2009 Advocacy Agenda: How the Violence Can End
The LRA insurgency has terrorized civilians in northern Uganda and central Africa for two decades, outlasting four US presidents. Last year’s breakdown of the Juba peace process and dramatic escalation of LRA violence against civilians created a deadly new era in this crisis. However, President Obama and Congressional leaders have an opportunity to take crucial action in 2009 that can lead to the end of LRA violence in central Africa and help war-affected communities in northern Uganda rebuild and heal the wounds of war.
We know that it will take action on the part of ordinary citizens like you to convince our leaders to take action (click here for more on that!). But with your help, we’re confident that in 2009 we can convince our leaders in Washington to:
To ensure concrete progress towards these objectives in 2009, Resolve Uganda advocates for:
The Obama Administration to:
We know that it will take action on the part of ordinary citizens like you to convince our leaders to take action (click here for more on that!). But with your help, we’re confident that in 2009 we can convince our leaders in Washington to:
- Lead the development of an international strategy to permanently end the LRA insurgency and
- Invest in sustainable recovery and reconciliation initiatives for northern Uganda and surrounding areas affected by the war.
To ensure concrete progress towards these objectives in 2009, Resolve Uganda advocates for:
The Obama Administration to:
- Develop a comprehensive, interagency strategy for how the U.S. will work with its international partners to ensure that LRA leaders most responsible for the violence are apprehended and brought to justice and that remaining LRA captives and combatants are demobilized and brought home;
- Appoint a Great Lakes Envoy with the capacity and mandate to coordinate with regional and international actors to improve protection of communities under attack and advance opportunities to end the violence;
- Provide UN, Congolese, and South Sudanese forces with increased diplomatic and material support to improve their capacity to protect communities currently vulnerable to LRA attacks;
- Increase diplomatic pressure on the Uganda government to fulfill its responsibilities to rebuild northern Uganda and implement transitional justice mechanisms; and
- Work with international development partners and the Ugandan government to improve the coordination and implementation of recovery programs in northern Uganda.
- Pass the "LRA Disarmament and Northern Uganda Recovery Act," a bill that was introduced in both the House and Senate in May 2009. This bill will:
- Ensure the Obama Administration develops and implements a strategy to permanently end the LRA insurgency; and
- Increases flexible funding for reconstruction and transitional justice initiatives in northern Uganda, ensure that US assistance is effectively and efficiently meeting the needs war-affected communities, and hold the Ugandan government more accountable to its responsibilities to lead the recovery process.