In a letter dated July 11 and addressed to the chief mediator and South Sudan Vice President, Dr Riek Machar, UN envoy to northern Uganda Joachim Chissano, African Union observers and the government, Mr Kony demanded for a security plan for his hideout in Ri-Kwangba and Nabanga, the two border posts between South Sudan and the Democratic Republic of Congo (DRC) where he intends to meet peace negotiators.

Mr Kony, a notorious rebel leader, made more demands, according to the letter written on his behalf by the leader of the LRA peace delegation, which includes the immediate delivery of food, medicine and water to Ri-Kwangba.

The rebel leader known for the abduction of children as slaves and child-soldiers is reported to be hiding in a jungle in the neighbouring Central Africa Republic (CAR).

“I have been directed to write and point out areas that need immediate attention as we prepare for the meeting in Ri-Kwangba,” the letter written by David Nyekoratch Matsanga, a copy of which has been obtained by Uganda’s independent Daily Monitor, read.

However the leader of the Ugandan peace delegation and government Minister for interior Ruhakana Rugunda said on Monday July 14, that the onus is on the LRA to sign the peace agreement.

“Uganda has been ready to sign this agreement. The ball lies squarely on the LRA leadership and Kony in particular to sign the agreement because the negotiations have been completed,” Dr Rugunda said.

On the proposed meeting in Ri-Kwangba, the Minister said his team would only participate on invitation by the chief mediator Dr Riek Machar.

According to the Daily Monitor, Mr Kony is said to have held talks with Dr Machar on July 10, the first time in three months, after he snubbed the signing of the peace deal in April.

LRA lead negotiator Dr David Nyekoratch Matsanga, who has refused calls for Kony’s assassination and the use of force against the rebels in a letter to the Ugandan President Yoweri Museveni, claimed that Kony called him on Friday July 11 and demanded that the Cessation of Hostilities Monitoring Team (CHMT) should first go to Ri-Kwangba and assess the security situation and help organise a face-to-face meeting between his commanders and the South Sudan People’s Liberation Army (SPLA).

“This (meeting) will help to boost the morale and relationship that soured after the skirmish (between LRA and SPLA) on June 6, 2008,” Dr Matsanga said.

“As chairman of the LRA delegation, I suggest that since some of the urgent needs might take time to organise we should meet urgently and look at these critical issues and take the priorities and immediate needs that can make the border meeting successful.”

Matsanga, who was reported to have been dismissed by Joseph Kony in April and has on several occasions been disowned by the LRA team, added: “There is a strong feeling from the LRA high command that food must be availed before we go to Ri-Kwangba. This food might not be the larger quantities but one consignment that can relieve the current situation that is very, very critical in Ri-Kwangba.

“I want to reaffirm the LRA commitment to the peace and quick conclusion of the process as indicated in the telephone discussion of yesterday (July 11) between Kony and you and another one today between me and Kony,” Dr Matsanga said from the Kenyan capital, Nairobi.

He proposed that one of the peace talk’s secretariat officials, Mr. James Gony, meet his team in Nairobi to sort out travel arrangements for his team.

The talks between the Ugandan government and the LRA under the mediation of the South Sudan Government have been on and off in the last two years due to mistrust and unrealistic demands from the rebel outfit.