prisoners, but emerging information seems to point to the conclusion that the French Government knew about the arrests.

For more information, please see:

Yahoo! News – Amnesty: Chadian opposition persecuted – 21 February 2008

allAfrica.com – Chad: Human Rights Crisis Brewing in Aftermath of Attack on N’Djamena – 20 February 2008

NAIROBI, Kenya – After three weeks of back and forth talks of a power-sharing resolution, today’s meeting adjourned with a “more or less” agreement to a prime minister post. The details of the agreement have not been confirmed by Kofi Annan, who has been leading the negotiations between mediators for President Kibaki and opposition leader Raila Odinga.

Annan has reported that a broad governance structure and a joint outline have been approved. Also, an amendment to the Kenyan Constitution will likely take place since the prime minister post does not currently exist within it. Oppositions are demanding the post carry a number of responsibilities and a necessary allocation of authority and power.

Although the tentative agreement by both sides is a positive sign that may cease the deadly clashes, the International Crisis Group’s Donald Steinberg is warning against making short-term deals without addressing long-term issues, mainly the division and resentment amongst the ethnic groups.

According to the recent ICG report, Kenya is balancing on the edge of violence until an agreement has been finalized and approved. On Wednesday, the opposition warned of a mass protest unless power-sharing talks continued. Today, a man was hacked to death in a Nairobi slum during a fight between Kiyuyus and Luos.

Odinga’s party and supporters argue that the power-sharing resolution is the only way to end the violence but some fear the compromise may spark new fighting.

Talks are expected to resume on Friday.

For more information please see:

Yahoo News- Kenya OKs Prime Minister for Rivals – 21 February 2008

BBC- Annan Hails Kenya Talks Progress – 21 February 2008

DARFUR, Sudan – The bombing of a refugee camp in western Darfur and the presence of government forces and militia in the Jebel Moun region are “worrying signs”, according to UN Secretary General Ban Ki-moon, “that there will be continued hostility in the area.”

Although the camp was empty at the time several people were injured. Witnesses claim army planes were responsible for the bombing. The Sudanese army claims the offense was carried to clear out the Jem rebels whom they accuse of blocking aid deliveries to the area.

Between January 1st and January 24th, 23 fully loaded U.N. World Food Program trucks have been hijacked. Yesterday, Ban urged both sides to agree to a cease fire. UN humanitarian chief Sir John Holmes warns that the consequences for 20,000 civilians in the area could be disastrous, if the attacks continue.

Presently, only about 7,500 military personnel and 1,500 police officers are in Darfur. The UN and AU have authorized the deployment of 26,000 officers and troops.

Roughly 200,000 people have been killed and nearly 2.2 million displaced since the fighting began five years ago.

For more information please see:

BBC – Darfur Bombing is ‘Unacceptable’ – 20 February 2008

Yahoo News- UN chief urges cease-fire in Darfur – 20 February 2008