The United Nations relief envoy on Tuesday urged the Ugandan government and northern rebels to strike a peace deal as soon as possible to end the suffering of refugees and internally displaced persons (IDPs) in both Sudan and Uganda.

Addressing a news conference in Nairobi after an eight-day visit to Uganda, the Democratic Republic of Congo (DR Congo) and Southern Sudan, UN Emergency Relief Coordinator Jan Egeland expressed optimism that the conflict could be drawing to a close after many years of conflict that has claimed millions of lives in northern Uganda.

"The ongoing peace process is the best and most serious opportunity we have had to end the conflict in northern Uganda," Egeland told a news conference in Nairobi.

He said the notorious rebel Lord's Resistance Army (LRA) has also agreed to release 'non-combatants,' including women and children they are holding captive.

"I am optimistic than I have been to any of my visits before in this region that some of the worst wars of our generation are coming to an end," Egeland said.

"I think that of the DR Congo and northern Uganda may see in the next months a dramatic return to normalcy and a dramatic opportunity for the international community to help peace and stability," Egeland said.

"These in many ways have been the epicenter of the worst humanitarian tragedies of our generation," he told reporters in Nairobi after arriving from Juba, southern Sudan.

The UN relief envoy said he spent Saturday night in a camp for IDPs in eastern Gulu district, where he participated in a traditional gathering with approximately 70 people, discussing issues of concern for the community, including the ongoing peace negotiations between the government and the LRA.

According to Egeland, the UN and aid agencies in Uganda are making arrangements to receive up to thousands of children and women believed to be held in rebel captivity.

"People are coming out in record numbers from the LRA. They are moving to assembly points in southern Sudan and there is an effective ceasefire for the first time," he said,

"We have to believe in peace and not do anything that may create problems for the peace process. I think we are seeing the beginning of an end to the most terrible conflict of this generation," he said.

The UN official, who met, among others, Salva Kiir, president of south Sudan and first vice-president of Sudan, and Riek Machar, vice-president of south Sudan and chief mediator at the talks between the Ugandan government and the LRA, however, warned that those who have committed crimes against humanity should be held accountable.

"There should be no impunity for indicted people or anybody else who has committed crimes against humanity. But what is more important now is that we should concentrate on ending the war," Egeland said of International Criminal Court (ICC) indictments against five top rebel leaders.

"Justice can be served in many ways. It is up to the prosecutor to decide whether we resort to traditional justice or stick to the ICC indictments. No where in the world has more lives been lost because of war than the Great Lakes region," he added.

The Hague-based ICC has indicted LRA leader Joseph Kony, his deputy Vincent Otti, and three other top commanders on charges of war crimes and crimes against humanity.

Egeland called on the international community to start considering the recovery and rebuilding of northern Uganda.

"The United Nations system is willing to do it now. In all of our appeals for humanitarian emergencies we are emphasizing recovery, the refugee returns, the return of the displaced and livelihoods recovery and our appeal is to get the money to do the job," he said.

Uganda has offered the five rebel leaders a blanket amnesty if they agree to a peace deal, and hinted at a possible negotiation with the ICC over the indictments.

Some people in Uganda have suggested that traditional systems of justice and reconciliation be used instead.

But despite the fears of indictment, the rebels have started assembling in designated places in southern Sudan.

Emphasizing that impunity was unacceptable and that justice in some form must be done, the UN relief coordinator recognized the significant role to be played by traditional Acholi mechanisms in ensuring those who are allegedly responsible for serious crimes face justice.

"The peace talks bring great hope for safe return and rebuilding of Acholi and Ugandan society," said Egeland who also visited DR Congo.

The Juba talks, which started two months ago, were due to conclude by Sept. 12, but the Ugandan government has said it will review this deadline. On Monday, the LRA delegation said it would take a break to brief Otti on the talks.

In Northern Ugandan, the IDPs discussed with Egeland the challenges they faced in the camp, the Juba peace talks, the role of the international community in the process and the ICC indictments against LRA rebel leaders.

Source: Xinhua