Weekly Roundup for June 12-18: Kony continues dialogue, but LRA attacks persist

The Bad: The UN reports more LRA attacks in the DR Congo this month, while nearly 3,000 people remain displaced in South Sudan following an LRA attack in June.

The Ugly: A study found that poverty, alcohol abuse and crowded conditions in displacement camps contribute to northern Uganda having the highest levels of domestic violence in all of Uganda.

The Peace Process:

• LRA chief Joseph Kony allegedly authorized a letter to chief mediator Riek Machar to arrange a face-to-face meeting in the South Sudan village of Ri-Kwangba. The letter, delivered by controversial LRA negotiator David Matsanga, requests food for rebel delegates and demands that details of security arrangements at the meeting place be provided to Kony.

• Despite continued dialogue on moving the peace process forward, the effects of LRA aggression continue to reverberate in the region. LRA attacks in the eastern DR Congo this month have disrupted agricultural production, while nearly 3,000 people displaced by the LRA's June 4^th attack on Nabanga, South Sudan are in need of urgent humanitarian assistance.

• A Sudanese government official warned that the ICC's request for an arrest warrant for Sudanese President Omar al-Bashir on charges including genocide would have “a direct negative impact” on the peace process between the Ugandan government and the LRA.

Situation on the Ground:

• A study found that poor conditions in crowded displacement camps, combined with inadequate legislation and law enforcement, contribute to levels of domestic violence in northern Uganda higher than those in any other region in the country.

• Displaced northerners living in urban areas outside of the northern Uganda continue to lack legal status as internally displaced persons (IDPs) and access to humanitarian aid, hindering those who wish to return to their homes.

• The Ugandan military announced that it would begin withdrawing its forces from villages and IDP camps this month to allow civilian police to assume responsibility for community law and order in northern Uganda. Some troops will be redeployed on Uganda's borders with the DR Congo and Sudan.

• A report released on Uganda's volatile northeastern region of Karamoja argues that the Ugandan military's efforts to disarm civilians is destabilizing the region and leading to increased levels of violence.

International Response:

• The US and international community continue to have a key role in maintaining the momentum of the peace process between the LRA and Ugandan government. While formal peace negotiations in Juba have concluded, direct dialogue with Kony and regional diplomacy is needed to pressure the rebel leader to sign the Final Peace Agreement (FPA) and defuse spoilers with an interest in prolonging the conflict.