THE DEPUTY LEADER OF UGANDA'S LORD'S RESISTANCE ARMY (LRA) VENTURED OUT OF THE BUSH ON SATURDAY FOR A MEETING ON THE SUDAN-CONGO BORDER WITH A DELEGATION SEEKING TO PERSUADE THE REBELS TO AGREE TO PEACE, REUTERS REPORTED. SOUTH SUDAN'S VICE PRESIDENT RIEK MACHAR -- WHO WANTS TO BROKER A DEAL TO END THE TWO-DECADE INSURGENCY -- SAT UNDER A TREE IN A PLASTIC CHAIR TO RECEIVE THE LRA'S INTERNATIONALLY WANTED SECOND IN COMMAND, VINCENT OTTI. THE LRA LAUNCHED ONE OF THE WORLD'S MOST BRUTAL INSURRECTIONS FROM NORTH UGANDA 20 YEARS AGO, LATER MOVING TO SOUTH SUDAN AND LATELY HIDING OUT IN THE JUNGLES OF EAST CONGO. MACHAR'S DELEGATION INCLUDED WIVES AND CHILDREN OF LRA REBEL COMMANDERS KEEN TO PERSUADE THEIR MEN TO LAY DOWN ARMS. ABOUT 40 REBELS, SOME IN THEIR EARLY TEENS AND MANY WEARING THEIR TRADEMARK DREADLOCKS AND MISMATCHED FATIGUES, STOOD GUARD AS THE RELATIVES, ELDERS AND RELIGIOUS LEADERS FROM NORTHERN UGANDA AND SOUTHERN SUDAN MET WITH OTTI. "WE WANT PEACE," ONE LRA CAPTAIN, WHO GAVE HIS NAME AS SUNDAY, TOLD ELDERS WHO ASSEMBLED UNDER A WHITE TENT IN THE CLEARING, WHICH LIES ALMOST EXACTLY ON SUDAN'S BORDER WITH THE DEMOCRATIC REPUBLIC OF CONGO. JOURNALISTS WERE ALLOWED TO ATTEND ON CONDITION THAT THEY DID NOT REVEAL THE EXACT LOCATION.
